The Atomic Roots Orchestra - Border Radio Gamble - A brand new blast of the roots of Blues and Rhythm, Rock and Roll/Rhythm and Blues
Job Striles is one of a handful of authentic Roots and Blues men today. He plays fantastic guitar! tasteful dangerous real guitar! Always outside the lines in the BEST ways! Like Goree Carter, Robert Kelton, Gatemouth in his sharkskin suit. Now look at that box Jobs playing, that's no kids guitar! That's a grown Blues mans guitar! One of those guitars you have to extract the music from, with both hands! Have Mercy people! He is a "West Coast Roots Guitar Legend" and runs in the high end company of Kirk Fletcher, Rick Holmstrom, Alex Schultz, Jr Watson; while capturing a unique distinctive rougher, rowdier, soulful, more musical take on the sound. Successfully able to tread the fine line between traditional and modern styles writes: Blues Review he's the one to watch. Job is a founding member of Max Bangwell Band, Job Striles Band, and Rob Rio and the Revolvers
John lee Williamson - the last great rhythm guitar players and vocalists of West Coast Blues & Rhythm. He has a keen sense of the music's history and is keeping the post war L.A. Sound alive forever. He instituted and lead The Magic Blues Band - L. A. 1980's, The Southside Jukes - Atlanta Ga. the 1990's, The Superstitions L.A. 2000's.
And now due to the vision of the Johnny and Job team there is - The Atomic Roots Orchestra - 2010The fellas in this band have opened shows for James Harman, Rod Piazza, the late Jimmy Rogers, R.L. Burnside, the J. Giels Band, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Robert Lockwood Jr, Don Julian, The Jaguars, Richard Berry, Don & Dewey, Tony Allen, Vernon Green and the Medallions, The Chambers Brothers, Juke Logan, Katy Segal, Lester Butler ( Blue Shadows, Red Devils, 13) and Dave Melton, Big Joe Turner, Smoky Wilson, Etta James, William Clark, Steve Samuals, Rick Holstrom, Alex Shultz, Paul Butterfield, Timmy Capella, Randy Chortcoff, Sam Taylor, Deacon Jones, Top Jimmy and the Rhythm Pigs, X, Mentors, just to name a few. John Lee played at the House of Blues Stage for the opening of the 1994 Olympic Games in Atlanta Ga. Jobs song Coffee is the center piece of Baileys with coffee international campaign and they have recorded scores of highly collectible internationally recognized Albums - just check Cdbaby for numerous samples of their fine work.
The Atomic Roots Orchestra (ARO) affirms their ability to write, interpret and record modern traditional roots songs. This CD covers the origins of Border Radio Roots to Blues and Rhythm, from it's near acoustic rural roots to the modern day big city electric sound. This CD spans the Blues world from the Delta through Chicago and Texas to Los Angeles. It's evident that these fellows know the Blues and where it comes from they've seen and heard so much their lives that however rooted in the past they choose to be, they know they can't just stay there. And why would they want to? Adventure lies in new discovery." The Atomic Roots Orchestra reaches ahead evolking and advancing the original American Culture with a new authentic Border Radio AM Sound. ARO advances the sound of some of the planet's smokin'est players, MAX BANGWELL, drums; and RICK REED, bass, Bill Flores sax, John Lee Williamson rhythm guitar and vocals to an awesome level. This band will really take you "To the Border and Back". Tradition Passion - Strength; Music, Girls, Cars!, a way of life from Legion Stadiums of the 50's and Border Radio of Dr Jazzmo and Wolfman Jack to the present and beyond.
So, at last, a teaming of two legends "Johnny and Job" and The Atomic Roots Orchestra on their premier recording brings Job Striles and John lee Williamson together in great style!
Extreme Soul and Engineering by the finest in the industry:
Glen Nishida - Pacifica Studios - L.A., Culver City, So Cal
From Stadiums of the 50's and Border Radio of Dr Jazzmo and Wolfman Jack to Today and beyond! Have Mercy!!
