The blues has been an essential part of Austin-based Jackie Venson’s repertoire since she started playing guitar almost a decade ago. She specifically embraced the sheer intensity of electric Texas-based blues.
“Every time I hear a Texas blues player, it’s just really strong,” Venson says. “They have a way of just commanding the entire room and just melting your face off. But it’s not a shreddy kind of melt your face off. It’s an intensity that only Texans have – I swear.”
It was a special challenge for her. At the same time, there was substantial interest in hearing her more bluesy side. Fans – and other musicians – kept asking her, “Why don’t you have a blues record?”
“They’ve always been curious as to what would have been on my [blues record],” she says. “I’ve never been totally unopposed to it, but I just never really had the kindling to actually go forth and do it. When it comes to creative projects, it’s nice to follow my gut in my spirit. And if I don’t think to do a blues album, I’m not going to do it.”
But when producer Tim Palmer suggested working on a blues album together, she decided it was time to finally commit. They recorded at Austin-based Arlyn Studios.
“It’s nice to kind of reel it in for a little bit of time,” Venson says. “I can do a lot of different stuff, but I wanted to keep this album real traditional, so I didn’t bring in any of my wacky effects like I usually do. I kept it real simple – clean tone, distortion and reverb.”
She credits her custom-made Epiphone Les Paul for allowing her to channel a “balls-to-the-wall Texas blues” intensity. “It has more presence, more intensity and just more oomph than the Strat I used to play,” she says. “Like a Texas blues musician, I wanted to kick down the doors and burn down the building.”
- Love Transcends is out now.
