Jo Oliver is an
independent Soul-Rock artist with many years of musical experience and
the ability to write catchy melodies and combining them with rock hard
hooks and thundering rhythms. The US portal ranker.com put him on the
list of “Best Soul Rock Artists/Bands”.
Jo has spent many years working for other artists and publishers as a
composer, songwriter, arranger, studio musician, producer, and sound
engineer. This garnered him chart placements and collaborations with
people like Keith Tynes (Platters) and Richard Palmer-James
(Supertramp), among others.
In his debut solo release “Shine On (You)”
he sings and plays all the instruments, as well as did all the
arranging, music producing, mixing and mastering himself. Jo also hit
the Top 1 spot on the Amazon Germany Download-Charts in the Soul
category, even though he is more Soul-Rock orientated.
In order to appreciate “Shine On (You)”, you have to be able to misplace your snob instincts for four or so minutes. Jo Oliver
isn’t here to bury modern music, but to praise it, or at least to place
it in the greater continuum of rock and soul. Obviously, proudly
traditionalist musically, Oliver is also a progressive forward-thinker.
This is a track that will remind rock
and soul fans of its musical heritage in a familiar, non-threatening
way, and suggests that the musical future, with all its electronics and
technology, doesn’t have to be a scary, unknowable entity, as Jo makes
it all look like a slickly repackaged version of the past.
Showing an impressive aptitude for soulful rock-writing, “Shine On (You)” is
filled with thundering rhythms, crunchy hard-nosed guitars, sweet
harmonies, resonant vocals and soaring choruses. With the combination of
enticing vocal deliveries and groovy instrumentals throughout, this is
unquestionably a joyous track which is constantly eager to please.
