Among the highlights:
Folklife festival chance to revive my Texas spirit
By ROGER WOOD For the Chronicle
I was sanctified daily by the amazing Jones Family Singers, an African-American gospel group from Bay City led by a fiery testifying patriarch known as "The Bishop." He performed with his wife and their seven grown children and one 14-year-old grandson who played drums. Their inspired vocalizing ? backed with consistently funky licks on the instruments and some choreographed or spontaneous dance moves ? sparked a Pentecostal rocking of the house every time they performed, whether it was onstage on the National Mall or back at one of the evening socials at our hotel.
By Michael Corcoran | Sunday, November 8, 2009, 10:44 AM
About 1,500 folks showed up to see Jimmie Vaughan and others at Smithville's Riverbend Park Saturday night. Organizers were praying for 1,000 after advance ticket sales were bleak. But the crowd, appreciative of the quality of music in the rural setting, kept trickling in all day. The Sensational Jones Family Singers just tore it up for an hour that felt like 20 minutes. I've seen this group of gospel shouters at least a dozen times, but this was the best for two reasons. 1) The sound system was so pristine you could hear all six singers and 2) the audience basically went berserk and did everything lead singer Alexis asked them to do.
Plan your day with our critics' picks
Monday, September 22, 2008
JOE GROSS' PICKS
FRIDAY
Jones Family Singers (11:30 a.m. WaMu): Might as well start off your day with a benediction from this gospel group, whose performances are so well known for their wonder-working power, their placement here should be considered front loading. The only downside is that they may spoil you for the rest of the festival.
MICHAEL CORCORAN'S PICKS
FRIDAY -2008
The Jones Family Singers (11:30 a.m. WaMu): The Jones Family Singers get this whole thing started, lighting a Pentecostal bonfire of talent and exuberance. Warning: It'll make Friday morning feel like Sunday morning and you'll think you missed Plant/Krauss.
The Jones Family Singers were arguably the surprise show-stealers. The Bay City group, fronted by the soul-stirring Alexis Jones-Roberts, was a revelation, further proving that gospel music "can rock, and it can roll", inspiring people to dance and sing just as easily as secular pop music.
V. Marc Fort
Elder Fred A Jones Sr. of Bay City, TX is father, pastor and manager to the Jones Family Singers. The gospel crew of Jones' five daughters, one son, grandson and son-in-law have come up through the trenches to be a strong force in the gospel music ministry. This Sunday, the group will perform as part of the Holy Ghost Party at the Paramount Theatre benefiting the Sickle Cell Association. Catch the spirit live in Studio 1A Thursday on Eklektikos.
"Gospel music at SXSW......... It seems almost sacriligious, but this family of gospel belters from oil-strewn Bay City, Texas, rocked harder than 95 percent of the bands I saw with electric guitars."
Chris Riemenschneider, Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"The one downside of being in Austin this weekend was that I missed the great Mavis Staples Saturday night show at the ArtsCenter back home. But at the precise moment Staples was onstage in Carraboro, I was in a church in downtown Austin rocking to the Jones Family Singers -- an amazing gospel soul revue featuring the volcanic voiced Alexis Jones-Roberts and various relatives, including her 13 year old nephew on drums. It was a spectacular performance I think I'll always remember."
David Menconi, Raleigh News & Observer
Jones Family Singers @ Houston International Festival - Houston Chronicle
This thunderous gospel group from Bay City is one of the most live ensembles I've ever seen. Bishop Fred A. Jones Sr. directs his family band ? five of his daughters, a son, a grandson and a son-in-law ? through a spirited set of songs that praise the Lord while making you move your feet. The energy is like that of an arena rock show, only bigger. 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Louisiana Stage.
