Steven K Jaymes

New album Black 17 just happens to have a tune or two that begs to be heard by the wider public. Recorded in rapid fire time (a matter of hours according to Jaymes) the end result is a surprisingly slick album filled with intelligent pop songwriting and the world weary vocals of Jaymes. First single and opening salvo ‘Don't You Know' is an atmospheric mid-tempo ditty that has radio written all over it while the title track keeps the mood going with a sly nod to a good tip at the gambling tables and life in general.

Elsewhere, the pretty ballad ‘Can't Remember To Forget' wouldn't be out of place on a modern country record. The song is helped along by some nice female backing vocals by Cindy Connell and Mel Jones (who can be heard throughout the album). Finally, the 60s pop of ‘Heaven Help My Heart' is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and is criminally pushed down the bottom of the playlist.

Above all, Black 17 is an album delivered with sincerity and honesty. With that on Jaymes' side, it is worth a bet.

'Disco' Stu McPhee - Ear Medicine - Ear Medicine

"Here's a piano man who can still imbue something of the passion and the drama into a form which, over the years, which has been overwhelmed and, sadly, devalued by certain international artists who somehow lost their way and took the world with them. Check out the outro to Emily for a start- and that's the nature of the singing piano player I suppose - the Ben Folds and The Joe Jacksons are few and far between - but there's a healthy leavening of the spirit of Leon Russell, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison in there too, which makes this album a truly sweet surprise.

Considering Hemingway's Cats was recorded all over the place - Shiga in Japan, and various studios in Sydney, Melbourne and New York - Jaymes has managed to maintain a real acoustic consistency across the 14 tracks ('s also a bonus live in the studio version of the title track), that adds to the essential organic, analogue feel to the record. That's especially so on tracks like Higher, where the soul/gospel aspect of his writing is given some head, enhanced no end by the powerhouse backing vocalist 'Donahue.

From all this you should have gathered by now that Jaymes is what these days dubbed an "Old School" musicmaker, one of those guys with warm, full voice who can come up with a big chorus that inevitably engenders handclaps and gospel voice, dynamics to make the Blind Boys Of Alabama proud, sinuous bass lines weaving in and around the melodies and the kind of optimism, for the most part, that was supposed to have been washed away by a decade of introspective angst and jagged power chords. There's even mandolin on one track, Bird On A Wire, courtesy of one of Australia's unsung guitar heroes, Mark Punch.

I can see why Jaymes has been described as "one of the most sophisticated pop jazz and Roots artists" in Australia today. Of course that means he's not about to get signed to play the big day out either. Not that Jaymes seems bothered. He's just doing his thing and delivering it all without an ounce of irony or pretension, simply, here it is, dig it or not. And you know, there's something quite refreshing about that."
Michael Smith - The Drum Media - The Drum Media

New Zealand born Steven Jaymes (he lives in Melbourne,Australia) goes directly to the roots on his new album "Black 17" - the whole album totally breathes blues,jazz and folkrock. His voice reminds even more of Eric Clapton on this album and the music is less based on piano and fender rhodes,most of these songs have been written on the guitar giving the songs a more bluesy touch. It's like joining Sting on a picnic with Van Morrison where Don Henley is showing up with the dessert,Steven Jaymes has enough heart and soul to spread love through his music over the pacific ocean. Who can stop him?,who wants to?,not me! 11 real nice tunes. Kaj Roth Melodic May 06 - Melodic