Search - Joe Sublett :: Subtones

Joe Sublett's trademark Texas tenor saxophone sound has been featured on CDs by The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Little Feat, Taj Mahal, The Black Crowes, Etta James, Dr. John, Keb Mo, Jimmy Smith, T-Bone Burnett, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge, Los Lonely Boys, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Chris Cornell, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Jimmie Vaughan and Richard Thompson to name a few. Sublett started his professional music career as part of the Austin blues scene playing with the legendary R&B band, Paul Ray and the Cobras, a band that featured two outstanding guitarists; a twenty-one year old Stevie Ray Vaughan and Denny Freeman who currently tours and records with Bob Dylan. Joe Sublett toured for years with The Cobras before moving to Los Angeles where he remains an in-demand studio and touring musician. Joe is co-leader of The Texacali Horns along with Darrell Leonard and is a Grammy Award winner for his work with Taj Mahal and The Phantom Blues Band. On 'Subtones', Sublett steps out as leader and grooves, growls and wails his way through thirteen pieces including 'Slidin' By' , a jazzy blues reminiscent of the 1960's Blue Note recordings featuring guitarist, Denny Freeman (who co-wrote the tune) and Mike Finnigan on Hammond organ; an unlikely, but compelling pairing of tenor sax and banjo (played by guitarist, J.J. Holiday) on 'Hillbilly Dream'; 'Hey Junior' , a soul rockin' original, featuring guitarist Johnny Lee Schell and Mick Weaver (both Phantom Blues Band alumni), a joyful version of Bob Marley's 'No Woman, No Cry', and 'You Don't Know me' featuring the gorgeous, ethereal piano of Little Feat's Bill Payne. On this solo outing, Sublett shows the versatility he's developed after playing on hundreds of CDs. Joe Sublett's sax work is at times soulful, hard and nasty, but sometimes surprisingly tender. Sublett's sound is evocative of the old days when a saxophone player's tone was everything. It told his life's stories and on 'Subtones' there is a book full of stories; stories of hardtimes, stories of late night passions and in the end redemption. 'Subtones' is Soul/Jazz and Texas Blues all at once, but with a twist. This is music for your soul.