LISTEN: Vintage Blues, Swing & Country Artist Joe Baker Shares Soulful Live Takes On “Wabash Blues” & “How Long Long Blues”

The stretch of Arizona highway from historic Flagstaff to rustic Bisbee might not be more traversed by any musician of late than that of Joe Baker. From the dusty towns of Prescott, Silver City, and Wilcox to regular gigs in Phoenix and Tucson, (often with fiddler/vocalist Carolyn Camp), Baker’s musical destinations almost sound like an old country western tune from a mythical photograph. 

And that might be very well the way he planned it, as Baker passionately serves as a music historian and archivist of early jazz, swing, blues, and country from the southwest. In fact, he’s the author of a well-respected blog called the Jelly Roll Journal that has delighted readers with historic antidotes and photographs of early 20th century roots music While Baker might scoff at the name troubadour, one can not underestimate his dedication as a musical ambassador and bonafide player.

Baker’s live shows regularly bring listeners back to the golden age of analog, where the artist proudly reimagines classic 1920s jazz, western swing, blues, and early country. With a raspy drawl and nimble acoustic fingerwork, the artist makes modern nods to Hot Club of Cowtown and the retro echoes of Bob Willis and the Texas Playboys. Baker brings a spirited voice to otherwise abandoned tunes erasing this musical suppression to a new generation of ears has been his calling and with it comes the steady gigs and growing fan base.  

Baker has recently released a series of videos on his new site along with a regularly updated show schedule, that has regular southwest travels to New Mexico & beyond. Arizona is fortunate to have Joe Baker and with a new record out soon, the rest of the west side of the Mississippi will be getting a long overdue listen. Check out some of his most recent clips below and swing over here for the new two-sided digital single (Side A “Sugar Blues”/Side B “Some Of These Days”) recorded in Phoenix by Dario Miranda in May 2022 (also available for purchase at Bandcamp).