Photo: Phil Clarkin
Review: Seth Lee Jones ‘Tulsa Custom’
By Jim Hynes
The emerging guitar god that is still relatively unknown, Tulsa’s Seth Lee Jones returns with Tulsa Custom, a loud, power trio album that grabs and takes hold. It’s no surprise that the record was recorded live to tape – steam emanates from this CD. Turn ‘em up to 10, and let it rip. Otherworldly sounds spit and fire from Jones’s custom telecaster. The other half of the title indicates its Tulsa roots, recorded at Teagarden Studios, where such notables as Bob Seger, JJ Cale, Joe Walsh, and Teegarden & Van Winkle have recorded.
Jones’s trio mates are bassist Bo Halford, a fixture on the Tulsa music scene and drummer Matt Teegarden, son of the studio owner David Teegarden, Sr., who guests on percussion. This is the same tight group that played on Jone’s studio debut, the head turning 2021’s Flathead. Also, Oklahoma City’s Chebon Tiger guests on harmonica for “Good Dog.”
This is powerful, head-banging guitar music from the blues rocker who is also a luthier. Jones seems clearly focused on getting the most from his axe. His vocals are deep, gravelly, and buried, as if under water in the mix. The electric guitar prevails. It certainly evokes those classic power trio albums of the past, whether it’s Hendrix’s Band of Gypsies, Cactus, or Mountain. Jones points out that they took more time making this record than 2021’s Flathead, pointing to access to better equipment, much of it vintage. With that said, it’s a bit confounding why the vocals are set so far back in the mix. But then, there’s Jones’s searing, raw guitar playing that could rip the chrome off the finish of the vintage car pictured on the cover.
To his credit, this is the first album with mostly original material. The album blasts off with rocket fueled “110” and continues into the high-powered shuffle of “All That I Ask,” with Halford’s driving bass line proving a critical component to these aggressive sonics. There’s a filthy funk underpinning to “Bird of Paradise” and outright boogie imbues by Tiger’s blaring blues harp in “Good Dog,” played in the unusual 5/4-time signature. “Good Dog” is one of several personal songs, inspired by the story of a family dog who heroically saved a cat during the massive Tulsa flood of 1984. The galloping “Walter” nods to the late Tulsa guitar hero Walter Stephan Pryor, better known locally as “Uncle Walter.”
Tulsa Custom checks in at a little over a half hour with these ten tracks ranging from three-four minutes. One the shortest ones, with some of Jones’s most searing guitar is the high-powered boogie “One Chance.” Energy never lags through brash, strutting tunes such as “Outta My Mind,” which has another killer guitar break, and the menacing “Mr. Evil,” powered by drummer Teegarden’s insistent beats. The foot finally eases off the accelerator on the closing slow burner “Don’t Waste a Thing,” rather obviously revealing Jones’s vocal better than any.
Jones’s guitar sound is anything but derivative; it traces to his work as a luthier. Just like an experienced, trusted mechanic can soup up a hot rod, Jones can so the same with a six-string. He’s been building custom guitars for over fifteen years and makes 25-30 a year.
When Seth Lee Jones recently opened for Robert Cray, he received a standing ovation. All of which indicates Tulsa Custom will bring him the widespread attention he so decidedly deserves.
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