Jones' performance tonight (Thursday, June 11) is a bit different than usual. He is debuting new material with a drastically new sound in honour of Eva's Initiative, an organization that helps get homeless youth off the streets by providing them with shelter, food and employment training. It's a cause Jones has always been passionate about having worked with the young crowd most of his life.

"Tonight whoever shows up, they're going to know this event is not just about me," says the vocalist. "It's also about Eva's Initiative... I want them to check it out on the website, evasinitiative.com. That's it. Whoever comes in the door it's just an added bonus. I'm not expecting us to raise $2,000 today. I'm not even expecting us to raise $100 tonight... We're taking our time, both of us. I'm trying to climb up the stairs and so is Eva. If we can do it together, perfect."

With the focus on Eva's Initiative, Matt Black, an Eva's Initiative alum, opened the show with his soul searching folksy rock music. Black sat alone on stage wearing black from head to toe, something he picked up from the original "man in black" Johnny Cash to represent suffering in the world. The Jamaican youth's own struggles couldn't be more apparent in every guitar lick and soul searching word: "I'm from the streets of Toronto / Living for tomorrow / Even though I don't get to live tomorrow." Soul searching is something he did a lot of while boarding with Eva's, a place that he says made him a better person. With his newfound confidence on stage he's preparing to release an album, Albumography, and book. The reception from the audience made it clear his time is now.

"[Tonight] means everything to me," the 25-year-old says. "A lot of the music that I do is something that I hope people will feel and I'm not the type of person to say I hope they play me in the club and I hope that they are partying to my music. That's not what my music's about at all. It's about reflecting, and feeling and moving on and inspiration."

Code Revival's stage time was a complete contrast to Black. The retro rockers were a blatant throwback of Bon Jovi without the good looks. Sure the music had people rocking out, but it all seemed superficial and unconnected with the rest of the night.

It all came full circle with Sean Jones and his band though. The former member of the now defunct R&B group In Essence has now found his own niche away from the smooth soul he was known for. Jones managed to beat the butterflies of premiering his edgier new sound. The high energy set included material from his This is Love EP (what he calls "soul over rock") and new songs (like "Take Your Clothes Off") punched out on a trip to Blue Mountain, all reminiscent of Lenny Kravitz.

"On this last album... I think I was more afraid to completely step into that rock field... just because I've been in an In Essence phase... for so long and it can be a little bit scary...," he admits before the show. "So I tried to do half and half... but I wasn't anything real and nobody could really label it... I'm... fully on a rock vibe right now...  It's got more edge, more attitude, definitely heavier guitars."
Audience members and diners alike were rockin' out in full appreciation. All doubters who thought Jones couldn't switch fields were made believers. Rock is really where it's at for him.

"Sean Jones has to be who Sean Jones is," Maurice Jones Jr. (no relation), the band's bassist and producer, concluded.

Words By: Carol Santos
Photos Courtesy Of: Sasha Stoltz Publicity