Pool Of Sound - John Jenkins

Liverpool-born, Meols-based John Jenkins is the prodigal son of Liverpool music, a familiar figure on the Liverpool music scene he has a music career to cherish. His music CV has an additional column for; 'being there, seeing it, and doing it'- with experience of touring with Elvis Costello, 'Echo & The Bunnymen', and recording numerous John Peel sessions. He says, "The house I grew up in was one of those old fashioned houses. We had a piano in the parlour and my Dad used to play it quite a bit. My family would frequent a pub each week where my uncles would play their guitars. All the relatives would be singing in the back room of the pub, and we would eventually move to a relative's house to carry on the night. So, I had my radio, records, and these family music nights beg which began my real love of music. I remember the first John Peel session with 'Come in Tokio' and listening back to the production by Dale Griffin and Mike Robinson and thinking, 'is that us?', we were really wet behind the ears."
His return to the game in 2015 was prompted by an Internet-led revival of interest in his former bands 'The Persuaders' and 'Come In Tokio'.

John had gone underground, but never stopped writing. Years passed and he had stockpiled hundreds of songs, working away in the coastal town of Meols on the other side of the River Mersey. Love, life, and loss all played their part in his disappearance, but the songs continued to come and in 2015 the multi-instrumentalist and singer decided it was time to let the light back in. He said, "Writing songs is where my heart lies, but it was time to let people hear my work." Entering a song into a local Songwriting competition and promptly walking away with victory was a rebirth for John and brought local press attention and offers of gigs. The songs continued to come and his listening led to him writing closer to the songs of roots and country, or Americana as they now call it. This new world welcomed John into their scene and critical acclaim followed. Singles, EP's, and acoustic gigs all happened, before he really dipped his toe back into the mainstream with the 2016 album, 'Trains'. A tour de force of songwriting, dripping with melody and malady, earned John a 9/10 rating from Liverpool Sound & Vision. Songs such as the title track, 'The Paris Wife' and 'Sweet Delphine' all garnered radio airplay and he began to build up a head of steam. All those songs John had stockpiled over the years now came to the fore and, in 2017, the double album 'Window Shopping In Nashville' arrived. With the patronage of The British Country Music Association and Americana Music Association UK, not to mention critical plaudits from the likes of R2 Magazine, Fatea and the Nashville Songwriters Association International, John Jenkins was back, and his next move continued the upward trajectory.

John Jenkins & The James Street Band

John says, "I'd been playing with a group of friends for a while and the idea for 'The James Street Band' crystallised from there." 'The James Street Band', with Denis Parkinson on guitar and vocals, David Nixon on percussion, harmonica and vocals and David Orford on drums and vocals, got busy being born on Merseyside in the latter half of the last decade. This full band sound, occasionally boosted by fiddle, pedal steel and backing singers, was exactly what John wanted. Following performances across the north in clubs and at festivals, they all entered the studio to record the album, 'Looking For That American Dream'. Released in 2019 it was met with the best reviews of John's career to date and high profile support slots with the likes of Chris Difford from 'Squeeze' helped boost his profile and the songs continued to pour out of him.  'Day After Day', 'Why?' and 'Katie' all cemented his reputation as a songwriter's songwriter and the gigs continued to come in and sell tickets. 

The album, 'Growing Old - Songs From My Front Porch' came next at the start of 2020, a collection of work centred on mortality and the passing of time. Once again, reviews from Maverick Magazine, RnR, Americana UK, Fatea and Liverpool Sound and Vision were good, and high praise came from respected journals such as PennyBlack ("an emotional blueprint") and Liverpool Acoustic ("a defiant piece of work"). As the pandemic hit John isolated close to the Mersey and carried on writing: 'Cracks', 'Desert Hearts', 'The Last Train To Baltimore'... the songs continued to arrive as he decamped to Liverpool's Crosstown Studios to record a brand-new album to be released in 2021. "Writing songs is the thing I love to do most in this world, and I'll never stop," he smiles. "It's funny, the older you get the more it means." Released on February 26th, 'Desert Hearts' is the first release since signing to Fretsore Records earlier in 2021 and precedes a series of upcoming releases including a full studio album due later in the year.

see also:- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2021/12/pool-of-sound-tony-steele-massacre.html