Biography
The Jelly Roll Kings function as a Mississippi Delta blues trio whose approach emphasizes unpolished authenticity through lilting rhythms, dreamily atmospheric keyboards, dance-shuffle drums, and soul-drenched vocals. Guitarist Big Jack Johnson leads the group, which also features two longtime participants in the Delta juke joint circuit—keyboardist and harmonica player Frank Frost alongside drummer Sam Carr, whose father was the legendary blues musician Robert Nighthawk. As the youngest member, Johnson serves as the trio’s guitarist, primary songwriter, and lead vocalist.
Carr first danced during his father’s performances at age eight before switching to drums. Frost’s prior experience encompasses guitar work with Sonny Boy Williamson II, Nashville sessions alongside Elvis Presley guitarist Scotty Moore, and a 1992 album on the Appaloosa label titled Frank Frost with Freddie and the Screamers. He additionally issued Frank Frost, Jelly Roll King: Charly Blues Masterworks Vol. 36 on the British Charly imprint.
The band’s sole release on the Fat Possum/Capricorn label arrived in 1997 as Off Yonder Wall. Author and impresario Robert Palmer produced the effort, which highlights the intricate interplay among Johnson, Carr, and Frost. Its sound stays raw and minimal, conveying an authentic live club atmosphere. The musicians refresh classic blues standards such as “That’s Alright Mama” and “Baby Please Don’t Go,” while their own compositions stay faithful to the 1990s Delta juke joint tradition, yielding one of the year’s most distinctive albums.
Carr first danced during his father’s performances at age eight before switching to drums. Frost’s prior experience encompasses guitar work with Sonny Boy Williamson II, Nashville sessions alongside Elvis Presley guitarist Scotty Moore, and a 1992 album on the Appaloosa label titled Frank Frost with Freddie and the Screamers. He additionally issued Frank Frost, Jelly Roll King: Charly Blues Masterworks Vol. 36 on the British Charly imprint.
The band’s sole release on the Fat Possum/Capricorn label arrived in 1997 as Off Yonder Wall. Author and impresario Robert Palmer produced the effort, which highlights the intricate interplay among Johnson, Carr, and Frost. Its sound stays raw and minimal, conveying an authentic live club atmosphere. The musicians refresh classic blues standards such as “That’s Alright Mama” and “Baby Please Don’t Go,” while their own compositions stay faithful to the 1990s Delta juke joint tradition, yielding one of the year’s most distinctive albums.
Albums