Customer Reviews

Industry Rule

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

relatively unknown....jonah's got a cool voice that mixes Dr.John with Jamiriquoi and Donald Fagen into his own sound...smart funk/soul

some label should show some balls and sign this guy

Dear all,

I saw the band in NYC (Bar 55) and I can tell you that the songs and performance of this band is awesome. The voice is great and the lyrics excellent. I spent half a year in NYC and this CD reminds calls back the nights in clubs and bars and leave me somehow sentimental but with good memories especially about the luck seen them live. Treat your self and get this CD.

Hope to see the band in Germany and that they get the attention they demand.

Michael B. from Germany

Plain and simple this guy has more soul in his pinky than most R&B, soul, funk, and jazz players have in their entire body... If you want to hear something very unique with excellent musicianship and song craftmanship, this is the artist for you.
I also recommend Bruce Hornsby if you don't know about him.

Jonah Smith is without a doubt one of the best songwriters i have ever been priveledged enough to hear. Like some of the other reviewers, chanced upon a live show of his at a free festival on their tour of spanish towns. Advertised as a plain jazz quintet, i expected another lacklustre run through the jazz standards but ended up witnessing one of the best gigs i've ever been to. The band was so well recieved that almost everyone in the 250 strong audience bought both the available CD's and waited for Jonah to sign them both.

Jonah manages to fuse soul, jazz, funk, country and poeticlyrics with a sophisticated harmonic style. His music is easily comparable to the likes of Steely Dan among others, although his style uses less synths and more beautiful autobiographical lyrics. The two Jonah Smith albums i own are two of the most treasured albums in CD collection, I'd actually even recommend the other Jonah Smith album over this, in which every song is as good as the last.

I cant wait to see the band again and look forward to seeing him rise in popularity which he fully deserves to do. Buy their CD's now!

Jonah and his band has an excellent sound. The rhythms and lyrics are magical. He is the new age of easy listening jazz. This cd is a must have. Experience the artistry of Jonah Smith, an excellent performer and lyricist.

After a recent trip to NY we happened to visit the Blue Note in Soho and by pure coincidence, Jonah et al was playing one of the late sessions. Call it fate, but this was a lucky visit, as I now have two fantastic CD's to add to the top tier of my Jazz collection.

The best thing about this talented bunch of musicians (Jonah standing out with his unique voice) is the fact that they make good songs. They have not simply relied on the recent fad for recreating Jazz themes from yesteryear. They stand up on their own and with two excellent albums under their belt, you know there's even better to come...

I love this CD. I ran across it accidentally searching for another artist when the website "recommended" Jonah Smith to me. Normally I ignore these suggestions, but this time, I chose to listen to three songs: Skyscraper Blues, Billy and The Sandman and Tone of Your Voice. Let's just say that I was hooked and bought the CD that weekend and looked forward to receiving it! The CD has a great fusion of blues, rock, soul and jazz remnant of Dave Matthews Band or Jamiroquai. It sounds like you're in a wonderful blues-y nightclub! The album is great in its entirety. It is does not have that over-produced sound that most CDs have now-a-days, and the lyrics are very well written, speaking of everyday life and observations. Most importantly is the band's very skilled playing which compliment Jonah's wonderfully soulful and scratchy voice. I must admit that my least favorite track is "Calling Your Name" and that's only because the echo at the end seems to go on forever. I look forward to more releases and hope they live up to its predecessor. Enjoy!

This is one of the few CD's that are worth the listen. With so much music hitting the air waves thanks to lame ventures like American Idol its nice to see a band actually work for a fan base. I can thank [another website] for this one! ... And I am forever greatful! While the Steely Dan song got deleted half way through a single listen. Skyscarper Blues and the rest of the tracks on Industry Rule have been on constant repeate as well as the actual cd in my car. This is on par with Dido's No Angle and Tori's new album. What else can I say but THANK YOU so much for this and I look forward to much more.

I "stumbled" across Jonah Smith after discovering 55 Bar in New York City. Both the band and the bar are hidden treasures. The two CD's are quite possibly the best albums that I have ever known. I am dumbfounded how a singer with so much talent and a first-class band can stand leagues above 99% of anything we hear on the radio yet be relatively unknown. Those who have any appreciation for jazz will find themselves listening to Jonah Smith time and time and time again. I listened to this CD during my first few months dating my fiance (dinner and other occasions) and rarely take it out of my car CD player. Friends that I've shared the CD with who are not jazz fans were impressed themselves. The band crosses over many genres. The music is real. It is soulful, catchy, and mellow. I love rock (Pearl Jam, etc.) and a variety of other music but truly believe that this band is as talented as any I've heard. I look forward to seeing them for a third time live sometime soon.
If you "stumble" across this review, buy the CD....you will not be disappointed!!!