Search - Lonnie Johnson, Elmer Snowden :: Blues & Ballads

Blues & Ballads
Lonnie Johnson, Elmer Snowden
Blues & Ballads
Genres: Country, Blues, Jazz, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (10) - Disc #1

This beautiful album was engineered by Rudy Van Gelder in his Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, home studio where so much jazz history was made. It features guitar innovators Lonnie Johnson and Elmer Snowden together for the f...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Lonnie Johnson, Elmer Snowden
Title: Blues & Ballads
Members Wishing: 3
Total Copies: 0
Label: Obc
Release Date: 7/1/1991
Genres: Country, Blues, Jazz, Pop
Styles: Classic Country, Traditional Blues, Acoustic Blues, Traditional Jazz & Ragtime
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 025218053129, 025218053112, 090204062522, 090204078370

Synopsis

Amazon.com
This beautiful album was engineered by Rudy Van Gelder in his Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, home studio where so much jazz history was made. It features guitar innovators Lonnie Johnson and Elmer Snowden together for the first time--despite a friendship going back to the 1920s when both appeared on some of the earliest jazz and blues 78s. Johnson, the father of single-note six-string soloing, is in marvelous voice on this selection of blues, ballads, and jazz, crooning the double-entendre "Jelly Roll Baker" and the heartache-laden "Back Water Blues" (a Bessie Smith tune he first cut in 1927) with a marksman's sense of pitch and chilling nuance. Snowden serves mostly as accompanist. But these men play so closely that they seem to be sharing every breath. --Ted Drozdowski

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CD Reviews

Mellow blues
11/08/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the first of a pair of CDs recorded in April 1960 by two great players who were just re-emerging from obscurity. Lovely guitar playing, warm and moving singing by Johnson, and a wonderful atmosphere of two old friends enjoying themselves make these disks a treasure not to be missed. The bass player provides good support but is not very noticeable."
Heartfelt music
Antonio | Madrid Spain | 11/19/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a pleasure for any listener of good music. It gives the sensation that the performers are talking at the living room in front of the fire. It's sincere and heartfelt music. The ambient it creates is really warm, as warm and smooth are the guitars and the voice of Lonnie Johnson.



I always think that if this kind of records were available for everybody, the world would be more peaceful.



Get it, you'll never regret."
Good ol way...
Bruno A. N. Pietoso | London, UK | 06/29/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lately, i was eagering to listen to some acoustic melodic blues, and guess what? This record does the trick.

I have a couple of classics on cd from Missisippi john hurt, robert johnson, john lee hooker and so on.. And of course they're all great bluesman and great sounding acoustic records, but this particular album by Lonnie Johnson is very special. Maybe it's because I'm a fan of the standards, but the way he sings and plays it, I tell you, it's original, unique and outstanding.

Pay close attention and keep an open ear for every single track on this album, it's worth it. "Memories of you" even made me want to get up, grab my girl and dance to this wonderful ballad.

In the middle of some tracks, you hear conversations between Lonnie Johnson and Elmer Snowden really feeling the music and having fun with their playing.

It's amazing. Thumbs up for this record."