JP Soars - Brick By Brick (2024)

Several years ago J.P. Soars became aware that he was building his audience one person at a time. He’d win a new fan, or several, every time he played and eventually he knew he could create a healthy career if he stuck with it.

“It all seemed very natural,” says Soars, who titled his new album ‘Brick By Brick’ as a testament to his approach. “The album is very reflective of how I have built my music career, one brick at a time.”

The new album by the Boca Raton, Fla. musician is his first for Little Village and shines a light on the multi-dimensional musical talents of Soars. In addition to his base of blues & roots music, Soars displays his affection for the influences of gypsy jazz, country, Latin, rock and heavy metal.

“I didn’t set out with any game plan for this album,” he says. “In fact, a lot of these songs came out of the pandemic when I was just fooling around with different songs and styles. It just grew around that.”

Standout tracks include “Things Ain’t Working Out,” a guitar-driven lament to a broken relationship while “Keep Good Company” features Soars on guitar and lyrics that reinforce the need to be watchful of your own conduct. Soars also does a masterful job on Little Milton’s “That’s What Love Will Make You Do.”

“Can’t Keep Her Off My Mind” is a supercharged, hillbilly-country rave up. Soars plays banjo on the song, with strong interplay with the rollicking fiddle of Anne Harris (known for her work with bluesman Otis Taylor), and backing vocals by Annika Chambers and Paul DesLauriers.

Soars borrows from his gypsy jazz vocabulary on “Jezebel,” a sinewy beat that underscores the force attraction to an overpowering charm of a woman he can’t resist.

To those who know Soars, his eclectic approach to music is no surprise. In fact, his ability to shift gears between musical styles has become a major thrust of his live shows.

In 2009, Soars won the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge, including the prestigious Albert King guitar award. Since then, he’s nominated for six Blues Music Awards, including best guitarist, best blues-rock, best contemporary blues artist, best band and as B.B. King Entertainer of the Year.