CHEERS TO 60. David Jones, A.K.A Davey J, is holding a show performing with his friends and family on Oct. 28 to celebrate his 60th birthday. (Photo via Facebook)

For more than 40 years, David Jones (also known as Davey J) has been a crowd favorite jazz and blues performer. Now, on the precipice of his 60th birthday, Jones is celebrating by hosting a performance at The Plus (208 South Barstow St., Eau Claire) on Saturday, Oct. 28, showcasing his musical flair with the amazing friends that have performed with him along the way.

“I just wanted to celebrate a lot of songwriting, a lot of friends that play music, and then (The Plus) that's been a favorite space since my first daughter was young,” Jones said.

The show will include four different sets which will have their own themes and about 30 total original songs: Roots, Love, Darkness, and Jams. “Roots” will pay homage to the Jones Tones, an old band of Jones’s that focused heavily on American folk and blues artists such as Elvis Presley and Muddy Waters. The “Love” set will feature Jones’s wife, Catherine Emmanuelle – whom he has yet to sing with on stage – and his 6-year-old son, Nicolas. The “Darkness” set represents Jones’s more natural music persona, filled with angsty melodies and his acoustic guitar.

“I’m looking forward to that one because that's some of my genuine personality that can’t be in other places. It can be there,” Jones said.

The last set, “Jams,” will be performed by the Stefan Geisinger Trio, who will be inviting musical guests from the audience to jam with the band. Performers throughout the night will also include Jen Hazen (vocals), Luke Fischer (electric guitar), Lauren Jensen (cello), Jim Phillips (bass), Laura Sommer (bass), and Tim Lynnes (drums).

Chee Vang, an Eau Claire filmmaker, will be getting footage of the event as well as interviews with Jones and others in his circle for a 60-minute documentary about Jones’ musical career and life, Life is a Love Mix, which is slated to be finished by next summer. This is the fourth project that Vang and Jones have created, the other three being short films: Made in Changshu (2018), Darkness in My Life (2018), and The Last Honest Man (2021), a commentary on the making of his album, 2020 Blue, partially filmed when Jones was visiting Okinawa, Japan.

Jones is grateful for everything he has accomplished over his long musical career in the area and hopes that this carefully crafted show will encompass all that he has done over his 60 years of life.

“The (music) scene is starting to emerge again,” Jones said. “For a while it got lost with the pandemic and venues having their ups and downs, but I think now more people, including myself, feel like we need to be a presence again and can come back with that presence. So look out for some more great music.”

60, A Live Music Show and Birthday Experience, will be Saturday, Oct. 28, from 6-11pm at The Plus (208 S. Barstow St., Eau Claire). Cover is $6. Keep up with Davey J & Friends on Facebook.