Former Agents of Good Roots drummer Brian Jones has been utilizing the last several years to develop an array of projects that stretch beyond the constraints of the rock genre into the more exciting possibilities of jazz, experimental music, and the avant-garde. What follows is an attempt to catalog and describe already-solidified projects and to give some indication of future ideas that have yet to be formally developed. Slang Sanctuary Records is an independent, limited edition CD-R label, primarily dedicated to the music of Brian Jones.
Brian Jones Wurlitzer Trio original music penned by Jones for trio featuring Daniel Clarke on a vintage Wurlitzer electric piano and Randall Pharr on upright bass.  The debut CD is entitled "drug piano" and focuses on introspective ballads, acidic funk tunes, and new jazz eye-openers.
Boots of Leather Comprised of Brian Jones on drums, JC Kuhl on saxophone, and Curtis Fye on upright bass, the primary focus of this unique venture is music of the Velvet Underground arranged for instrumental trio, along with a couple VU-inspired Brian Jones original compositions. Venues at which the group has performed include Bogart's, the Commercial Taphouse, and the Canal Club, all in Richmond. Boots of Leather's debut album, Foil, is now available for purchase through this website. The second Boots of Leather record, rich man poor man, is an eclectic mix of cover tunes from different composers (Barrios, Elliot Smith, Cream, Stravinsky, etc). Added to the band is keyboardist Daniel Clarke on wurlitzer, clavinet, organ, and piano. This CD is now available (2006).
The Brian Jones Quintet This group includes Brian Jones on drums, Curtis Fye on upright bass, JC Kuhl on tenor and soprano saxophones, Colin Killalea on tenor saxophone, and John Winn on clarinet and bass clarinet. The music is entirely Brian Jones-authored and jazz-based, and it focuses on the improvisation and interplay of the three horns. The debut recording from the Brian Jones Quintet is titled "Spell Cannon", and is now available through this website.
Brian Jones Double Quartet An ambitious project involving mostly new music scored for 8 musicians (2 drumsets, 2 upright basses, 1 trumpet, 2 woodwinds, and 1 trombone). This band will debut at Bogart's March 2003 and will explore collage forms, graphic notation, extended improvisation, backbeats, head tunes, and Neil Young's "Helpless."
BRIAN JONES (GUITAR) QUARTET New ensemble featuring 2 electric guitars, upright bass, and drums. This band, with various members (through the years) including Trey Pollard, Sam Wilson, Matt Hall, Alan Parker, Randall Pharr, and Curtis Fye, has been performing around Richmond since 2004. The first recording, lux, is now available. It features Pollard, Wilson, Hall and Jones on original compositions + a skeletal version of "Eleanor Rigby." lux is a love letter to Frisell, Scofield and Metheny.
BRIAN JONES CHOIR (vol. 1) ep of songs (alt-rock tunes). like low budget beck. upcoming release FALL 2007.
Jones/Kuhl The oldest and most familiar of Jones' current projects, this duo collaboration between former Agents of Good Roots bandmates has existed for almost four years. Featuring Brian Jones on drums/percussion and JC Kuhl on saxophones, the music would be considered by some to be "free" jazz in the sense that it does not adhere to the structures normally associated with familiar jazz music. A good introduction to anyone who is looking for a starting point amongst Jones' many projects, the duo has released three records: "Moment-um", recorded in winter 1999, "Blue Book", recorded in fall 2000, and "Snakeform", released in 2005. "Snakeform" utilizes distorted drums and processed sax sounds, engineered by Daniel Clarke. These records are available for purchase at performances and will eventually be available for purchase through this website.
Mao Amore Formerly known as Jones/Kuhl/McCavitt -- An ambient free-improvisation trio that includes Brian Jones on percussion, JC Kuhl on saxophone, and Martin McCavitt on keyboards/sampler/laptop. More abstract and less structured than a Jones/Kuhl duo performance, the trio offers often completely improvised sets of music that exist independently of anything they have done before. Mao Amore has performed at Bogart's, Artspace, and 3 Miles Gallery (as part of a John Cage birthday celebration Jones curated), all in Richmond. In spring 2002 they released an eponymous studio CD. Also on the horizon is a possible collaboration between Mao Amore and Richmond electronic improvisation duo Ting Ting Jahe.
Jones + McCavitt Two versions of this duo project exist. The first features Brian Jones on drums and Martin McCavitt on piano. This is a simpler, more organic collaboration between the two familiar musicians that focuses on each of their original compositions. Recording is slated for winter 2002-3. The other duo collaboration has an improvisatory focus and includes Jones on drums/percussion and McCavitt on electronics.
Them against Them A new project that features Paul Watson on cornet, electric bass, sampler, and acoustic guitar, Phil Murphy on tabla, lap steel, and electric guitar, and Brian Jones on drums and percussion. As opposed to the jazz-based improvisations of much of the rest of Jones' work, this is improvisatory music in an indie-rock vein. Organic, ambient, lyrical, and cinematic, Them against Them can be seen performing periodically in the Richmond area. They have one CD currently available on Slang Sanctuary Records, Night Returns With A Gallup, as well as an upcoming release in 2007.
Duo Series A past series of collaborations between Brian Jones and other local Richmond musicians. Known to perform at Richmond's Ipanema Cafe, the series has included performances with the aforementioned Jones/Kuhl and Jones/McCavitt duos as well as with guitarist Colin McEnearney (a project sometimes referred to as "Sugar the Pill") and drummer/percussionist Robby Sinclair. The performances vary in accordance with the instrumentation involved, but all are improvisatory in nature. Jones has also been known to perform in a duo with his former drum teacher, the legendary Howard Curtis. Howard Curtis (jones + curtis chronotope), as well as Brooklyn saxophonist Colin Killalea (jones + killalea sea).
Jones also has a solo percussion record entitled "Clockhorse" available for purchase at performances and eventually through this website. Check this website periodically for performance dates for the above projects and continuing details on additional projects that Jones develops.