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BLUES & GOSPEL

"Snuff" Johnson -> Lonnie Johnson


 
BIG JACK JOHNSON Earwig 4910 The Oil Man ● CD $15.98
A good solid debut album of no nonsense down home blues by singer/ guitarist Johnson, who has worked with Frank Frost for almost 25 years. Frost plays piano on this album and they are joined by Clarksdale musicians Ernest Roy on bass and Walter Roy on drums. In spite of the small size of the group they generate a full sound thanks to Johnson's powerful vocals and basic but energetic guitar style. The material is a mixture of originals like the title song and I'm Gonna Give Up Disco And Go back To The Blues (based on Junior Parker's Mystery Train) and Jack's guitar playing evokes the feel of early Willie Johnson or Pat Hare. The rest of the album includes songs from Howlin' Wolf, Tommy Johnson (a piledriving Catfish), Johnny Taylor and others, all given an original touch. It even includes an instrumental version of Tom Dooley and a nice version of Steel Guitar Rag. If you like Magic Slim you're sure to like Jack Johnson too. Recommended!
BIG JACK JOHNSON: Catfish Blues/ Driving Wheel/ How Many More Years/ I'm Gonna Give Up Disco/ Killing Floor/ Oil Man/ Part Time Love/ Steel Guitar Rag/ Tom Dooley/ Too Many Drivers/ You Can Have My Woman

 
BIG JACK JOHNSON Earwig 4916 Daddy, When Is Mama Comin' Home? ● CD $15.98
BIG JACK JOHNSON: Chinese Blues/ Crawdad Hole/ Daddy, When Is Mama Coming Home?/ Doodley Squat/ Goin' Back To Mississippi/ I Slapped My Wife In The Face/ I'm A Big Boy Now/ Mr. M.S.A.I.D.S./ Northwest Airlines Blues/ Oh Darling/ Thirteen Chillun/ United States Got Us In A Bad Shape

 
BIG JACK JOHNSON Earwig 4939 Live In Chicago ● CD $15.98
Mississippi bluesman recorded live with the Aron Burton Blues Band.

 
BIG JACK JOHNSON & THE OILERS M.C. Records 33 We Got To Stop This Killin' ● CD $15.98
10 tracks, 50 min., very good These days Big Jack (The Oil Man) Johnson is no longer delivering heating oil around Clarksdale; instead he's now dispensing his version of postmodern Delta Blues. This 1996 recording features Lonesome Road, his very first solo recording on acoustic guitar. His slide guitar is featured on Humming Blues and It's The Fourth Of July. As well he's included two instrumentals: the C&W-ish Breakdown Blues and the funky Cracklin' Bread. (EL)
BIG JACK JOHNSON: Big Foot Woman/ Black Rooster/ Breakdown Blues/ Cracklin' Bread/ Hummin' Blues/ It's The Fourth Of July/ Lonesome Road/ No Good Cow/ Sweet Home Mississippi/ We Got To Stop This Killin'

