The Homemade Jamz Blues Band's disc, Pay Me No Mind (NorthernBlues), is a sure bet for best debut album and it comes from the youngest blues band in America. Their combined age is less than 40. Homemade Jamz is comprised of three siblings. Two are in their teen years and one is a pre-teen. Ryan Perry performs lead guitar (on homemade instruments made from car mufflers) and vocals while Kyle Perry handles bass guitar and Taya tackles the drums. The 11 songs â€" all recorded at their home in Tupelo â€" ooze with the repetitive boogie blues of Mississippi. A prime example can be heard on "Blues Concerto."

Being a trio, the guitar is naturally the main featured instrument. At this point, Ryan’s guitar solos emulate those of his heroes Albert King, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. However, to his credit, he resists playing the notes at the pace of a lightning flash. Ryan displays a great potential to blossom into a blues star. He is impressive on "Penny Waiting On Change" where the guitar crescendos from a leisurely pace and then explodes into fiery passion. The band’s baby, Taya, delivers skimpy beats and some disorderly cymbal crashes.

If you can look past them as being a novelty act, you’ll experience some real blues and will hear true natural talent. The instrumental "Shake Rag" is assumed to be about dirt-poor, mostly black Shake Rag, Tennessee, which supposedly was a significant influence on a young Elvis Presley. The title track blends a 1950s John Lee Hooker boogie with a trance-like north Mississippi hill drone. Ironically, the least enjoyable track is a cover of Hooker’s "Boom Boom."

The best of the ten original songs is the gritty minor key Mississippi blues "Right Thang Wrong Woman." Here, the sound is so raw you’ll think these kids are being schooled in a smoky juke joint. You wouldn’t think a teen could have experienced the tortured love that is described in the lyrics. Regardless, Ryan sings the song with a deep and serious conviction. Another highlight is "Time For Change" which lays the foundation for the sound of tomorrow’s blues style.

There is only so much sound that a trio can make. Wisely, harmonica and rhythm guitar â€" courtesy of Renaud Perry (the band’s proud father) and Miles Wilkinson â€" have been added to seven songs. This helps with the fills and makes the sound seem larger. Everything about this developing band will improve as their age and experience both increase. Still, this is one of the better releases made by teenagers. Make no mistake. Homemade Jamz are not snotty-nosed rock ‘n’ roll school kids from the playground. These blues siblings play some of the most real deal blues you’ll hear. They need time to further develop but you’ll be blown away by their credibility. In the meantime, they are giving the experienced artists a run for their money and the world an awareness that blues is still alive in Mississippi.
NOTE: This CD was also reviewed as the Surprise hit in the June 2008 Blues Bytes.

--- Tim Holek