The Key Studio Sessions: Hezekiah Jones

Raphael Cutrufello has been making music under the Hezekiah Jones banner for the better part of a decade, mixing compelling narrative songwriting with dynamic roots-rock arrangements. At its quietest, Raph would be a dead ringer for Jackson Browne or Tim Buckley; at its most propulsive, he reaches for Sixteen Horsepower and Neil Young heights. And if he ever gets burnt out on the whole music grind, I could see Cutrufello finding a second career as a Faulknerian novelist.

Hezekiah Jones the band makes records in fits and starts; its various collaborators are all ubiquitous in the local roots-folk scene, from bassist Phil D’Agostino to guitarist Brad Hinton and fiddle player Kiley Ryan. But when they come together, as we hear on In Loving Memory of oosi Lockjaw,  it’s quite magical.  The record – the band’s fourth – is out on Friday via Woodfarm Records, and it features many songs Raph has been tinkering away at for going on four years, since we last heard from him on Have Your Seen Our New Fort?.

In this week’s Key Session, we hear dynamic live performances of five songs from oosi Lockjaw. “Borrowed Heart” is a familiar one from Hezekiah Jones’ Shaking Through session from many moons ago, but you’d do well to also check out the gruff rocker “The Dark Heart’s Out,” the quiet-as-a-kitten “Strange Dream,” the tender pop song “Go Cat Fall” and more.

Listen to the session below, grab a free download at our Soundcloud page and see Hezekiah Jones celebrate the new record this Saturday, November 14th, at Ardmore Music Hall. Tickets and more information on the show can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.