Rockabilly Corner introduces . . . Jim Jamm Jimmy

by Sheila Broderick

[email protected]

Looking for some new music? Look no further! Check out this cat with his one-man band. Releasing his debut CD # 1 Contender, this eight-track release shows raw talent and versatile musical ability. “Green Light” has a garage sound and feel, while “Gone, Gone, Gone!” gives you that roots rock-n-roll sound. It has to be difficult being the entire band; but he pulls it off with a bang!

CMB: Tell me how it all started for you.

JJJ: I got exposed to the musician’s lifestyle when I was fairly young. My neighbor had a successful touring band and had recorded a few albums. I always thought it was cool when guys that were on the road would hang out at his place and they would jam till the wee hours of the morning, drinking and playing. Just having a great time. I kept thinking to myself, man, this is what I want to do. So, I begged my mom and dad for a guitar around the ripe old age of 8 and haven’t stopped since.

CMB: What is your musical background?
JJJ: I started out as a guitar player, and then taught myself to play the tenor banjo. That led to me playing in a polka band when I was 13.We would do dances, weddings, ethnic clubs–50 to 100 bucks a night for a 13-yr old was crazy money back then. I would later play in numerous rockabilly bands, and always wanted a slap-style upright player. To make a long story short, no one played an upright that I knew, so I ended up finding one and taught myself how to slap it. The rest is history.

CMB: Where does your inspiration come from? Give our readers a little information on the track list and where they can pick this bad boy up.

JJJ: Well, I knew I was going to do the live shows as a one-man band, so the album had to reflect that raw feel and not be overdone. I started listening to some of that early Hasil Adkins stuff, Link Wray, Ronnie Dawson.

The first song, “Rattlesnake,” is a straight-ahead instrumental with a Duane Eddy vibe in the middle. “Gone, Gone, Gone!” is a classic hillbilly groove in the Adkins style. “Thunderbird” lends itself to a bluesy 60s kind of vibe. “Buster The Dog” was written about our beagle who just kind of laid around the house and didn’t get too excited about anything. “Green Light” seems to be the song everyone likes on the album. It’s a mix between Johnny Cash and Chris Isaak. The rest of the album runs the gamut from 80s neo-billy to swing. It was all about what I was feeling at the moment.

I will also donate half of any album, merch and 100% of live performances to the Denver Rescue Mission. So, not only are you getting some good original music, you’ll being helping out a good cause as well. (iTunes, Spotify, Amazon)

CMB: What can people expect when they see you perform live?

JJJ: Hopefully something they’ve never seen in Denver before–a one-man rockabilly-wrecking crew. I [always] want the audience to feel that they’ve been entertained, in that Dean-Martin rat pack style; a relentless, sweaty, rocking show with some raunchy humor thrown in. I may have special guests join me from time to time as well.

I’m in the process of lining some opening gigs up. All show dates will be posted on

http://www.JimJammJimmy.com

Tags: jim jmm jimmy, #1 contender, green light, gone, guitar player, tenor banjo, polka band, rockabilly bands, slap-style upright, rattlesnake, duane eddy, basil adkins, link wray, ronnie dawson, johnny each chris issak, thunderbird, buster the dog, denver escue mission, dean martin, rat pack

Category: The Post