Del Jones

Del Jones: Vibe-ing Theme and Cold Turkey
From Positive Vibes [Hikeka, 1973]

Here’s some righteous private press action for you from the man Del Jones. I don’t know a whole lot about him, but I do know he laid out one hell of a funky album that was extremely progressive at the time. Speaking of the harsh themes of African American life, Jones relied on fuzz guitars, slamming horns, and solid rhythms to inject his messages with life and good vibes. For me and for many, the opening track “Vibe-ing Theme” is one of the album’s clear standouts. I also chose the massive “Cold Turkey” that, despite it’s nine minute duration, manages consistency minus monotony. I guess only a few hundred of these things were pressed, originals fetching close to $500. For private press records like these reissues seem to be the best answer, and thankfully there’s one out there.