From the State of Washington, Stacy Jones has been singing and playing music since she took up the piano at age four. Before she'd graduated from high school, she'd also become proficient on the guitar and harmonica. Hard work and a lot of practice have paid off as the The Stacy Jones Band hit the ground with a steady gallop. They have now released three annual albums including 2009's "Live at the Triple Door EP," 2010's "Long Time Comin'" and now 2011's "No Need to Spell it Out." After the 2009 release, the band was recognized as Best New Band by the Washington Blues Society. The following year, the Society named Stacy as winner of the 2010 Best Female Vocalist award. The band's formula for success is to consistently present charged-up music that imparts energy, power, originality and talent.
Rick Bowen (drums), Tom Jones (bass) and Jeff Menteer (guitar) are consummate musicians who have the chops, as well as some foresight to push the envelope a bit into some blistering rocking territory. They also all contribute to the band's original material. Special guest Kathy Hettel sings some harmony on two tracks, "I Think I Feel Like Leavin'" and "Do What You Wanna'." While there are several enjoyable tracks on this CD, "Heavy Water" is a standout track that establishes an engaging groove, includes vocal harmony, and allow Stacy to strut her stuff on harmonica. The following track "You Belong to Me" showcases some of Stacy's fine piano playing. Appearing regularly at venues like The Oxford Saloon in Snohomish, Wa., this band deserves the attention of a larger legion of fans. (Joe Ross/amazon)