Contact information: Job Striles: JOBSTRILES@NETZERO.COM
John Lee Williamson: jwillia100@aol.com
John Williamson was born in South Bend Indiana, October 17 1941 of, Father, Big Band Horn player, Sax, Clara net, Flute and Piccolo James E Williamson who over the years played with Freddy Martin, Hank Russell, Nelson Riddle, Lawrence Welk, and others and Mother, Wynn Fair Big band Singer with the Freddie Martin Orchestra. John was living in dresser drawers of the hotels that his parents lived in while doing big band one nighters and often jokes that the back of his head is flat from sleeping in dresser drawers. At the onset of World War II John lived in Lubbock Texas with his Great ant and uncle in the oil fields. after the war he moved to Sunland California and has resided there on and off Living in Los Angeles in the 1960's, Sun Valley Ca. 1970's, Northridge Ca. in the 1980 Atlanta Georgia thru the 1990 and again in Sunland from 1997 to the present where he is the CEO of Conjur Root Records. John Williamson founded and performed in the following Bands from the 1950' thru the 1980's The Magic Blues Band, The Magic Blues Band Featuring 50"s Sax legend Chuck Higgins. The Magic Blues Band consisted of John Williamson - Guitar and Vocals, Rocky Jackson - Guitar and vocals, Paul Zubek Harp and Vocals, Lenna Rena Piano and vocals, Bruce Cox Bass, Jeff Shaw Drums and subsequently Rick Germond aka Primordial Slim Harp, and Rod The Rocket Welk Harp, Joe Uele of John Mayall Band), Dennis Kensmore, Roger Connley, Mike Herman drums and Al Molinaro, Jesse Seranno, and Alan Heranno - Bass, During this period John appeared with many 1950's thru 1980's legends, Don Julian, The Jaguars, Richard Berry, Don & Dewey, Tony Allen, Vernon Green and the Medallions, The Chambers Brothers, Juke Logan, Katy Segal, Lester Butler ( Blue Shadows, Red Devils, 13) and Dave Melton, Big Joe Turner, Smoky Wilson, Etta James, William Clark, Rod Piazza, Steve Samuals, Rick Holstrom, Alex Shultz, Paul Butterfield, Timmy Capella, Randy Chortcoff, Sam Taylor, Deacon Jones, Top Jimmy and the Rhythm Pigs, X, Mentors and many others. The Magic Blues band was a regionally renound Hollywood underground mainstay who produced and performed legendary Blues Theme Shows and Mini-Festivals with all these people on the west coast.
In 1990 John moved to Atlanta Georgia, at the time the Atlanta Scene was focused on Stevie Ray Vaughn and Texas Blues and was well represented across the USA. John Was much more a player in the resurgence of real roots music that Stevie's brother Jimmy Vaughn and Keith Furgerson were spearheading. After going to most of the clubs and shows in Atlanta John decided to build and campaign a true roots blues band in Atlanta, The first was Crossfire, with Brian Powell - Guitar and Vocals, John Weiland - Bass and Vocals, Steve Harding - Drums this was followed by Buick 59 a Blues and Roots Trio featuring John Williamson Guitar and Vocals, Frankie Moates Guitar, and Rick Cheney - Harp. Then at a chance meeting with his L.A. friend and Harp master Rod Piazza and an acquaintance of Rods, Harmonica Joe Lee Bush who introduced John and Joe Lee Bush that night at Blind Willies Club in Atlanta. John and Joe Lee really hit it off immediately, both were original 1950's guys, Joe Lee had been the last person to take lessons from the legendary Little Walter Jacobs and as a 14 year old kid really soaked up everything Walter taught him over 2 months outside those Auburn ave. clubs in the early 1950's. John and Joe Lee already knew everything the other guy knew, so they launched into performing the Atlanta club circuit as The Southside Jukes a two man roots band. Over the next month they decided to expand the band to a full on blues band and invited Frankie Moates -Guitar, Chris Green - Pinetone Studios, Piano and Guitar, LT (Lieutenant) Jones Bass and Vocals a and KoKoMo Tim Gunther - Drums. in a mater of a week and without any rehearsals The Southside Jukes recorded two complete albums plus some more in an 2 day nonstop session at Chris Green's Pinetone Studios there in Atlanta. The Southside Jukes performed at all the clubs throughout the south including at The 1994 House of Blues at the Olympics, Jacksonville Blues Festival, Blind Willies, Fat Mat's and many others. During this time The Southside Jukes band led by John Williamson performed with and on the same bill Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Felex Reyes and the Cats, Neil Patman, Snooky Prior, The Shadows, Billy Wright, Grady Fats Jackson (Elmore James band member and legendary 2 sax at one time horn man), Paul Linden, Sean Costello, Danny Mud Cat, Brian Powell, Sweet Betty, The Chatmans and many others The results of this are the two Legendary Cd's John Lee Williamsons Southside Jukes Cool Cool Place to Go and John Lee Williamsons Southside Jukes Down In Hollywood.
