Jake Andrews Jake Andrews Antone's Records by Scott Snidow

"Jake's ahead of a lot of us grown-ups now, and by the time he can buy a drink, he may well be ahead of us all." -Albert Collins Jake Andrews is now old enough to buy that drink, and the prophecy that Albert Collins made years ago when Andrews was barely a teenager is being fulfilled. On his latest self-titled release on the Austin based Antone's Records, this Texas guitar virtuoso is serving notice that he has come of age. With a vengeance! In a state where most pickers born since 1980 are blistering their fingers trying to be the next Stevie Ray Vaughan, Andrews is insuring that anyone born since 1990 will be going through the same tortures to be the next Jake Andrews. On this new album, Andrews has created a sound that is uniquely his own, while still paying homage to the blues and rock legacy that he draws his music from. If you listen closely you will hear chops that have been lifted from the old masters, folks like Albert King, Buddy Guy, and T-Bone Walker. These are blended with licks borrowed from some of the newer practitioners of a bluesy brand of rock and roll that include the Vaughan Brothers, Chuck Berry, Alvin Lee and Eric Clapton. In fact, Andrews' life mirrors that of Clapton's in many ways. Both started playing guitar at a very young age. Both were schooled in the blues. By the time both were thirteen they were garnering loads of attention, from the media and musicians alike, and had appeared on stage with many of the legends of blues music. At that tender age, Andrews had already shared the spotlight with the likes of Albert King, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins and Gatemouth Brown, standing toe to toe with them and matching them lick for lick. Quite an impressive resume for a young boy from Texas. But Andrews is no average boy from Texas. In fact, if the word prodigy ever fit anyone, Jake Andrews is it. Guitar guru Dave Sebree, whom Andrews studied with, relates the story where he marveled at the young man's ability to learn Charlie Parker's "Scrapple From The Apple" in thirty minutes. Already, Andrews was shaping his legacy, which has seen its culmination in this new release. Jake Andrews is a CD that is filled with searing guitar licks and white-hot overdriven tube amp sounds. It is a collection of 14 of the meanest, rockingest, most soulful blues-rock tracks guaranteed to delight your senses and burn their way into the very fiber of your being. From the opening chords of "They'll Never Know," Andrews will have your attention riveted, and with his blazing solo riffs he lets the world know that he has arrived, and his is no wimpy flash in the pan rip off of the blues, but is the real deal. Andrews' sound is all his own, make no mistake about that. Inevitably, however, reviewers are forced to compare the sound of any musician with those that have gone before him. Woven throughout his material, on tracks like "Just A Song" and "In Your Sunshine," one can hear traces of Cream, The Allman Brothers, and even hints of Humble Pie and Faces. "2 Dirty Dogs" is a rowdy rock and roll number, complete with guitar riffs and ghost bends a la Chuck Berry. Track 11, which is mysteriously unnamed, is a shuffle blues number that is reminiscent of Stevie Ray. And for the blues purists, feast your ears on the scorching hot blues that Andrews serves up on "Tell Me" and "Taking Care Of Business." Warning: Jake Andrews is not for the timid or the weak of heart. This is a balls out, in your face blues record intended to be played at maximum volume. It is so hot it may sizzle in your hands when you remove it from the jewel case, so handle with care. Neither Mr. Andrews, record producer Carla Olson, the good folks at Antone's Records nor the staff of Rockzillaworld can be held responsible for muscle fatigue caused from repeated air guitar playing or reckless abandon dancing, ringing in the ears due to high decibel levels, or the overall state of euphoria that is bound to accompany repeated listenings to this album. *If old tube amps, vintage Stratocasters, and fierce down home blues are your thing, then check out www.jakeandrews.com. You can contact Scott Snidow at: scott-at-rockzilla.net

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