Homemade Jamz Blues Band’s (HJBB) unique sound and style is a product and compilation of the trio’s hunger and thirst for the music (blues) that they so love. Their passion and dedication has proven to be electrifying and energetic to witness. HJBB’s astounding sound blends Mississippi, Chicago, and Contemporary juke joint blues that will surely get you on your toe tapping, knee bending, and foot stomping stance, copping the gritty slickness of the former and the dirty soul of the latter—never betraying its authors’ age. The trio exudes nothing but confidence and attitude as they sing of betrayal, love, hard times and other bad things gone down as if they've lived a life rich in strife. They are sure, a veritable blues explosion poised to continue making the big sound.
HJBB started in Baumholder, Germany. Young Ryan found a Stratocaster copy among dad’s, (Renaud Perry’s) bags and wanted it. A week later, Ryan had composed a short instrumental tune, (which he’d play at his school talent show) and was playing along to commercials. When the family relocated to Tupelo, MS, the passion stayed with him. Returning home, Ryan, dove head first into the blues. “I heard and emulated B.B. King, Albert King, Jimmie Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan,” he recalls. Having found his passion and direction, Ryan progressed like tenfold.
Ryan Perry, now 23, the oldest of the trio, has vocals that are mind blowing and beyond his years. It’s almost as if he was an old soul, reincarnated into a new generation of the blues. Some of his early music influences are Howlin’ Wolf, Albert King, BB King, and Junior Kimbrough, while modern blues influences includes the likes of the late Michael Burks, Bernard Allison, and Gary Clark, Jr. Ryan has managed to captivate and mesmerize the minds and hearts of his followers with his raspy and gritty vocals. His electrifying and soulful guitar picking is sure to entice and seduce your most inner soul.
Two years later, Ryan was joined by little brother Kyle, then nine years old, wanted in on the action. Kyle, now 20, first took up piano and guitar before he found his calling playing the bass, teaching himself the nuances of the instrument, and its role in the blues. Before long, he was performing with his brother Ryan in small venues and local restaurants, as confident as any wizened old pro and digging his role. “[I] keep the timing and lock down the beat along with the drummer, which allows the lead guitar player to do his own thing while everyone is juking to the beat.”
Little sister Taya, then seven years old, was not going to be left out. Her determination to give the drums a shot came after Ryan and Kyle reluctantly allowed her to play along during practice. Taya, now 16, already possessing a rhythmic sense from playing tambourine, settled onto the stool, and in no time was providing the beat behind Ryan and Kyle. Learning by ear, she taught herself the beat and rhythm that binds the complete sound of the trio. “I love being a drummer, especially being a girl drummer. I feel energetic when I’m playing the drums,” she says.
It’s likewise energizing and invigorating to watch Homemade Jamz perform; the exhilarating trio was a hot ticket, and well on their way to becoming one of the youngest blues bands actively traveling the blues music trail. Ryan’s raspy, gruff vocals along with visceral, stinging, guitar licks, Kyle’s solid rumble and Taya’s cool stomp have electrified festival goers across the country, Canada, Europe, Legendary Blues Cruise, and music festivals all over.
The trio saturated their local media, appearing numerous times in several local papers and national blues magazines, and on local and national TV—including feature segments on CBS Sunday Morning Show, The Today’s Show, The Monique Show, and The Tavis Smiley Show. As well, HJBB won the 3rd Annual MS Delta Blues Society of Indianola’s Blues Challenge (2006), were the youngest band ever to compete in the 23rd International Blues Challenge (2007), taking 2nd in a field of 93 seasoned bands, youngest blues band to sign with a major blues label (NorthernBlues Music) (2008), and the youngest Blues Music Award Nominees for Best New Artist (2009).
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