This is the series where I share with you some great bands from my music collection that should be more famous. This post contains bands that start with the letter J according to my iTunes.
James Cotton
If you like the blues, if you know names like Howlin’ Wolf, BB King and John Lee Hooker, you’re missing out if you don’t know James Cotton. This man can play the harmonica like nobody’s business.
Origin: Tunica, Mississippi
Genre: Blues, Chicago blues, Delta blues, Jazz, Memphis blues
Years active: 1953–present
Jayke Orvis & The Broken Band
This is a mighty fine pickin’ right here, I tell you what. I am a sucker for the fiddle, banjo and mandolin, and they have all three. Also, upright bass. WIN.
Origin: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Genre: bluegrass, alt country, alt bluegrass, roots
Years active: 2000s–present
James Cole Pablo
I’m really not sure what genre(s) this fits into, but it wouldn’t be out of place in a small cantina in either 1920s Paris or the Star Wars universe. It sounds like it could be on the soundtrack to Bioshock, if you have any idea what that means. I linked his Soundcloud page above so you can get more. I suggest you do.
Origin: Paris, France
Genre: Experimental, instrumental, lounge
Years active: ?–present
Jedi Mind Tricks
How had no one taken this band name before? This is a collaboration between Vinnie Paz and Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind, which really has to be the best MC name ever.
Origin: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genre: hip hop, underground hip hop
Years active: 1993–present
Jeremy Irons & the Ratgang Malibus
Yet another band from my favorite record label, Small Stone (linked above). Big, big, heavy, fuzzy, 70s inspired awesomeness. It seems I’m a big fan of a lot of Swedish bands, for good reason.
Origin: Stockholm, Sweden
Genre: stoner rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock
Years Active: 2004-present
Jess & The Ancient Ones
If Heart and Jefferson Airplane collaborated and made music like they used to, it might sound something like Jess & The Ancient Ones.
Origin: Kuopio, Finland
Genre: Hard rock, garage rock, psychedelic rock
Years Active: 2010–present
Job For A Cowboy
If you like Avenged Sevenfold or any of those other nu-metal inspired what-passes-for-heavy-these-days bands, you should put down the toy music and pick up Job For A Cowboy instead. These guys make them sound like the pansy-eating sissies they are. This is the evolution of metal.
Origin: Glendale, Arizona
Genres: Death metal, technical death metal, math metal, deathcore, heavy as balls
Years Active: 2003–present
Joy As A Toy
And, speaking of loungy, unclassifiable awesomeness from France, dig this shiznit. I have no idea what it is really, but I wholeheartedly approve.
Origin: France
Genre: in their own words: vampire pop, tennis pop, psychedelic pop
Years Active: ?-present
The Joy Formidable
As you can probably tell, I’m not a big fan of pop music or songs on the radio. This band, and this song in particular, should have been huge radio hits. It sounds so contemporary to me, but better.
Origin: North Wales, United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative rock, dream pop, shoegazing, indie rock
Years Active: 2007-present
Justice
Ah, Justice. This stuff sounds like it came through an 80s wormhole right into your ears. It’s brilliant. This is what the 80s should have been. I can totally hear this coming out of one of those big boomboxes while people break-danced. Fun stuff.
Origin: Paris, France
Genre: Electro house, electronica, nu-disco, electroclash, electronic rock, alternative dance
Years Active: 2003–present
Fish Of Gold 