While life on the road is rarely glamorous for the modern folk picker, it will always have a way of inspiring and shaping artistic vision.
Travelin’ man and sporadic nomad Jonivan Jones has seen a thing or two along his journey — enough to craft an album dedicated to that unquenchable wandering spirit.
The Arkansas born and bred singer-songwriter has churned out tunes since before the millennium. Jones’ childhood was brimming with the folk music style of the Ozarks: campfire tunes and handed-down cultural traditions. At the heart of this music is connection, which the artist strives for in his own compositions.
Keeping his listeners in mind, Jones harbors an experimental style, blending local color from the places he’s encountered on his travels, which span from the Deep South, to the East Coast, to the South Pacific and in between. Though his voice has always maintained that charismatic rasp, his time on the road is what has largely influenced that gravelly, soulful quality, which is evident in his latest album, Two Piece.
Offering a simple yet resonating blend of Americana, blues, and folk, this 10-song collection celebrates that ever-changing nomadic spirit. The album takes its title from Jones’ years of playing shows as a two piece – guitar and upright bass. Mike West’s masterful double/upright bass accompaniment infuses each melody and enriches the folklore of each track. Depicting an early morning scene during a stint playing these songs on the road, the cover art points back toward those long nights performing in roadhouses.
Opening with a story of loss while living on the sea, “Lost Ships” tells a story of perseverance and heart. Jones’ poignant rasp melds with a jaunty picking pattern that rises and falls like the waves of a restless sea. The lyrics are a reminder that while things may get rough in this often relentless world, life doesn’t stop for anybody, and we must dust ourselves off and get back on the horse.
Don’t be fooled by the scant length of “Runaway Main,” the shortest track that packs a fiery (or should I say explosive?) punch. At just a minute and 30 seconds, it could be easy to overlook the power lurking behind this tune. With a fast-driving traditional folk feel, this energetic installment is again a swift but mighty album addition. Cunning harmonica accompaniment gives the melody a fun, bluesy overtone.
“A song about chasing what a frontier is in these current times of the world.” This sentiment from Jones describes the ninth track, “Forever Frontiers,” which offers a genuine slice of Americana. With a folksy melody and gentler strumming patterns, this tune paints a bittersweet portrait of what life was once like before the unstoppable hands of technology and big business took root. His effusive voice adds a touch of lament to the nostalgia of this lost way of life.
The closing track, “Lucky Strikes,” pays homage to the classic cigarette brand. As the album’s finale, this song sufficiently sends off the listener with wistful dreams of adventure and the pursuit of simpler times. In true drifter fashion, this tune fantasizes about running wild alongside a pack of dogs, seeking someplace out there “far from home.”
Each song off Two Piece was written and recorded in Arkansas and Texas by both Jonivan Jones and Mike West. James Plotkin of Plotkinworks mastered the tracks. This spring, Jones will be on the road again, performing shows across Arkansas, Texas and beyond. He’ll be playing in Russellville, Arkansas, for Eclipse Fest April 5th and 6th.
