About This:

"In a city crowded with blues bands, the Jellyrollers have something special: A respect for roots, a wide reach of styles, and no need to play any of it strictly by the book.. Both high-spirited and heartfelt, the Jellyrollers have a filling for the hole in your soul."
- Brett Milano

"Back in the 1940's, the French jazz critic Hughes Panassie came to New York to produce a jazz record session. The Dixieland banjo player Eddie Condon's comment was, "Why do we need a Frenchman coming over here to tell us how to play jazz? Do I go over there and tell them how to jump on a grape?" Well, with the American blues scene getting more streamlined and boring every day, it is high time that SOMEONE reminded us how exciting, funny, free-wheeling, and just flat-out entertaining the music can get. Bertrand Laurence proved long ago that he was a technically brilliant guitarist, but with the Jellyrollers he shows that great technique does not have to get in the way of good music. This is the kind of record the old jug bands made, played for the same reason: because it makes people want to drink, laugh, jump around, and join the party the musicians are having onstage. The rhythms are funky, the licks are hot, and the lyrics are full of hip, up-to-date humor (even when they are 70 years old, or in French). This is music that defies criticism, because it ain't made for critics, it's made for folks to enjoy. So I've only got one comment: This is a hell of an enjoyable album, but me, I would have called the band Bertrand and the Grape-Jumpers."
- Elijah Wald

PS: For a short bio and 4 whole tunes,look up Bertrand Laurence, also the band "The Jellyrollers" (Live!) @: http://mp3.thephoenix.com/UNIV_mp3_frame_set.html (Choose "Folk, Roots and Blues") For more samples, photos and the "epic" bio: http://www.bertrandlaurence.com