Recent Reviews "Not many groups can boast two virtuoso guitarists as The Jon Spear Band does and few can match the writing skill of [Jon] Spear and [Dara] James -- obviously a first class band that know precisely how to play together." -- -- Peter Merrett, PBS 106.7FM Melbourne. “Spear and company put into words and music what all of us know and have experienced but might not have the ability to express. Running as smoothly as a well-oiled machine, this band operates as a single unit...each member doing their part. The result us a work of absolute beauty. The guitar work and vocals on this piece are absolutely sublime...and the rhythm section is right on the money. Adding an assist from Ron Halloway on sax on "Old Soul" and Nate Brown on congas on "Mean Mean Woman" and "Can't Help Myself" is just the icing on the cake. . 'Nuff said...this is good stuff.” – Bill Wilson, “Reflections in Blue,” http://chickenwilson2.blogspot.com/p/march-2015-reviews.html “It's not easy to write lyrics that are of this quality... These songs take you places. You can relate to them. Entertaining, and very enjoyable.... I listened to them numerous times and they continued to grow on me! It's also refreshing to hear a unique sound and style....” -- Dave 'BluzNdaBlood' Harrison http://bluzndablood.com “The band plays a country-soul-blues fusion with clean sound and natural vocals that connect with listeners. They are tightly in sync on this grouping of nine originals and a solid performance of Bob Geddins’ “Tin Pan Alley”. The lyrics are a high point of the original songs: good narratives and wit, for example ‘It’s the early bird that gets the worm, but the SECOND mouse gets the cheese.’ Mostly these are tales of a guy who’s been down in the swamp with witches, reincarnations, even the Devil himself… and he’s got stories to tell! ” – David Eisenman and Dave Rogers (AKA Professor Bepob) WTJU-FM, Charlottesville,VA “The Jon Spear Band hails from the Shenandoah Valley but they have managed to keep their feet deep in the blues. Their latest release, Old Soul, has music that covers the landscape with class and tight original compositions. From upbeat to slow blues, this CD will have you dancing, or at a minimum, tapping your feet.” – Greg Versen (AKA the Professah) WMRA, Harrisonburg, VA The Jon Spear Band performs original music reflecting a wide range of styles including blues, funk, rock, R&B, swing, and even a little salsa. The band’s new CD “Old Soul” showcases their songwriting and musical talents, combining intriguing lyrics with creative musicianship to produce a unique and memorable CD. Six of the album’s tracks feature singer/guitarist Dara James, an impressive young talent whose soulful vocals and fiery guitar solos are a large part of the band’s unique sound. The work of award-winning singer-songwriter/guitarist Jon Spear is also much in evidence on this CD which includes 9 original songs. Bassist Andy Burdetsky and drummer John Stubblefield provide a solid rhythm section as well as some standout solos. “Devil’s Highway” is a mesmerizing blues-influenced rock number about an individual who is forced to confront his demons in a direct but unexpected way, while “Paid in Full” evokes memories of the great R&B soul singers of yesteryear. The haunting title song “Old Soul” features some terrific soloing by guest saxophonist Ron Holloway who has played with Dizzy Gillespie and the Allman Brothers, among others. Other tracks include the funky love song “I Can’t Help Myself” and a humorous jump blues number worthy of Louis Jordan entitled “The Second Mouse Gets the Cheese.” Additional original songs on the CD include the Santana-influenced rocker "Mean Mean Woman," along with "I Love My Skin," an award winning song that let's folks know they really are beautiful, no matter what they think. "Forever Home" provides a dogs-eye view of pet adoption while "Live Music Is Better" is the band's anthem in support of venues and artists that hire and showcase performing artists. The final track on the CD is singer/guitarist Dara James' take on the Bob Geddins classic, "Tin Pan Alley." The Jon Spear Band is a collaboration of some of Central Virginia’s finest and most dedicated blues musicians, brought together by their love of blues music and their active participation in the Central Virginia Blues Society. Although their ages span several generations, the band’s members share a common determination to use their exceptional talents to create unique and memorable music. The Jon Spear Band has existed