 
BIG JACK JOHNSON & THE OILERS M.C. Records 35 All the Way Back ● CD $15.98

 
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON Columbia 52835 The Complete Blind Willie Johnson ● CD $18.98
Two CDs, 30 tracks, 1 hr. 35 min., essential
This "Roots & Blues" compilation features the complete recordings by the greatest of all pre-war rural religious singers, previously available on Yazoo 1058 and 1078. Not only was Johnson a stunning gravel-voiced singer, he was also an unparalleled guitarist whose use of slide was truly spine chilling. The first disc includes one of my all time favorite Johnson pieces Let Your Light Shine On Me, with its remarkable use of two different voices and two different tempos by Willie, plus If I Had My Way I'd Tear This Building Down/ I'm Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge/ Sweeter As The Years Go By/ It's Nobody's Fault But Mine/ Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning, etc. The second disc includes the classics You'll Need Somebody On Your Bond/ Praise God I'm Satisfied/ Take Your Burden To The Lord/ Everybody Ought To Treat A Stranger Right/ Church, I'm Fully Saved Today, John The Revelator and many more. Several tracks feature the exquisite second vocals of his wife Angeline - her light and gentle voice is a perfect complement to Willie's rough and intense vocals. The sound is superb, at times better than the Yazoo releases, revealing the finer points of Johnson's utterly magnificent guitar and influential bottleneck slide playing. Every track is a gem, with the hair-raising instrumental and humming version of the old spiritual Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground standing as the centerpiece of a truly phenomenal set. The booklet includes recording dates, commentary (and label photos!) on almost every song, and poignant notes by Sam Charters. (FS)
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: Bye And Bye I'm Goin' To See The King/ Can't Nobody Hide From God/ Church, I'm Fully Saved To-Day/ Dark Was The Night -- Cold Was The Ground/ Everybody Ought To Treat A Stranger Right/ Go To Me With That Land/ God Don't Never Change/ God Moves On The Water/ I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole/ I'm Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge/ If I Had My Way I'd Tear The Building Down/ If It Had Not Been For Jesus/ It's Nobody's Fault But Mine/ Jesus Is Coming Soon/ Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed/ John The Revelator/ Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning/ Let Your Light Shine On Me/ Lord I Can't Just Keep From Crying/ Mother's Children Have A Hard Time/ Praise God I'm Satisfied/ Sweeter As The Years Roll By/ Take Your Burden To The Lord And Leave It There/ Take Your Stand/ The Rain Don't Fall On Me/ The Soul Of A Man/ Trouble Will Soon Be Over/ When The War Was On/ You'll Need Somebody On Your Bond/ You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond

 
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON Yazoo 1058 Praise God I'm Satisfied ● CD $17.98
What better way for Yazoo to start their CD program then with a reissue of the greatest ever rural religious singer Blind Willie Johnson. This is exactly the same as the LP equivalent and has not been newly remastered for the CD though since the LP sound was so good this is not a major problem though it is possible that with the newest techniques some of the residual hiss and crackle might have been eliminated but this is a minor quibble. This is some of the most powerful and moving music ever committed to record - stunning singing from Willie (and sometimes his wife Angeline) and utterly magnificent guitar including some gorgeous bottleneck stylings. Every track is a gem with his instrumental and humming version of the old spiritual Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground never failing to raise the hairs on the back of my neck! (FS)
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: Bye And Bye I'm Goin' To See The King/ Dark Was The Night - Cold Was The Ground/ God Don't Never Change/ God Moves On The Water/ I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole/ Jesus Is Coming Soon/ Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed/ Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning/ Motherless Children Have A Hard Time/ Nobody's Fault But Mine/ Praise God I'm Satisfied/ The Rain Don't Fall On Me/ When The War Was On/ You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond

 
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON Yazoo 1078 Sweeter As The Years Go By ● CD $17.98
Complementing Yazoo 1058 this compilation features 16 more classic performances by the greatest of all rural religious singers. These two sets comprise his entire output. Not only was Johnson a stunning singer he was also an unparalleled guitarist whose use of slide was truly spine chilling, though this set features less slide than 1058. It includes one of my all time favorite Johnson pieces Let Your Light Shine On Me with it remarkable use of two different voices and two different tempos by Willie plus John The Revelator/ Everybody Ought To Treat A Stranger Right/ If I Had My way I'd Tear This Building Down/ Church, I'm Fully Saved Today/ I'm Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge/ Sweeter As The Years Go By/ Trouble Will Soon Be Over/ Take Your Stand, etc. Several tracks feature the exquisite second vocals of his wife Angeline - her light and gentle voice is a perfect complement to Willie's rough and intense vocals. Sound is superb and there are extensive notes by Dave Evans. Essential. (FS)
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: Can't Nobody Hide from God/ Church, I'm Fully Saved Today/ Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right/ Go with Me to That Land/ I'm Gonna Run to the City of Refuge/ If I Had My Way I'd Tear the Building Down/ If It Had Not Been for Jesus/ John the Revelator/ Let Your Light Shine on Me/ Lord, I Just Can't Keep from Crying/ Sweeter as the Years Roll By/ Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There/ Take Your Stand/ The Soul of a Man/ Trouble Will Soon Be Over/ You'll Need Somebody on Your Bond

