Jim Stephens continues his mission to shine a light on the roots of music. Early in 2019 he assembled a cast of players at Esplanade Studios in New Orleans; they were from two worlds that Jimmy inhabits - Philly and New Orleans. Trusted friends and young guns from Philly Ja-Tun Thomas, Andre ‘Boy Wonder’ Coles, and newcomer Ariel Skye met up with New Orleans greats Jeffrey T. Watkins, Jerry JBLAKK Henderson and Big Sam Williams, with the great Shaun Martin for an added touch. The chemistry was instant, as the mission was understood by all without any introduction needed. The result is Yellow River, a collection of gospel meets roots meets the blues tracks that hit the raw undercurrent with an admirable polish. Yellow River is a crowning achievement of a man (and his friends) on a mission. The horns are for real (of course), with Ja-Tun and Boy Wonder trading off vocals with the powerful and courageous Ariel Skye. from slow cooking old school blues whisking you away to the bayou (Call It What It Is), to a gentle yet powerful version of Bessie Smith (The Band), Yellow River delivers a fresh and elegant take on the roots of American music.

Yellow River is set for release on June 28th, with preorder available right here.