We at 2 Seas Sessions have had the honour and pleasure of having in the studio one of the greats of UK British folk music, Mr Wizz Jones. we do not use the word Legend very often but in the case of Wizz this is the only word you could use. Wizz started his incredible musical journey many many moons ago in the late 1950s and has continued his love for acoustic folk music to the present day. Inspired by hearing Big Bill Broonzy and Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Wizz Jones learnt his guitar licks from the likes of Davy Graham and Long John Baldry whilst playing in the coffee bars of London's Soho in the late 1950's. He then followed the time-honoured buskers' trail from the streets of Paris to the markets of Marrakech during the early 1960's and returned to Britain with a unique acoustic guitar style, an eclectic repertoire and a 'right hand worthy of Broonzy'! John Renbourn, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart and Keith Richards have all named him as an important early influence and even Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen opened his Berlin show with Wizz's song 'When I Leave Berlin'. After more than 50 years 'on the road' Wizz continues to tour on the Acoustic Folk and Blues circuit. Wiz was joined on this session with his son and long time musical Simeon Jones, the two have released several albums and as you can see from our sessions work in complete harmony with one another. Now Simeon Jones is no new kid on the block and has to date had a successful career playing both saxophone and harmonica with the likes of Basement Jaxx, Primal Scream, Sam Brown, Tom Jones, Charlie Dore, Geno Washington Band, Akasha, Take That, Bad Manners, Guru Josh, HBR & Otis Grand to name just a few. Wizz began his musical career at the age of 18 leading a Country and Skiffle band called "The Wranglers" in his home town of Croydon, Surrey in 1957. He had been inspired to take up the acoustic guitar a year or so before this after hearing such guitar luminaries as Big Bill Broonzy, Rambling Jack Elliot and Muddy Waters playing at a club in London organized by Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner (The Roundhouse in Wardour Street). Having learned most of his blues licks from Long John Baldry and Davy Graham whilst playing in the coffee bars of Soho, Wizz followed the time honoured trail - busking throughout Europe with many different musicians including at one time a budding young blues-man named Rod Stewart. On returning to Britain in the early sixties, Wizz formed a blue-grass duo with banjo-picker Pete Stanley, a partnership which was to last for four years during which time Wizz and Pete recorded a single and LP Album for EMI. Wizz and Pete went their separate ways at the end of 1967 and Wizz returned to solo work collaborating with songwriter Alan Tunbridge (an artist friend from the Soho days) and occasionally with guitarist Peter Berryman. He enjoyed considerable success throughout the 70's In Europe and Scandinavia both as a touring soloist and together with his wife Sandy in the group "Lazy Farmer" However back in England and several albums later - in spite of being often mentioned as an important early influence by artists such as Eric Clapton, John Renbourn and Ralph McTell, Wizz retained a certain "musician's musician" reputation, only occasionally playing club gigs and the odd festival spot sometimes with son Simeon on Sax, Harmonica and Flute. (As Billy Connolly says in the "Acoustic Routes" TV Documentary on Bert Jansch - "My friend Wizz has had a somewhat wispy career - now you see him now you don't!") It was possibly as a result of Wizz's appearance in this film and the re-issue of some of his long lost classics during the 90's that Wizz began to enjoy a bit of a come-back! More recordings followed notably on the U.S. based Scenescof label which led to Wizz's first trip to America and later on an appearance in the documentary film "The Ballad Of Rambling Jack Elliot" and even a gig in New York with Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth!). With his unique guitar style, an eclectic repertoire and "a right hand worthy of Broonzy" Wizz continues to tour on the acoustic folk and blues circuit. What a great pleasure it was to have the great Wizz Jones in our studio and play live. Please enjoy the master of UK Folk do his thing. http://www.2seassessions.com https://www.facebook.com/2SeasSessions/ https://www.instagram.com/2seassessions/ https://twitter.com/2SeasSessions

• published: 19 Mar 2016
• views: 2248