 
JIMMY JOHNSON Alligator 4744 Bar Room Preacher ● CD $15.98
U.S. issue of excellent album originally issued in France on Blue Phoenix in 1983 as "Heap See". Although only accompanied by keyboards, bass & drums the sound is full and rich. The material is mostly covers but Jimmy brings his own unique approach to songs like Fenton Robinson's You Don't Know What Love Is, John Lee Hooker's When My First Wife Quit Me and a spine chilling version of T Bone's Cold Cold Feeling. There are also a few fine originals including the hard driving Happy Home, the powerful and insightful Heap See and the rollicking instrumental shuffle Missing Link. (FS)
JIMMY JOHNSON: Chicken Heads/ Cold, Cold Feeling/ Happy Home/ Heap See/ I Have The Same Old Blues/ Little By Little/ Missing Link/ When My First Wife Quit Me/ You Don't Know What Love Is

 
JIMMY JOHNSON Delmark 644 Johnson's Whacks ● CD $11.98
CD issue of the first Delmark album from 1979 by this brilliant Chicago singer and guitarist and his band. Johnson has a soaring gospel flavored voice and is a brilliant guitarist who plays hard edged soaring solos along the lines of Otis Rush. Apart from the instrumental Take Five there are eight original songs by Johnson and his band members which deal with themes of contemporary urban angst which were unusual for the time in blues but later proved so succesful for Robert Cray - I Need Some Easy Money is particularly fine. The set is rounded out by an unexpected version of the country standard Drivin' Nails In My Coffin which is fun, but expendable. Johnson's band, though not exceptional, provides a solid foundation with some nice sax by Jerry Wilson. Sound on the CD is crisp and punchy. Johnson has not gotten as much exposure as some of his contemporaries but if you are looking for some outstanding contemporary blues this is highly recommended. (FS)

 
JIMMY JOHNSON Delmark 647 North/ South ● CD $11.98
Reissue of Jimmy's fine 1982 album - his second for Delmark. 9 original songs with fine singing and playing by Johnson and solid backup by the band. The group incorporates some funk elements into their stylings but it's still all blues. Highlights are the soulful opener Country Preacher and the semi autobiographical Talking 'Bout Chicago.

 
JIMMY JOHNSON Delmark 745 Pepper's Hangout ● CD $11.98
Reissue of Jimmy's 1977 recordings made for Ralph Bass.

 
JOHNNIE JOHNSON Elektra 61149 Johnnie B. Bad ● CD $17.98
Star-studded project by Chuck Berry's pianist, with support from guitarist/ producer Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, NRBQ's Joey Spampinato, Al Anderson and Terry Adams, and more. No star trips here, just plenty of straight-ahead barroom R&B, with Johnson's distinctive piano lines and laid-back singing, plus vocal spotlights by Richards, Anderson and Steve Ferguson. He dips into the blues tradition for Key to The Highway/ Cow Cow Blues/ Hush Oh Hush and Jimmy Reed's Baby What's Wrong, filling out the rest of the 12 song program with a variety of originals. (MB)
JOHNNIE JOHNSON: Baby Please/ Hey Hey/ I'm Goin' Fishin/ I'm Mad/ If you Love Me Like You Say/ Johnnie & John/ Just To Be With You/ Kansas City/ Real Good Woman/ Rockinitis/ She Called Me Out Of My Name/ Tossin' and Turnin'

