Seattle’s Ayron Jones: We need rock ’n’ roll more than ever

Seattle’s Ayron Jones and the Way is on a mission to reintroduce classic, American rock ’n’ roll to a new generation.

“There’s nothing more American than rock ’n’ roll,” says Jones, who will celebrate the release of his new guitar-centric album “Audio Paint Job” on Saturday, June 24, at the Neptune Theatre. “And in this time period, we need it now more than ever. Regardless of who is responsible, there’s divisiveness in this country that we’ve never seen since the civil-rights era. Rock ’n’ roll embodies that American blues soul and spirit. Our generation, as millennials, has forgotten what it means to play rock ’n’ roll.”

Jones earned his musical perspective from his slow climb to success. He started off playing for handfuls of people at local clubs. Now, he sells out major venues in the city — such as The Crocodile and Tractor Tavern — and is on the verge of signing a management deal with a group that represents, among others, rapper 50 Cent and country legend Dolly Parton.

But while his career is rising, the prolific and proficient guitarist, who often gets compared to Emerald City deity Jimi Hendrix, has kept his home city interwoven throughout his new, riff-centric album. Featured on the booming 14-track LP are, among others, the vulnerable and lilting vocals of singer Scarlet Parke, the humbling strings of composer Andrew Joslyn and the deft, upright bass playing of Evan Flory-Barnes. Working with stars, though, for Jones, is nothing new.

“I think that Seattle has some of the most talented musicians in the world,” he says. “I want to continue to get behind this Seattle movement. What really epitomized what this means for me is working with [Pearl Jam’s] Mike McCready or [Guns N’ Roses’] Duff McKagan. They showed me that the Seattle music scene is the same through and through — local musicians help other local musicians get there.”

With “Audio Paint Job,” released digitally earlier this month (with physical copies available at Easy Street Records), Jones has met another benchmark. For someone who’s opened for legends like B.B. King and shared the stage with the rap group Public Enemy, there is much musical insight on the new LP — beginning with the opening track, “Take Me Away,” a rhythmic, lick-laden crescendo showcasing Jones’ guitar prowess. The album progresses with bluesy vocals and torrents of guitar leads, and its penultimate song, “Love Is the Answer,” rises and falls, climaxing in a storm as Jones unleashes a tornado-like solo that blends with Parke’s exploding vocals.

“As soon as the album dropped,” says Jones, “I’ve been floored by the response — by what’s been happening and what’s about to happen.”