Reviews and Info

I give this CD, my highest rating, Five *****
Excellent CD...  Thoroughly enjoyed it...  Highly Recommended...

You can sit and listen to the Blues or you can get up and start dancing to it. Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones new release, "falling through the cracks", will certainly get you doing the latter, with one of the finest mixes of 50's Style Rockabilly, Classic Jump/Boogie, Shuffle, and Swing I have recently heard.

My first reaction after listening to this CD was, okay lets listen to this again, something I don't do often unless I really enjoyed it's first listening a lot, which is something I surely did with this Gem of an Album. In fact the wife couldn't wait to post a comment on her Facebook page telling everyone what she was listening to and saying how much she loved it.

Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones "falling through the cracks", personally reminds me a lot of my two favorite bands, The Twisters and Brickhouse, two hugely popular bands in Canada, especially Western Canada. The Twisters, because of the Rockabilly/Swing/Boogie feel and Brickhouse because of the wonderful, full in control feel, of Doug Deming's singing.

"falling through the cracks" really has it all, great guitar, keyboards, harmonica, horn section, the crystal clear dynamic vocals of Doug Deming, and last but certainly not least the added bonus of Special Guests Kim Wilson (of Fabulous Thunderbirds fame) and Dennis Gruenling, two of the finest Harp Players around. This makes for a veritable treat for all the 50's and 60's Style Blues Lovers, which certainly includes myself.

This is Doug Deming's first CD in 7 years, which is hopefully not as long as the wait for his next release, which I am anxiously looking forward to.

(John Vermilyea Blues Underground Network)

Acclaimed Detroit-based Jump/Blues guitarist-vocalist, Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones release new CD, FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS (Mighty Tiger Records; Release Date: June 2009). 

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS , follow-up to Deming’s 2002 disc DOUBLE DOWN, features two of today’s premier harp players – Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds front person and highly successful solo artist) and Dennis Gruenling, who released a critically-lauded Little Walter tribute CD last year, as well as Washington, DC keyboardist, Bill Heid.

Deming briefly discusses each song on FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS: ‘Tonight Is The Night’ is “a ‘50’s-style rocker with a touch of rockabilly influence;’ ‘Don’t Worry Me Part 1’ is “classic jump/boogie, again with a ‘50’s slant;” title track ‘Falling Through The Cracks” is “a homage to the West Side Chicago sound;” ‘Momma Didn’t Raise No Fool” is “a driving two-beat shuffle;” ‘You Changed’ is “a ‘60’s boogaloo groove;” ‘It Was The Wine’ is a “tongue-in-cheek tune with a classic four-part horn section;” ‘Only Time Will Tell’ is “’50’s-style shuffle-country-meets-Chicago, with Kim Wilson laying it down;” ‘Put It Down’ is a “Latin-tinged number that goes beyond the typical ‘blues rhumba;’” ‘East Side Hop’ is “a jump instrumental featuring the whole band, with (harpist) Dennis Gruenling kicking it into high gear;” ‘Every Night When I Get Home’ is a “classic blues ballad,” with period-correct horns a la those of ‘50’s Capitol Records;” ‘Whisper’ is a “straight-up shuffle;” ‘I Can’t Believe My Eyes’ features a ‘slight modern flair that makes this one stand out… along with (Kim) Wilson’s counter-point harp lines;” ‘Don’t Worry Me Part 2” features “a re-make of Track #2 in the tradition of the Delta Blues duo;” ‘No Sense’ is “another tongue-in-cheek tune with a cool swing;” ‘Heiding Out’ is a “’60’s-inspired organ-based shuffle featuring Bill Heid on the B-3.”

“We have no gimmicks,” says Deming about the band’s live show. “We play pure traditional music from the heart, with an image that conveys a deep respect for the (blues) genre.” As a result, Doug Deming And The Jewel Tones have been in demand as a backing band for a “Who’s-Who” of today’s top blues performers, including Chicago’s A.C. Reed, Louisiana Red, Chicago Pete, Cannonball vocalist Alberta Adams, Black Top’s Johnny Dyer, W.C. Handy Award winner Johnny “Yard Dog” Jones and the legendary Lazy Lester. Detroit guitarist and Handy multi-award nominee Johnnie Bassett describes Deming’s band as “great talent…that people outside the (Detroit) area will come to know.”

By Doug Deutsch Publicity Services

Tracklist

1. Tonight Is The Night
2. Don't Worry Me Pt. 1
3. Falling Through The Cracks
4. Momma Didn't Raise No Fool
5. You Changed
6. It Was The Wine
7. Only Time Will Tell
8. Put It Down
9. East Side Hop
10. Every Night When I Get Home
11. Whisper
12. I Can't Believe My Eyes
13. Don't Worry Me Pt. 2
14. No Sense
15. Heiding Out!

About Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones

We have no gimmicks, says Doug Deming, leader of Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones. We play pure traditional music from the heart, with an image that conveys a deep respect for the genre.

There is no doubt his swinging jump style blues has earned Deming considerable respect in the blues world where he and The Jewel Tones are in demand as a backing band for the who's-who of today's top blues performers, including Chicago's A.C. Reed, Louisiana Red, Chicago Pete, Cannonball vocalist Alberta Adams, Black Tops Johnnie Dyer, WC Handy Award winner Johnny Yard Dog Jones and the legendary Lazy Lester.

These are my babies, says Alberta Adams.

These guys are my pride and joy, says Lazy Lester.

And Detroit guitarist and W.C. Handy multi-award nominee Johnnie Bassett describes the band as Great talent . . . that people outside the area will come to know.

They will have their chance as Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones travel across America on their own and when they frequently team up with the likes of The Fabulous Thunderbirds Kim Wilson.

Deming is a critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter whose spellbinding guitar work, has been lauded in Big City Blues magazine, Blues Bytes and other publications around the country. He and The Jewel Tones have just been nominated for a 2006 Detroit Music Award -- Outstanding Blues Artist/Group.

Music Critic Craig Ruskey says Doug Deming seems to be more of a throwback to a bygone era than a purveyor of modern blues in the 21st Century (Deming's CD Double Down suggests) 1950s Chicago Blues regardless of the liner notes saying it was tracked in California Its easy to understand why Doug Deming has worked with Johnny Dyer, Lazy Lester, Johnny Yard Dog Jones and others, he's got the goods to go the distance.

Deming is the strong leadership behind the group, but his talented band including Bassist Bob Conner, Drummer Julian Van Slyke drive the music home with their diverse talent.

Conner has toured with artists such as Hubert Sumlin, Earl King, Johnny Adams, Eddie Bo and Big Jay McNeely. He has recorded with Detroiters such as Johnnie Bassett, Joe Weaver and Bill Heid. Conners Swinging lines on the upright and solid bottom on the Fender bass add depth and authenticity to the groups sound.

Van Slyke has played with the John Douglas Quartet, Orange Lake Drive and The Brett Lucas Band. He has also worked with The Fundamentals, Liz Larin and recorded with India Arie. His jazz-fusion-world music background lends dimension to this deeply rooted blues group with its jump and swing style.

"Deming writes memorable songs....consistently outstanding
instrumentation...."-Karen McFarland, Big City Blues Magazine Feb/Mar 2003

"It's easy to understand why Doug Deming has worked with Johnny Dyer, Lazy Lester, Johnny 'Yard Dog' Jones..."
-Craig Ruskey

"Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones is one of the shining lights of the Detroit blues scene."
- Mark E. Gallo, Blues Bytes, December 2002

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