John Lee Williamson returned to Sunland California in 1997, where he resides today, when thru another fateful meeting, John "Teamed up With" Demar Dupree a Legendary West Coast Vocalist and Harp Player and after reviewing and revisiting John's roots guidelines and Credo" Music, Girls, and Cars" EG: nothing Modern ever! John with along with Demar instituted their Current Group "The Superstitions" The Superstitions have the same type history starting as a Roots Blues Trio with Demar Dupree on Vocals and Harp John Lee Williamson on Guitar and Vocals and T J Sullivan on Guitar and Vocals The Superstitions produced and released the Cd "Leave all Blades and Pistols at the Door" in late 2004/2005 and then with a full band with the current members, John Lee Williamson - Guitar and Vocals, Demar Dupree - Harp and Vocals, Mighty Mike Recendez Lead Guitar, a phenomenal 24 year old "Guitar Genius" who arrived on the planet with T Bone Walker, Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Nolan, Pete Guitar Lewis even Santana already in his soul and spirit, Dr Jay Stolmack Sax, Rich Torres and then Jp Drums and Legendary ELA. Bassist and Vocalist Sergeo Osolo The Superstitions latest Cd The Superstitions "Kings of Juke Joint Music - Juke Town"! Rest assured that John Lee Williamson is still on a Roots and Blues roll with several more albums planned for release on Conjur Root Records all on Cdbaby.
In 1998 John Lee Williamson recorded a studio album with the top studio musicians in Los Angeles /Ventura California. Them Junko King Hats "Dance Party Takeout! " This group came together at Bobby Bragg's Studio in Ventura California in 1998 and David Chamberlain's Studio in Studio City California; Laid down a whole Album in one night and one day! This renown album contains some of the most eclectic roots originals and tributes to Legends like Bo Diddleys tribute song "Rhythm Gladiator" Them Junko King Hats are John Lee Williamson Production Guitar and Vocals, Bobby Bragg Production Guitar and Vocals, David Morgan ( writer of Ray Charles Songs and The Nelsons Piano man) on Piano and Vocals, David Chamberlain Production and Bass of Bruce Willis and the Heaters and Don and Dewy's, Dewey Terry and many more famous folks, Rich Diamond - Drums also from the same famous groups, Rod "The Rocket" Welk - Harp and Vocals - an alumni of John's Magic Blues Band. Them Junko King Hats are also available on Cdbaby. Them Junko King Hats received a Mavric Music Award in 2007 for Hustler Blues a song penned by John Juke Logan and performed on "Dance Party Takeout!" If you're in Southern California in 2008 you can catch John Williamson and The Superstitions Band at Cafe 322 in Sierra Madre California on a 2nd Saturday every month in 2008 and on the BBC Dr Rock and other radio shows world wide. John Lee Williamson - Tradition Passion - Strength; Music, Girls, Cars!, a way of life for Johnny from 1941 till now! From Legion Stadiums of the 50's and Border Radio of Dr Jazzmo and Wolfman Jack to Today! Have Mercy!!
