{"id":2297,"date":"2013-05-11T19:57:57","date_gmt":"2013-05-11T19:57:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/216.71.127.204\/wordpress\/?p=2297"},"modified":"2015-10-20T19:58:19","modified_gmt":"2015-10-20T19:58:19","slug":"jack-saunders-grit-and-jangle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/2013\/05\/11\/jack-saunders-grit-and-jangle\/","title":{"rendered":"Jack Saunders – Grit and Jangle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
Written by James Killen <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
May 11, 2013 at 12:01 AM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Image\"Jack Saunders? Didn\u2019t he play bass for Shake Russell?<\/p>\n

Leaving Jack\u2019s career at that point would be like saying\u2026”Abe Lincoln? Didn\u2019t he write speeches?”<\/p>\n

Jack was indeed Shake\u2019s bass player, his cohort in songwriting and the melody voice on many of those old favorites from the Houston based folk band. Since those days, Jack Saunders has founded one of the most successful recording studios in Texas and lent his talented ear to help a lot of musicians (including Clint Black, Dale Watson and Susan Gibson) on to popular recording careers. Jack has played as a session musician and has put out four discs of his own, the latest of which is \u201cGrit and Jangle\u201d.<\/p>\n

Jack says that he coined the phrase when he was complimenting Greg Trooper on his disc, \u201cThe Williamsburg Affair\u201d, saying that it had \u201cgrit and jangle\u201d. Jack decided to use the phrase to title a disc that he would dedicate to the lives of travelling singer\/songwriters. Jack tapped the talents of a number of Texas names like Rick Poss, Casper Rawls and Tommy Dar Dar for musical contributions to this well crafted recording.<\/p>\n

This recording does indeed \u201cjangle\u201d from the progressive C&W, \u201cMustache on the Mona Lisa\u201d to the Cajun \u201cAcadian Angel\u201d, a Russell\/Saunders\/Cooper tune released previously on their collaboration, \u201cThe Thrill of Love\u201d. Every song is carefully conceived and brilliantly executed with a clean but simple and direct production that delivers the lyrics to the listener\u2019s mind. \u201cRaindrops\u201d is one of those tunes best heard with your eyes closed, so that you feel every note.<\/p>\n

\"Image\"As the son of a native Houstonian and a 44 year resident myself, I can\u2019t help but believe that the local chamber of commerce should be chasing Mr. Saunders around, begging to use his \u201cIf You\u2019re Ever in Houston\u201d for an ad campaign. The Celtic prayer, \u201cSaints be Kind\u201d reminds one of the drought driven wild fires of a couple of years ago and how people banded together to save what was most important\u2026each other.<\/p>\n

My personal favorite tune on the disc is titled simply \u201cTrust\u201d and bears the line \u201cthe one thing that will matter when life\u2019s reduced to dust is that someone thought enough of you to trust\u201d. It\u2019s a powerful line, delivered on a subtle, but equally powerful guitar solo, by Jack himself.<\/p>\n

This one is worth several listens just to crack the surface and worth a few more spins to get in deep. You can find Jack Saunders\u2019 \u201cGrit and Jangle\u201d at a record store near you.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by James Killen May 11, 2013 at 12:01 AM Jack Saunders? Didn\u2019t he play bass for Shake Russell? Leaving Jack\u2019s career at that point would be like saying\u2026”Abe Lincoln? Didn\u2019t he write speeches?” Jack was indeed Shake\u2019s bass player, his cohort in songwriting and the melody voice on many of those old favorites from… <\/p>\n

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