‘Jersey Blues,’ Joe Zook & Blues Deluxe

by JAY LUSTIG
The cover of Joe Zook and Blues Deluxe's 2004 album, "Still Payin' Dues."

The cover of Joe Zook & Blues Deluxe’s 2004 album, “Still Payin’ Dues.”

The Trenton-based blues musician Joe Zook formed the band Blues Deluxe in 1979, and they called their 2004 album Still Payin’ Dues. Eleven years later, they’re still at it. So there’s no band better qualified to sing the Jersey blues, which Zook does on the clip below, shot at John & Peter’s nightclub, just over the state line in New Hope, Pa.

There’s a bit of another song at the beginning of the clip, so if you want to hear “Jersey Blues” only — which the band originally released on that Still Payin’ Dues album — skip to the one minute, 20-second mark.

New Jersey celebrated its 350th birthday in 2014. And in the 350 Jersey Songs series, we marked the occasion by posting 350 songs — one a day, from September 2014 to September 2015 — that have something to do with the state, its musical history, or both. To see the entire list, click here.

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1 comment

Jeff m trynoski October 14, 2020 - 1:10 am

My favorite local guitarist and friend.

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