Now today, with the mighty Job Striles teamed with John "The Atomic Roots Orchestra"
Favorite Artists Songs:
Jimmy Reed
Little Rain Falling
Boogie in the dark
Can't Stand to see you Go
Jimmy Mc Cracklin
Rickmond California
That Ain't Right
Willie Heydon Headon
Let Me Cry
Turn the Hi Fi Down
Louis and Frosty
Train Time
The Platters
Maggie Doesn't Work Here any More
Billy Wright
Change Your Women Change Your Town
Little Richard
Miss Ann
Little Richards Boogie
Don and Dewey
Miss Sue
Justine
Squires
Cindy
Gaylarks
Tell Me Darling
Clovers
Lovey Dovey
The Cliques
Girl in My Dreams
Marvin and Johnny
Tick Tock
Cherry Pie
The Drifters
White Christmas
The Five Keys
Ling Ting Tong
The Chords
Sh Boom
Bp Diddley
Diddey Wah Diddey
Johnny Guitar Watson
MotorHead Baby
Chuck Higgins
Roller Coaster
Somethings Going on in My Room
Pachuko Hop
Duck Walk
Joe Houston
All Night Long
Big Jay Mc Neeley
Ice Water
Johnny Otis
Casting a Spell on you
Hand Jive
Trudy Williams and The Sixteens
Arrow of love
Slim Green and the Cats from Fresno with Al Simmons
Old Folks Boogie
The Jacks
Why Don't You Write Me
The Four Deuces
WPLJ White Port and Lemon Juice
The Spaniels
Play it Cool
There's a Pain in My Heart
The Robins
Ten Days in jail
That's What the good Book Said
What a You Want
Mando and The Chili Peppers
Jim Balcom and the Shades of Rhythm
Coredo Rock
Rosie and the Originals
Angel Baby
Give me Love
The Cadillacs
Let Me Explain
Richard Berry
Get out of the Car
Irvin Big Boy Groves
xxxxx
Wynonie Harris
Fishtail Cadillac
Shake That Thing
Wilbert Harrison
Don't Drop It
The Willows
Church Bells May Ring
The Youngsters
Christmas in Jail
Dreamy Eyes
The Turbans
When You Dance
Willie Egans
Drop Anchor For Me Baby
Willie Joe
Unitar Rock
Cherokee Dance
Penguins
Hey Senorita
Earth Angel
The Crows
Gee
Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
Work With Me Annie
Big Joe Turner
TV Mama
Elmore James
Dust my Blues
Twelve year old boy
Sonny Boy Williamson
Cool Cool Blues
Cool Cool Place to Go
The Southside Jukes
Rocket sixty nine 69
Vernon Green and the Medallions
Buick 59
Did You Have Fun
Edna
Speedin' Speeding
Beyond Dancing With the Stars and American Idol in the Cool!
From Blues Blast Magazine - Rainy Wetnight
Atomic Roots Orchestra – Vol. 1 Border Radio Gamble
Conjur Root Records / Federated
(no website –Band bio and purchase at CD Baby)
14 songs; 44:48 minutes
Styles: Juke Joint Blues; Roots Rock; Blues and Rhythm; Rock and Roll; Rockabilly
There's a phenomenon in nature and social relationships called the “propinquity effect.” According to Wikipedia, it is “the tendency for people to form friendships or romantic relationships with those whom they encounter often. In other words, relationships tend to be formed between those who have a high propinquity.” In even plainer words, people tend to “grow on you.” Such is also the case with the Atomic Roots Orchestra – Vol. 1 and their debut album, “Border Radio Gamble”!
Consisting of Job Striles – lead guitar and vocals, John Lee Williamson – Rhythm guitar and vocals, Bill Flores - sax , Rick Reed - bass, and Max Bangwell – drums and vocals, the Atomic Roots Orchestra “is on a mission to bring back Border Radio Music like was layed [sic] down by the 1949 to 1959 DJ around America.” This CD's liner notes merrily continue: “In ordre [sic] to get er done, a top flite [sic] group of artists has assembled to lay it out in one day with no rehearsals and no playing around—Show and Blow a whole Album right now! The Players have to be supurb [sic] and on a mission to create an authentic recording session and sound!” If one seeks to find out more about this band, one should NOT continue reading—doing that will only induce a migraine. Instead, pop this CD in and bask in the glow of these retro, radio-active tunes!
Border Radio Gamble pays homage to the postwar Los Angeles Blues and Rhythm and Jump Swing explosion by inducting 14 (apparently) original songs into a 21st Century kick butt album.