 
JOHNNIE JOHNSON Evidence 26017 Blue Hand Johnnie ● CD $11.98
12 tracks, 46 min., fans only. Johnnie Johnson is the near legendary piano player who backed Chuck Berry on many of his classic hits. However, this reissue of his first solo album (Pulsar LP 1002) is disappointing. There's nothing wrong with his playing but the production stinks - Johnny is playing a horrible rinky tink piano and the backing group is pretty mediocre - the guitar playing of Steve Waldman is particularly obnoxious. Several tracks have vocals by the mediocre Barbara Carr or adequate Stacy Johnson. It's hard to believe that the excellent producer Oliver Sain had a hand in this mess. I'm sure most of us will want to remember him for Sweet Little Sixteen/ Johnny B. Goode, or Back In The U.S.A., which is one of two unreleased bonus tracks. (FS)

 
LARRY JOHNSON Armadillo 005 Blues For Harlem ● CD $14.98
14 tracks, 64 mins, recommended. 1999 recordings made in England by this fine Piedmont styled bluesman from New York. Johnson was born in Georgia but moved to the Big Apple in the 50s where he fell under the spell and guidance of Rev. Gary Davis who helped hone Larry's skill as a very fine guitarist. Over the years he has recorded a number of excellent albums. This collection includes a few originals along with some blues and gospel standards - some learned from Davis - his approach to overly familiar numbers like Mean Ol' Frisco and Things I Used To Do are refreshingly appealing. Highlight for me is the original gospel song Hear The Angels Singing which includes a very effective intro on organ! The set also includes a 10 minute interview with Larry which is mostly about his early days in Harlem. The music here is excellent - my main quibble is the guitar sound - instead of the full bodied, warm sound of an acoustic guitar he plays a lightly amplified electric guitar which lends a rather clinical and unappealing quality to the music. (FS)

 
LARRY JOHNSON Armadillo 0013 Two Gun Green ● CD $14.98
10 tracks, 42 min, recommended Spending most of his first 20 years in his native Georgia, then the following 40 in Harlem, including time studying with the Rev Gary Davis, Johnson is as much a songster as a bluesman, playing in the Georgia style, but also telling stories, especiallu in Charlie Stone & the title tune. Backing by the Brian Kramer Trio from Stockholm with an added drummer, recording as The Couch Lizards, doing mostly Johnson originals along with fine versions of Irene Goodnight/ Old Time Religion & Evening Sun Go Down. Liner notes by Sam Charters, who first worked with Johnson on his mid-60s Prestige/ Bluesville recordings. (GM)

 
LONNIE JOHNSON Blues Documents BDCD 6024 Complete 1937 to June 1947 Recordings, Vol. 1 ● CD $17.98
Document has already compiled Johnson's earliest material, recorded for Okeh, on 7 separately issued discs. Here, in three more separately issued CD's, Blues Documents covers his voluminous output from the late 30's through the late 40's. In this, the first of the three discs, one containing material originally recorded for the Decca and Bluebird labels, Johnson's well known characteristics - his stunning guitar work, his topical wit, and his misogyny - are all abundantly present. Accompanying musicians include Roosevelt Sykes and Joshua Altheimer. The 27 tracks offered here include Man Killing Broad/ I'm Nuts Over You (But You Just a Teaser)/ Laplegged Drunk Again/ Why Women Go Wrong/ Trust Your Husband and Loveless Blues. Fine sound and brief but informative liner notes by Chris Smith. All in all, another major slice of this major blues figure. (DH)
LONNIE JOHNSON: Be Careful/ Blue Ghost Blues/ Devil's Got The Blues/ Don't Be No Fool/ Flood Water Blues/ Four-O-Three Blues/ Friendless And Blue/ Got The Blues For The West End/ Hard Times Ain't Gone No Where/ I Ain't Gonna Be Your Fool/ I'm Just Dumb/ I'm Nuts Over You/ It Ain't What You Usta Be/ Jersey Belle Blues/ Laplegged Drunk Again/ Man Killing Broad/ Mr. Johnson Swing/ New Falling Rain Blues/ Nothing But A Rat/ She's My Mary/ She's Only A Woman/ Something Fishy/ South Bound 11Backwater/ Swing Out Rhythm/ The Loveless Love/ Trust Your Husband/ Why Women Go Wrong

