Bloomington, IN · soul · r&b

Durand Jones & the Indications

1 upcoming festival

Retro-soul made by people who studied the records — two voices trading leads over immaculate rhythm work, from falsetto sweetness to preacher grit.

Durand Jones & the Indications formed in Bloomington, Indiana, around 2012, when Jones — a Louisiana-raised singer who had come to Indiana University to study music — began recording with drummer Aaron Frazer and guitarist Blake Rhein. The group's first album was made cheaply and largely to tape, and its warm, slightly rough sound helped establish their approach.

The band works in classic soul and R&B, with arrangements modelled on 1960s and 1970s records. A central feature is the contrast between Jones's deep, gritty lead and Frazer's high falsetto, with the two trading and layering vocals over tight rhythm section playing. Later releases have added smoother, more orchestrated ballads and sweet-soul textures.

soulr&b