Review: The Jorgensens 'Americana Soul'

The Jorgensens, Americana Soul

By Mike O’Cull

Acclaimed blues/folk/jazz group The Jorgensens demonstrate how compelling and creative contemporary roots music can be on their new album Americana Soul.

The platter drops November 4th, 2022 on Paramour Records and blends heavy-duty grooves, sublime vocal harmonies, and razor-sharp playing with superior songwriting and a modern recording approach with impressive results. Led by dual vocalists and married couple Kurt and Brianna Jorgensen, the group has carved out an original sound by managing to fit their many influences together without being pretentious or heavy-handed. The pair use blues, bluegrass, spirituals, jazz, and more as flavors in their process in a natural way that emphasizes the connections the genres share.

The story of The Jorgensens began in 2014. That was the year that singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Brianna Tagg met vocalist/songwriter/guitarist/producer Kurt Jorgensen in St. Paul, Minnesota. They felt enough chemistry to start working together, writing songs and recording an album as a duo. Both artists were getting sober during that time and their musical and personal bonds grew stronger, culminating in a relationship and a marriage.

The two are obvious soulmates who use that special connection and energy to power their songwriting and live performances. Along the way, they expanded their duo into a full band with the inclusion of Andra Lee Suchy (vocals), Brenda Lee King (bass), Jeff King (saxophone, clarinets), Jeff Levine (trumpet), Mark O’ Day (drums, percussion), and C Harris (percussion). They’re an agile and flexible unit able to shift beats and styles at the drop of a Fender Medium.

Americana Soul is an honest record that’s authentic to the people who made it. The Jorgensens aren’t here to teach history but to arrive at the future of roots music the way they hear it. From the opening cut “Old Black Crow,” which is also their current single, the band doesn’t sound like anything you’ve heard before. It’s constructed on a quarter-note pulse and topped with slide guitar, velvet-covered vocals, an R&B chorus hook, and a Latin groove at the end. Kurt Jorgensen is a stinging slide player and a fine singer who makes the most of every measure on this one.

“Miles” is a road song and an ideal soundtrack for some all-night driving. Briana Jorgensen takes the lead vocal spot on this pumping mid-speed track that’s loaded with more of Kurt’s slide work. Briana has a strong presence in front of the band and adds a smoldering vibe that’s instantly addictive. The horns contribute their own glowing smoothness to the cut, as do the backup vocals.

The funky “Boom Boom Boom” is lighthearted and acoustic at its core and spotlights Kurt’s singing talents. It’s a fun song that celebrates the best parts of a great woman and the salvation she brings. It’s only a bit more than two minutes in length, so don’t let it slip by you.

The Jorgensens get moody on the banjo-enhanced “Shake It” that pushes forward with the inevitability of rising flood waters. Kurt and Briana conjure a spiritual vibration on it that speaks of both hard times and survival at the same time. Even though the overall sound is contemporary, The Jorgensens handle the components of the song in a vintage, human way that never lets you forget where this music comes from.

Americana Soul is full of such bright spots and you’re going to want to bask in them all. Be sure to catch “Leave Your Light On,” “Dark Road,” and the final cut “State Line.” The Jorgensens are at the vanguard of roots music and are taking it to places it has never been. They rise above their influences and have developed something of their own, which is pretty rare these days. Get this record into your headphones and smile!

“Black Crow”