"One of the area's most promising songwriters".
-Jim Vickers Motif, June 16, 2004 "It's hard to believe someone so young could be so talented. JJ reminds me of myself 20 years ago. Except he has a lot more talent than I did. JJ's got the gift. He knows how to craft songs that give you the goose bumps, he plays a mean guitar, and he has a great attitude. In the next few years, the folk world will come to know JJ Baron, and I'll be saying, 'I told you so!' "
-Slaid Cleaves "JJ Baron's stuff has spit and grit and humor, things you would normally need to look pretty hard for, but here they are, all in one guy."
- Peter Mulvey
Support acts can be transcendent or trash. Some 12 years ago, I traveled down to New Haven to see John Hiatt perform. The opener that night was an unknown singer-songwriter who was of only mild interest to the crowd. She had a decent voice, some fine songs, and an alluring stage presence. I remember thinking, "pretty good opener, but it's hard to picture her making much of a splash in the music world." I was wrong. Unheralded Sheryl Crow made it. Big. Last week, I went to the Iron Horse in Northampton to catch Slaid Cleaves. The opening act was a young singer-songwriter from Providence, who has yet to release a record, named J.J. Baron. His vibrant Dylan-meets-Hank set earned a highly unusual opening act encore. Although I have been wrong about these things before, I predict this kid will make the same kind of splash I never expected from Ms. Crow.
- Dave Madeloni The Berkshire Eagle March 2005
Calling his music 'Alternative Country,' Providence's JJ Baron throws Jazz, R&B and Rock into his sound, while rooting his lyrics in Myth, Bible and Shakespeare. At 21 years old, it's tough to call a songwriter enigmatic. Let's face it, there's just not enough wear and tear on the soul at that age. But at 21, lyricist JJ Baron has plenty of unsettling contraries pulling him in opposing artistic directions. With one eye toward American music's roots and another focused on creating an original presentation, Baron meshes a sound both new and familiar with an acoustic six-string in hand. The result has been a string of solid "alternative country" songs. One of the area's most promising songwriters.
- Jim Vickers Motif, June 16, 2004
TEXTSHARING THE STAGE
JJ has shared the stage or worked in the studio with the following musicians:
Guy Clark, Slaid Cleaves, Dar Williams, Peter Mulvey, Catie Curtis, Todd Synder, Tim OBrien, Pauline Reese, Professer Louie and the Crowmatics, Jim Weider {the Band}Paul Geremia, Joyce Katzberg, Dan Blakeslee, Graham Weber, Ryan Fitzsimmons Max Creek Stu Kimball {Bob Dylans Band}
Buddy Cage {new riders of the purple sage} Jenna Nicholls, Sam Bisbee,
Ian Thomas Verlon Thompson Back Eddy Bluegrass Band
Atwater and Donnelly, Otis Read
Having lived in Providence, New York City and Austin, JJ Baron now resides in the East Side of Nashville Tenn.
Copyright 2005 Rhody Records rhodyrecords.com, 1151 Aquidneck Avenue Suite 531, Middletown, RI 02842
