Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears appearance Monday

It's a fact that Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, who appear Monday at the Jewish Mother, know how to throw down.

The raw, gut-bucket soul-rock as shouted by Lewis and energized by lead guitarist Zach Ernst and his horn-fueled Honeybears has made them the darlings of fans and critics alike.

Their national debut, "Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!," made it onto many best-of-2009 lists, including The Austin Chronicle's, with all its music reviewers placing it no lower than fifth best.

Their galvanizing live shows are known throughout the concert circuit, thanks to a style that sounds like James Brown and his JB Horns backed by the Clash.

It's a fact, too, that reunited punk legends the New York Dolls chose them for their 2009 summer tour, including a June 16 stop at The NorVa. Rumor has it the Austin, Texas-based soulsters stole the Norfolk show from the legendary Dolls.

"I remember we had a good time there," Ernst, a founding member, said during a tour break in Austin. "It was an honor to open for them. It makes you feel good that someone you looked up to picked you. Joe and I love that old punk rock stuff. We're as much influenced by that as we are with old soul and blues."

Critics call their sound "garage-rock soul," while lead singer Lewis himself describes it as "rock 'n' roll with horns."

Ernst, stealing a phrase from the early Who, thinks "maximum R&B" is an apt description of the group's direction.

"Our version is a hell of a lot more exciting," he said with a laugh. "It's old blues and old soul, not much different from what the early Who or Rolling Stones were doing. Onstage we're dangerous. Hopefully, we'll turn heads (at the Jewish Mother). It's gonna be fun.

"That's a fact."

Eric Feber, (757) 222-5203, eric.feber@pilotonline.com

Five fun funky facts about Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

Zach Ernst, while a student at the University of Texas at Austin, first met and saw Joe Lewis after he booked him to open for Little Richard.

"He was this young guy doing raw, dirty blues with a swagger, and you don't see too many young guys with that kind of attitude."

Their lauded debut album, produced by Spoon drummer Jim Eno, was mainly recorded live in the studio.

"We try to isolate our raw sound as best as we can, and we found the best way is to record it live. We got in and knocked it out."

The Honeybears came to be after Ernst and colleagues backed Lewis not too long after his Little Richard opener.

"Joe needed a band, so I got myself, Bill (Stevenson, bassist) and Matt (Strmiska, drummer) and a few guys I knew who played horns. I told him, 'We'll learn your songs and back you up.' "

The band's name was born at their first rehearsal after Lewis found a crusty old plastic, bear-shaped honey container.

"We kind of plucked it out of the air. Joe found this container and we became The Honeybears. It stuck right away."

For this tour the band handpicked their opener, Cedric Burnside & Lightnin' Malcolm, a raw blues-rock duo from Mississippi.

"They put on one helluva live show. We're blown away that we could get them. Malcolm is an awesome slide guitarist, and Cedric (grandson of blues legend R.L. Burnside) beats his drums to death."