Product Description

Joe Sublett's trademark Texas tenor saxophone sound has been featured on CDs by The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Little Feat, Taj Mahal, The Black Crowes, Etta James, Dr. John, Keb Mo, Jimmy Smith, T-Bone Burnett, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge, Los Lonely Boys, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Chris Cornell, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Jimmie Vaughan and Richard Thompson to name a few. Sublett started his professional music career as part of the Austin blues scene playing with the legendary R&B band, Paul Ray and the Cobras, a band that featured two outstanding guitarists; a twenty-one year old Stevie Ray Vaughan and Denny Freeman who currently tours and records with Bob Dylan. Joe Sublett toured for years with The Cobras before moving to Los Angeles where he remains an in-demand studio and touring musician. Joe is co-leader of The Texacali Horns along with Darrell Leonard and is a Grammy Award winner for his work with Taj Mahal and The Phantom Blues Band. On 'Subtones', Sublett steps out as leader and grooves, growls and wails his way through thirteen pieces including 'Slidin' By' , a jazzy blues reminiscent of the 1960's Blue Note recordings featuring guitarist, Denny Freeman (who co-wrote the tune) and Mike Finnigan on Hammond organ; an unlikely, but compelling pairing of tenor sax and banjo (played by guitarist, J.J. Holiday) on 'Hillbilly Dream'; 'Hey Junior' , a soul rockin' original, featuring guitarist Johnny Lee Schell and Mick Weaver (both Phantom Blues Band alumni), a joyful version of Bob Marley's 'No Woman, No Cry', and 'You Don't Know me' featuring the gorgeous, ethereal piano of Little Feat's Bill Payne. On this solo outing, Sublett shows the versatility he's developed after playing on hundreds of CDs. Joe Sublett's sax work is at times soulful, hard and nasty, but sometimes surprisingly tender. Sublett's sound is evocative of the old days when a saxophone player's tone was everything. It told his life's stories and on 'Subtones' there is a book full of stories; stories of hardtimes, stories of late night passions and in the end redemption. 'Subtones' is Soul/Jazz and Texas Blues all at once, but with a twist. This is music for your soul.

Track Listing

1. No Woman, No cry
2. Hey Junior
3. Bustin' up the Chifferobe
4. Hillbilly Dream
5. You don't know me
6. Slidin' by
7. Rue du Dragon
8. Blue Leinani
9. Lonely Walls
10. Gone Home
11. New Orleans Reverie
12. Big Dawg Walk
13. White Trash Dancin' (in a Gulf Coast Bar)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #396557 in Music
• Released on: 2008-10-07
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: CD

Customer Reviews

My Favorite CD of 2008
After hearing Joe Sublett's sax swell on many, many albums over the years (mainly with The Texacali Horns, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Taj Mahal), I searched long and hard for a solo record of his own. 'Subtones' covers a lot of ground but forms a smooth cohesive entity. For far too many years, the market has been dominated by smooth modern sax albums by people like Dave Coz and Kenny G. Frankly, the world needs something more real, honest, and rooted in the classic Jazz, R&B, and Blues players/composers. This album is drenched in passion - The musical stories of a man who has seen more than most while continuing his search for even more. Sublett is the real deal.

If you dig any part of what I've written above, buy this album.

And Joe - Please make another one sooner rather than later.

Great album of sax-driven tunes
This is terrific music for cruising in the car, for entertaining, or for just hanging at the house. There's always something about Joe Sublett's sax that sounds familiar and fresh at the same time. Being from the Gulf Coast myself, the tune White Trash Dancin' (at a Gulf Coast bar) brought to mind some particularly vivid images! Speaking of images, I love the cover art.

Hey Brother Joe
Soothing music from a truly amazingly inspiring guy. After hearing all the praises from his El Paso relative and eventually hearing his music, I have gradually become a fan.
Subtones will definitely be part of my permanent collection.

claude montes