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Jones recorded 8 albums in a Soul-Jazz vein for Prestige in the period from 1968 to 1973, but his most furious, frenetic, funky and in-demand record has to be “Sweetback,” recorded in Upper Darby, PA in 1975, and originally released on the Joka label. Ivan Joseph Jones, also known as "Boogaloo Joe", (born 1 November 1940) made his solo soul jazz debut as "Joe Jones" on Prestige Records in 1967, but earned the name "Boogaloo Joe" following a 1969 record of that title. The nickname was meant to distinguish him from the other people with similar names in the music business, such as R&B singer Joe Jones, jazz drummers "Papa Jo" Jones and Philly Joe Jones, etc. Later, he'd turn to billing himself as Ivan"Boogaloo Joe" Jones.
While his sound and style clearly derived from the blues, it was a solid understanding of rock and soul that Jones brought to his style of jazz and set him apart from the crowd. He was influenced most by Tal Farlow and Billy Butler, but gravitated toward the rhythm and blues jazz Butler was popularizing with organist Bill Doggett's popular group.
While jazz went through some drastic changes during the dozen years of his recording career, Jones’ sound and style stayed remarkably consistent. His twangy tone coupled catchy chordal vamps with astonishing rapid-fire single-note playing. He could handle familiar pop covers ("Light My Fire," "Have You Never Been Mellow") and ballads. But he really excelled in the jazz-funk groove and proved himself a first-rate blues player.
Jones has lived in South New Jersey most of his life and mostly worked in and around the Atlantic City area with chitlin-circuit heroes like Wild Bill Davis, Willis Jackson and
Charlie Ventura. In addition to leading his own group, Ivan Jones also recorded with Richard 'Groove' Holmes, Houston Person, Harold Mabern, Wild Bill Davis and Willis Jackson. Rusty Bryant, Charles Earland, and Bernard "Pretty" Purdie are among the sidemen who featured on Boogaloo's albums.
Personnel: Boogaloo Joe Jones (guitar), Charles Bowen (alto saxophone), Ellsworth Gooding (tenor saxophone), Bobby Knowles (organ), Bud Kelly (drums, percussion), James Valerio III (percussion). |
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