with various personnel changes since 2012. Songs on the album are: 1. I Can’t Help Myself (Words and music by Jon Spear) Dara James: lead vocal and lead guitar Jon Spear: rhythm guitar Andy Burdetsky: bass John Stubblefield: drums Nate Brown (special guest): hand percussion 2. Devil’s Highway (Words by Jon Spear; music by Dara James) Dara James: lead vocal and lead guitar Jon Spear: rhythm guitar Andy Burdetsky: bass John Stubblefield: drums 3. The Second Mouse Gets the Cheese (Words & Music by Jon Spear) Jon Spear: lead vocal and lead guitar Dara James: backing vocals and harmonica Andy Burdetsky: bass and backing vocals John Stubblefield: drums and backing vocals 4. Old Soul (Words & Music by Jon Spear) -- An "old soul" is someone who shows a passion, skill and feeling during their musical performance far beyond their years. Jon Spear had some particular artists in mind when he wrote this song but won't say who they are because it's better if you imagine your own. This song was awarded Honorable Mention in the blues category in the31st annual Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Competition (2014). Dara James: lead vocal and lead guitar Jon Spear: rhythm guitar Andy Burdetsky: bass John Stubblefield: drums Ron Holloway (special guest): saxophone 5. I Love My Skin (Words & Music by Jon Spear) – This song was awarded awarded Honorable Mention in the Children's category of the 30th Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, January, 2014. Jon Spear : lead vocal and rhythm guitar Dara James: slide guitar Andy Burdetsky: bass John Stubblefield: drums 6. Forever Home (Words & Music by Jon Spear) – This song was written for the Nelson County VA SPCA, a no-kill shelter, to encourage adoption of homeless animals. Dara James: vocals and harmonica Jon Spear: rhythm guitar Andy Burdetsky: bass John Stubblefield: drums 7. Mean Mean Woman (Words & Music by Jon Spear) Jon Spear: lead vocal and rhythm guitar Dara James: lead guitar and backing vocals Andy Burdetsky: bass John Stubblefield: drums Nate Brown (special guest): hand percussion 8. Paid in Full (Words by Dara James; Music by Jon Spear) Dara James: lead vocal and lead guitar Jon Spear: rhythm guitar and backing vocals Andy Burdetsky: bass John Stubblefield: drums 9. Live Music is Better (Words & Music by Jon Spear) Jon Spear: lead vocal and lead guitar Dara James: harmonica, rhythm guitar and backing vocals Andy Burdetsky: bass and backing vocals John Stubblefield: drums and backing vocals 10. Tin Pan Alley (Tin Pan Alley written by Robert L. Geddins © Fort Knox Music Co., Trio Music Co. Inc., Duchess Music Corp.) Dara James: lead vocal and guitar Jon Spear: rhythm guitar Andy Burdetsky: bass John Stubblefield: drums Members of the Jon Spear band are: Dara James -- an amazing young talent with outstanding vocal, guitar and harmonica skills far beyond his years. Dara's grandfather gave him his first harmonica when he was about 5 and he joined his first band with his father – Upland Express – at the age of 11, and stayed with them for 10 years playing regularly around central Virginia. He started playing guitar in the band when he was 14. Since then Dara has pursued a number of solo, band and recording projects. Jon Spear – guitar, vocals, and songwriting. Jon doesn't admit how long he's been performing but here's a hint: Jon was in a band that opened for the Isley Brothers at the Capital Theatre in Port Chester NY when Twist and Shout was top-40 hit. Since then, Jon has played with numerous bands from New York on down through DC and Virginia, playing a wide range of styles including swing, rockabilly, classic rock and blues. Bassist Andy Burdetsky has been playing bass for over 35 years. Andy was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area where he was influenced by such great musicians as the Nighthawks, Danny Gatton and Charlie Byrd. Andy has shared the stage and/or sat in with such musical greats as Koko Taylor, NRBQ, Skip Castro, Roy Buchanan, Nils Lofgren and Stephen Stills.a Drummer John Stubblefield started playing drums around the time the Beatles made their US debut. His Dad owned radio stations and he grew up loving all styles of music. In college he played with The Charlottesville Blues Allstars (later called just The Allstars). During those years he opened often for the Nighthawks playing clubs in Virginia and DC. In addition to the Jon Spear Band, John has been building drums for 10 years and has drummers throughout the region gigging and recording with his custom drums.