L. A. Jones & The Blues Messengers have been tearing up the floorboards for the last seventeen years in roadhouses all over the world, touring constantly playing over 200 gigs a year. Despite this grinding schedule they have still found the time to back up some of today’s greatest Blues stars like pianist Pinetop Perkins, guitarists Otis Rush and Eddie Kirkland, saxophonist Joe Houston and vocalists, like Zora Young and Casey Jones.

From years of working the crowds at these far-flung venues they have emerged with a blending of Texas and Chicago Blues styling that aims to please any one’s discriminating taste for the Blues, from the primitive Delta slide style of Muddy Waters, the haunting intensity of Otis Rush, or the ever popular jump swing in the great Texas and West Coast tradition.

At the same time, The Blues Messengers have forged a style that is distinctly separate from all these influences, merging them all into their own instantly recognizable sound.

There is not a gig that L.A. Jones plays without some pleased patron commenting on left handed guitarist L. A. Jones’ ability to employ both left and right handed guitars with equal facility. This is something that NOBODY else in the business does.

L. A. also specializes in bringing down the house using dynamics reminiscent of the mind-boggling technique of Buddy Guy or the economy of notes and breathtaking feeling of B.B. King. In addition he uses many different tunings on several different guitars that keep musicians in the audience talking among themselves and everyone entertained.

Hartford Courant music critic says, "Jones shows he’s a guitarist and singer who knows how to take his time and wrings extra ounces of soul out of the fabric that make a solo."

Jas Obrecht, an editor of Guitar Player Magazine says in his review

"In 1978 I had a realization that my strong thing was The Blues and that I should specialize in The Blues and so I’ve been hammering at it ever since," says L. A. Jones.

The Blues Messengers, recently relocated to Los Angeles from the famed city of Austin, Texas, have four recordings out on the independent Barking Blues label entitled "Somebody Been Playin’ My Guitar," "A Day Late and a Dollar Short", "Jumpin’ At Shadows" and "Rat Stompin’ Blues". Legendary pianist Pinetop Perkins is a special guest on piano on two Muddy Waters influenced originals on "A Day Late..." contributing the barrelhouse finesse for which he is justly famed.

During an extended tour of Canada backing Pinetop Perkins, The Blues Messengers were part of a documentary of life on the road for Blues musicians produced by U-TV of Vancouver, British Columbia. The documentary was distributed throughout the country on Canadian television.

Their third recording titled "Jumpin’ at Shadows" has just been completed and promises to be their most successful. Jones himself feels that this is their best effort to date. It features harmonica virtuoso "Magic Dave" Therault laying down sounds never before issued from the Blues harp. Guitar wizard Brian "Hash Brown" Calway, who is a major kingpin in the local and regional Dallas, Texas Blues scene also makes a very welcome guest appearance.

Like their first two recordings, "Jumpin’ at Shadows" features Jones’ tongue-in-cheek original lyrics and covers a wide variety of styles in the Blues.

"Rat Stompin’ Blues" is a solo acoustic effort by L.A. Jones which demonstrates that he is more than able to express himself in yet another style—the Delta Blues. This recording also showcases his considerable talent as a songwriter with fourteen new songs never before released.

L.A. Jones has just finished up recording yet another CD this time on Shattered Records with the great Joe Houston. The Joe Houston session on Shattered Records has led to L.A. Jones being signed to a recording contract with Shattered Records.

It’s not the first time that L.A. Jones has lent his talents to a recording project. He was also the featured guitarist on organist Jesse "Wild Bill" Austin’s well-received "Steel Trap Album" that climbed to number five on the Blues charts in 1993.

A special honor was bestowed on the group in 1988 when their single, "Let’s Not Fight" was nominated for the W. C. Handy Award for Blues Single of the Year for 1988. The Handy Award is the most prestigious and sought after award attainable in the Blues and nominees are usually signed artists.

Another specialty of L.A. Jones is his ability to sound uncannily like the late great Albert King. This led to his headlining the Bologna Blues Festival in a highly publicized, well received tribute to Albert King while on tour in Italy. Don’t miss L.A. Jones’ entertaining, lively, humorous, deep Blues in your town!

"Fine guitar interjections in the style of Otis Rush"—Cadence

"L. A. Jones is one of the greatest Blues guitarists in the world!"—Joe Houston

"You got that Albert King shit down!"—Lucky Peterson

"L. A. Jones is my brother in the Blues"—Jesse" Wild Bill" Austin

"This is my son"—Eddie Kirkland (introducing L. A. Jones)

"L. A. Jones is about the best I’ve heard... black or white"—James Peterson

"L. A. Jones can squeeze that guitar just like Albert King or slide just like my old boss, Mr. Muddy Waters"—Pinetop Perkins

"Catchy Blues with lots of guitar star flash"—Phone Booth Records

L. A. Jones has recorded with:

Pinetop Perkins - Joe Houston - Jesse "Wild Bill" Austin - Gary "B.B." Coleman - Hash Brown - Guitar Gabriel - Magic Dave Therault - Big Time Sarah - Pelle Lindberg & the Blues Blasters

L. A. Jones has toured with:

Otis Rush - Pinetop Perkins - Joe Houston - Eddie Kirkland - Hubert Sumlin - Casey Jones - Uncle John Turner - Zora Young - Big Time Sarah

L. A. Jones has appeared with:

John Lee Hooker - Buddy Guy - Lonnie Brooks - Johnny Copeland - James Cotton - Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson - Magic Slim - Carey Bell - Jerry Portnoy - Chris Duarte - Ronnie Earl - Sue Foley - Duke Robillard - Son Seals - Koko Taylor

• Discography