JAY GEILS (JOHN GEILS JR)
Genres: Swing, Blues • United States

John Warren "J." Geils Jr. (February 20, 1946 – April 11, 2017) If you grew up listening to music in the ’70s, you probably associate the name J. Geils with a five-piece band that played raucous rock and roll to hip-shaking partiers. Led by guitarist John “Jay” Geils, the group toured the world and recorded more than a dozen albums, selling millions through the early ’80s. Originally focused on blues, R&B, and soul, The J. Geils Band later adopted a straight-ahead rock sound that helped them score numerous hit singles including the blockbusters “Freeze Frame” and “Centerfold.” For the last 15 years, Geils has immersed himself in the jazz and swing of the 1940s and ’50s. His new disc, Jay Geils: Toe Tapping Jazz, is a set of jump blues and jazz standards by Count Basie, Benny Goodman and others. Previously, Geils’ tone, choice of notes, and instruments all helped him read more...