Big Jon Atkinson (USA)

In 1988 Jon Atkinson was born into the digital cyber age. He grew up in a world full of children playing video games while adults were watching all manners of YouTube videos on their computers. The young man had no use for any of those things and pursued a singular passion, making blues music. He was moved by a language that is rarely spoken in this day and age. He was inspired by a sound seldom heard. He worked to create this music using the great masters of the past as the mentors who would guide him to great heights in the blues world in a very short time. It was in March of 2013 when I first heard Jon play. I was in Long Beach, California, and the show that I was attending was billed as Nathan James and the Rhythm Scratchers featuring James Harman. Jon sat in with the band on three numbers. I was simply stunned by what I heard. He blew harp on one tune, he sang on another and played guitar on yet another. Even though I had no idea what Jon Atkinson even looked like, the very second I heard him I knew exactly who it was. I had heard musicians talk about this guy from Tennessee who recently moved to Southern California. “Dave you have to hear this guy. He is the real deal. You aren’t going to believe it.” This was coming from some world renowned blues veterans who don’t engage in hyperbole or pass out compliments wholesale.
Al Blake a founding member of The Hollywood Fats Band, and an accomplished singer, harmonica player guitarist, songwriter, producer and band leader in his own right, puts it this way, “Not since I first met Hollywood Fats in the early 70’s have I have heard someone who seems to be born with the DNA that it takes to be a truly great blues musician. Jon is not only an exceptional singer and guitarist; he is also a great harmonica player who plays bass and drums quite well. He has a total understanding of the entire ensemble approach to making blues music. In other words he has the ability to not only be a versatile side man, but an effective band leader as well.”

2014

Bluebeat Music 105/ 14 tr./ 45:04 min.

orn into the digital cyber age. He grew up in a world full of children playing video games while 

 2015

Bluebeat Music 106/ 16 tr./ 56:07 min.

 2016

Delta Groove 172/ 16 tr./ 62:26 min.