ROCKIN' JASON D. WILLIAMS

HILLBILLIES AND HOLY ROLLERS

2014-07-30

Rockin' Jason D. Williams is a singer/pianist with a well-honed gift for old-school rock and roll, country, jazz and gospel. This disc recorded live and without overdubs at the storied Sun Records Studio in Memphis, features Williams backed by the members of Hillbilly Casino and Sleepy LaBeef. With production chores handled by none other than Dale Watson, Williams and crew have assembled a raucous, fun release with a couple of originals including the Jerry Lee Lewis style title cut and "This is Rock and Roll" as well as choice covers by the likes of Joe Ely, "Fingernails", Hank Williams, "You Win Again", Johnny Cash, "Folsom Prison", Don Faye/Freddie Stack, "House of Blue Lights" (covered by everyone from the Andrews Sisters to Mitch Woods and Asleep at the Wheel), Claude Demetrius, "Mean Woman Blues" (Elvis) and even the well-worn "Sweet Georgia Brown" which gets a high energy jazzy piano treatment. "Old Time Religion" is a rave-up number with the feel of classic Leon Russell and the Shelter People with its rollicking piano and big choir vocals while the title cut is a celebratory homage to those that live on the fine line between Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. This firecracker of a release is solid from start to finish and captures the essence of the many great Sun Records releases that preceded it. Smitty