Hammond B3 alchemist Booker T Jones is one America’s most prolific, distinguished and instantly recognizable musical forces. Born in Memphis, Tennessee on November 12 1944, Jones’ interest in music manifested itself early, and as a child he both sang gospel in church and received classical training on the piano. A fascination with the Hammond B3 grew to the point where he funded his own organ lessons with newspaper route money and by his teens, Jones found himself at Stax Records backing fabled stars like Rufus and Carla Thomas, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and Eddie Floyd both in the studio and on the road.

His new release Potato Hole demonstrates that not only is Jones’ talent and power undiminished, it also reveals how much there is to his music that we’ve never heard before. Jones has a remarkable knack for telling a story with his melodies, compositions so thoughtfully constructed that one can almost visualize narrative events. Whether laying down a meditative ramble or hard-charging rocker, Jones’ sense of artistic liberation and depth of involvement on every track here is breath taking.

“The Hammond B3 and me have this thing goin’ on. It’s always there inside me. I’ve heard whole pieces in my head that I’ll never even remember – and now I’m finally getting them out.”he explained. “It gives me a freedom that I didn’t have . . . I sort of had it with the MG’s in the 60s, but even then it was more murky. This is lot more clear. I don’t know how to put it, except it’s like I can see again.”

Booker T. · Hammond B3, vocals Troy Gonyea · guitar Marc Ford · guitar Jeremy Curtis · bass Darian Gray · drums