Search - Blues Anatomy with Jef Lee Johnson :: Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson

Blues Anatomy with Jef Lee Johnson
Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson
Genres: Country, Blues, Pop

Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
1. St. Louis Blues - Jef Lee Johnson, Handy, W.C.
2. Swing out Rhythm
3. I'm Not Rough - Jef Lee Johnson, Armstrong, Louis
4. 6-88 Glide
5. He's a Jelly Roll Baker
6. Have to Change Keys to Play These Blues
7. Broken Levee Blues
8. Bull Frog Moan
9. Careless Love - Jef Lee Johnson, Handy, W.C.
10. Ben Franklin Hotel Blues - Jef Lee Johnson, Mass, Joe
11. Playing with the Strings
12. Tomorrow Night - Jef Lee Johnson, Coslow, Sam

CD Details

All Artists: Blues Anatomy with Jef Lee Johnson
Title: Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: RANGE RECORDS
Original Release Date: 1/1/2008
Re-Release Date: 3/25/2008
Genres: Country, Blues, Pop
Styles: Bluegrass, Classic Country, Contemporary Blues, Traditional Blues, Electric Blues, Acoustic Blues, Jump Blues
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 186900000828

Synopsis

Album Description

As one of the original pioneers of blues music, Lonnie Johnson is credited by serious historians as being the first person to record a single note guitar solo. Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson presents listeners with modern interpretations of blues classics such as "He's A Jelly Roll Baker" and "St. Louis Blues" while paying homage to the accomplishments of this prolific musician. Featured artists on the album include Blues Anatomy, Jef Lee Johnson, Geoff Muldaur and other phenomenal blues players. "There was a guy who played blues long before we had electricity...named Lonnie Johnson. Lonnie Johnson was like Duke Ellington was with jazz. He played with everybody...So I grew up wanting to be Lonnie Johnson."
-B.B. King (Downbeat Magazine - Feb, 2006)

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CD Reviews

The heart without the soul

Chris Albertson | New York, NY United States | 05/14/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I was happy to hear that a group of performers were creating a tribute to Lonnie Johnson, but I'm afraid the end result was a disappointment. If it sparks interest in Lonnie's life, music, and significant contribution to jazz and blues, the CD will have served him well. The performances are obviously well intentioned, but Geoff Muldaur only handles one vocal--he should have had them all. Singer Eddie Davis is painful to listen to, but guitarist Jef Lee Johnson is not. I wish I could embrace this release wholeheartedly, but there is plenty of the real thing available, from the classic sides of the 1920s, 30s and 40s to the post "rediscovery" recordings."

Please lonnie, don't hurt us

danny goldberg | new york | 04/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"the shortest poem ever recorded?

"Me, We" - Muhhammad Ali.

the shortest review ever on amazon?

rediscovering my love for this clairvoyant and timeless song writer;

rediscovering my respect for recordings produced with real (live) musicians;

rediscovering the truth, the history, the beauty;

rediscovering LONNIE JOHNSON

if you like real (good) music you are certain to love this one.

kudos good people that made this recordign!

"

Refreshing blues / great band / excellent vocals

Philly Blues | East Coast | 03/27/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bought this record on a whim and was very pleasantly surprised. Clean, arrangements, excellent lead guitar (Jef Lee Johnson)and catchy tunes. A great change of pace from the 'blues genre' yet elements of great guitar and vocal styles. Looking forward to more music from blues anatomy and other 'rediscovering' artists music series. Worth checking out!!"

Tribute to a musical giant

Dean E. Alger | 04/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD from Philadelphia-based Range Records and produced by Grammy-winning Aaron Levinson, is a marvelous tribute to the great Lonnie Johnson. Lonnie (1894-1970) was one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, but sadly is little known today. Lonnie was the prime creator of the powerful, virtuoso guitar solo for Blues, Jazz and from there to nearly all the rest of popular music. He was popular music's first truly great genius of guitar, and he influenced major musical figures from Robert Johnson to BB King to Eric Clapton, and many jazz guitarists and beyond.

Jef Lee Johnson (no relation) takes on the impossible task of playing Lonnie in this tribute album, with help from Philadelphia-based Blues Anatomy. They play with soul and great spirit, and Jef contributes his own virtuoso guitar-playing (in his own style, as a tribute, rather than trying to slavishly mimic Lonnie).

They open with a band doing Handy's classic "St. Louis Blues," with excellent vocal work by Eddie Davis. The third song is a cover of the great early jazz piece by Louis Armstrong and his legendary Hot Fives, "I'm Not rough. Lonnie matched Armstrong in virtuosity on the original. The Eddie Davis vocal work on this song is even better than on St. Louis Blues. This version of the song is great; I love this performance!

They do a couple of the legendary instrumental guitar duets Lonnie did in the late 1920s with great white guitarist, Eddie Lang - which still inspire and awe guitarists today. They also include an original tribute song by Joe Mass, "Ben Franklin Blues," in honor of the "rediscovery" of Lonnie by Chris Albertson at the end of the 1950s doing blue collar work at Philadelphia's Ben Franklin Hotel.

The CD winds up with Lonnie's huge 1948 R & B ballad hit, "Tomorrow Night," which was covered by Elvis at the beginning of his career. In fact, if you get a copy of Lonnie's original and the Elvis cover of 1954, you can hear how Elvis got a key part of his vocal technique directly from Lonnie's recording!

-Dean Alger, St. Paul, Minnesota"