Album Notes

Rocky Jackson brings years of blues experience together in this album that features his soulful vocals and expressive guitar chops. “Squeeze Here” delivers contemporary blues tunes in the caliber of Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, and Keb Mo, and traditional blues tunes that reflect Rocky’s experience with and love of the roots. Born in Austin, Texas, Rocky has made Southern California his home for many years, playing around the Los Angeles area with many great blues performers. His guitar work incorporates a blend of the gritty, stinging style of Texas blues and the soulful, fluid style of Chicago and Detroit blues. Always enamoured by the Delta blues and its deceivingly simplistic form, many of Rocky’s tunes are composed of elements of this rich style of mesmerizing music and storytelling. Rocky sings with conviction and a quality not often heard these days. As a lyricist, Rocky demonstrates an adeptness at creating vivid images portraying the content of his songs. “Squeeze Here” includes several cuts featuring Rocky playing some scorching licks on the electric, six-string lap steel guitar. This album features members of Rocky’s current band, The Ignitors, augmented with some very special guests. This album is a great collection of tunes that showcase Rocky’s talent and versatilty. Rocky was greatly influenced by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, Little Walter, Magic Sam, Willie Dixon, Freddie King, Elmore James, and Robert Johnson. Rocky has played on bills with Etta James, Big Joe Turner, Pee Wee Crayton, Smoky Wilson, Johnny Dyer, William Clark, and many others. Johnny Dyer occasionally used Rocky's band, The Magic Blues Band, to back him up around LA. Rocky's current band, Rocky Jackson and the Ignitors, plays regularly in the Los Angeles area. The Ignitors back Rocky on many of the tunes on “Squeeze Here” with additional help from Steve Bach - keyboards, Mel Steinberg - saxophone, and Michael Mennell - bass. There's a whole lot of quality blues material on “Squeeze Here” featuring Rocky's vocals, guitar, and electric lap steel guitar. There is NO FILLER on this album - only choice cuts. You won't be disappointed with this album. Since the album was released, Rocky has gotten airplay on many Internet and traditional broadcast radio stations around the world, including four different continents. “Squeeze Here” has been palyed in virtually every country in Europe, the U.K., Canada, Australia, and many other places besides the U.S. "Squeeze Here" continues to get new airplay and ongoing airplay since its release in June 2006. Several very favorable reviews of “Squeeze Here” have appeared since the release of the album, including: the November 2006 issue of Blues Matters! magazine, published in England; the August/September 2007 issue of Blues Revue magazine; the October 2007 issue of Southland Blues magazine, published in southern California; and several reviews appearing on blues websites. To date, all 13 songs from "Squeeze Here" have been played on the airwaves. The most popular cuts have been: Every Woman's Got It; Back Door Man; It Must Be Voodoo; Let's Buzz; and Blues for Texas. Rocky, a native Texan, was particularly pleased to have 'Blues for Texas' featured the week of October 22, 2006 on the Blues Deluxe program broadcast from Arlington, Texas, especially since he shared the playlist with artists like Johhny Winter, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, and ZZ Top. If you're in the Los Angeles area, call 661-406-7820 to get info on where Rocky Jackson and The Ignitors will be playing. When you get a chance, visit Rocky's website at: http://www.rockyjackson.com where you will find more information about the radio stations playing cuts from "Squeeze Here" plus unsolicited testimonials about the album. You can also find clips of songs from Rocky's "Blue Streak" album that is also getting a lot of airplay. "Blue Streak," origi