The Atomic Roots Orchestra's music may be an acquired taste for some: there's lots of horns, for starters. Secondly, many of their numbers are crazy mishmashes of blues, swing, and rock. The more one hits the “play” button, however, the more endearing this album becomes. These are five fellows who love music the way it was played around the middle of the 20th century. Leading off with “Home on Alcatraz,” the Orchestra shows off its spicy style and tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. For a more serious tale, check out “Love in Vein”—the best slow blues song on the album. Winding up in court is never fun, and this ballad proves it. “S & T Scrunch” and “Zip Gun Yakuza” are downright perplexing earworms, while “Waterbed Cadillac” will bring sly grins and knowing chuckles! For a final treat, check out “That's What the Good Book Said,” rehashing well-known Bible stories. Overall, the more you experience the “propinquity effect,” the more you'll enjoy the Atomic Roots Orchestra!
Reviewer Rainey Wetnight is a 31-year-old female Blues fan. She brings the perspective of a younger blues fan to reviews. A child of 1980s music, she was strongly influenced by her father’s blues music collection.
For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE
Blues Underground Review:
Atomic Roots Orchestra "Border Radio Gamble"
The Atomic Roots Orchestra is the brainchild of Job Striles and John Lee Williamson and their newest collaboration together is called "Border Radio Gamble" and I am telling you now, it is one of the best and most creatively unique "Blues and Rhythm, Rock and Roll/Rhythm and Blues", I have heard in a long while.
Both Job Striles and John Lee Williamson are modern day legends in their own right with Job Striles guitar work and style of delivery being compared to Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. When it comes to playing guitar, Job Striles doesn't just caress the airways, he bites threw them like a hungry wolf, leaving no doubt who the boss is. It is this reason why he is considered as a "West Coast Roots Guitar Legend". "Jobs song Coffee is the center piece of Baileys with coffee international campaign and they have recorded scores of highly collectible internationally recognized Albums ." John Lee Williamson is heralded as "the last great rhythm guitar players and vocalists of West Coast Blues & Rhythm." He is a gold mine of music history and has worked tirelessly to help keep the "post war L.A. Sound alive, forever." John Lee Williamson's previous bands, which he formed and lead, were The Magic Blues Band, The Southside Jukes, and The Superstitions. "John Lee played at the House of Blues Stage for the opening of the 1994 Olympic Games in Atlanta Ga." Together on, "Border Radio Gamble", John and Job not only carry around the necessary dynamite to get the job done, they also take turns lighting the fuse.
Bringing back the great sound of the late 40's to late 50's Border Radio Music that was played by the great American DJ's' of that era, "Border Radio Gamble" consists of 14 great memorizing Tracks, of which 6 are originals with 8 great covers including "Love in Vein" (Sony Boy Williamson II) and Jimmy Reed's "Can't Stand to See You Go". Released in 1956, "Can't Stand to See You Go" reached number 10 on the U.S. R&B Chart. Of the other 6 covers, they are from artists, whoms names I do not recognize, yet I have heard a few of the songs, such as, the opening Track "Home On Alcatraz" a song by a group called Rolling Crew and "Hey Senorita" which is a song by the group which also done the hugely popular "Earth Angel", namely The Penguins. Other great artists covered on "Border Radio Gamble" were Jimmy McCracklin, Louis and Frosty, Goree Carter, and The Robins. All these bands and performers were very influential for their era, an example being The Robins whom "were a successful and influential American R&B group of the late 1940s and 1950s, one of the earliest such vocal bands who established the basic pattern for the doo-wop sound ."
With the originals done on "Border Radio Gamble", Job Striles and John Lee Williamson managed to meld perfectly with the covers and really showed me that they certainly knew the music from that era and absolutely knew how to play it. In addition to Job Striles on Lead Guitar/Vocals and John Lee Williamson on Rhythm Guitar/Vocals, the other members playing on this exceptional album were, Bill Flores (Tenor Sax), Max Bangwell (Drums/Vocals), Rick Reed (Bass/Naps), and The Welfare Line Chain Gang Choir.
Although consisting of a type of music I rarely listen to, "Border Radio Gamble", came across to me as not only an exciting album but also an album with a welcome sense of freshness and creativity and one that I hugely enjoy listening to.
"Border Radio Gamble" is really great music and I am very grateful for Job Striles and John Lee Williamson keeping this style of music alive and bringing it back to the masses.
Highly Recommended and Thoroughly Enjoyed
Review by John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)
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