J. Blues has been studying music since the age of nine, starting with the piano, progressing to the banjo, and finally, with instruction from his older brother Greg and Gene Martin (Genussa), the guitar. He is a college graduate with three degrees in music. In 1992 he was awarded the Playhouse Scholarship in Cleveland to further his collegiate studies. He obtained his masters degee in Jazz Guitar Performance from Cleveland State University in 2010. While the name may lead you to believe that J. Blues only plays blues, he actually has quite an extensive repertoire. Playing not only blues, but rock, pop, jazz, country, oldies, motown, disco, and americana actually makes J. Blues a very versatile guitarist sought after by some of Cleveland's finest musicians and venues.
J. Blues grew up on Long Island, where he broke into live performances at the age of fourteen, playing gigs in and around New York City, culminating in a sold out performance at "The Limelight" when he was eighteen. His first record deal came at the age of nineteen when he signed to Amethyst Records, Columbia, SC. Since then, he has produced and recorded two CD's and a single, as well as being featured on Esquire Record's "The Best Of Cleveland Blues" compilation. At the age of twenty he was contacted by Tyco Toys to play on a commercial promotion.
His influences are many. J.Blues has molded his own style of blues from the greats, including B. B. King, Elmore James, Hound Dog Taylor, Taj Mahal, Lightnin' Hopkins and Ry Cooder. He has taken the classic Chicago Blues sound to the next level.
J.Blues has opened shows in the Cleveland area for such legendary greats as Robert Lockwood Jr., John Hammond, David Lindley, Leon Russell, Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, Dickey Betts (from the Allman Brothers), Smoking Joe Kubeck and Bnois King, Devon Allman from Honey Tribe, and has also appeared on FOX 8 Morning Show!
J.Blues is an accomplished producer. In addition to producing his own work, he has produced demos for local bands in the Cleveland and New York areas.
His new CD, "Red White & Blues", is a tribute to the spirit of American music and reflects the musical traditions that have developed into the many different types of popular songs we hear today. From Jazz to Country, Rhythm and Blues to Rock and Roll, Grunge, and even Heavy Metal.
J. Blues effortlessly weaves a tapestry of early American blues with a contemporary flair. The new CD has garnered enormous acclaim, not just stateside, but in Europe as well, where tracks like "Black Cat", "Sweet Home Chicago", "Come And Go with Me", and others have recieved tremendous airplay due to overwhelming listener requests. So sit back, relax, and let yourself be transported back in time to the earliest roots of popular American music by a master of the art form.
Long Live The Blues!
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