 
LONNIE JOHNSON Blues Documents BDCD 6025 Complete 1937 to June 1947 Recordings, Vol 2 ● CD $15.98
The 23 tracks offered here, feature the same well known Johnson qualities as the other two volumes in this series, with the outstanding added attraction of four privately-made acetates recorded live at the Boulevard Lounge in 1940. These four cuts feature the full Lonnie Johnson Trio, with accompaniment by Dan Dixon and Andrew Harris. They offer a glimpse of blues musicians working in a somewhat more pop music vein. And on one of these tracks we get a rare glimpse of Johnson's own piano work. Among the featured numbers are More Rhythm/ Crowing Rooster/ Lazy Woman Blues/ She Ain't Right/ The Devil's Woman/ He's a Jelly Roll Bakerand the topical lament aimed at the wartime extension of selective service liability, From 20 to 44. Decent sound, with some allowance needed for the four live cuts, and more informative notes from Chris Smith. (DH)
LONNIE JOHNSON: Baby, Remember Me/ Chicago Blues/ Crowing Rooster/ Falling Rain (Live)/ Fly Right, Baby/ From 20 To 44/ Get Yourself Together/ He's A Jelly-Roll Baker/ Heart Of Iron/ I Did All I Could/ In Love Again/ Lazy Woman Blues/ Lonesome Road/ More Rhythm (Live)/ Rambler's Blues/ Rocks In My Bed No.2 (Live)/ Secret Emotions (Live)/ She Ain't Right/ Somebody's Got To Go/ That's Love/ The Devil's Woman/ The Last Call/ When You Feel Low Down

 
LONNIE JOHNSON Document DOCD 5065 Complete Recordings In Chronological Order V. 3 1927-28 ● CD $15.98
An excellent entry in this series this features 25 sides cut between October, 1927 and February, 1928. The selection is varied and includes songs showing Lonnie's composing flair some of them topical (St. Louis Cyclone Blues/ Bitin' Flea Blues/ It's Hot - Let It Alone/ Why Should I Grieve After You've Gone and others including a version of the old standby Kansas City Blues with some lyric additions from Lonnie). Lonnie's singing and playing are outstanding and there are some wonderful guitar instrumentals including the superb Playing With The Strings & Stompin' Em Along Slow. Two tracks feature Lonnie playing violin accompanied by Nap Hayes/ gtr and Matthew Prater/ mandolin for some great string band swing and two songs find Lonnie accompanying singer/ piano player Keghouse. A few tracks are from well worn 78s but in general the sound is very good. (FS)
LONNIE JOHNSON: 6/88 Glide/ Away Down In The Alley Blues/ Bearcat Blues/ Bedbug Blues Part 2/ Bitin' Fleas Blues/ Blue Ghost Blues/ Blues In G/ It's Hot - Let It Alone/ Kansas City Blues - Part 1/ Kansas City Blues - Part 2/ Life Saver Blues/ Low Land Moan/ Playing With The Strings/ St. Louis Cyclone Blues/ Stompin' 'Em Along Slow/ Sweet Potato Blues/ The St. Louis Train Kept Passing By/ Tin Can Alley Blues/ Untitled/ When A Man Is Treated Like a Dog/ Why Should I Grieve After You're Gone/ JOHNSON, HAYES & PRATER: Memphis Stomp/ Violin Blues/ KEGHOUSE: Keghouse Blues/ Shiftin' My Gear Blues

 
LONNIE JOHNSON Original Blues Classics 531 Blues And Ballads ● CD $11.98
Reissue of Bluesville 1011, originally issued in 1960. A fine collection of 7 blues and 3 sentimental ballads. Lonnie sings and plays electric guitar and is joined by veteran jazz guitarist Elmer Snowden (the man who brought Duke Ellington to New York in the early 20s) and bassist Wendell Marshall. I'm not a big fan of Lonnie's ballads but there are enough fine blues here to keep me happy though most of them are remakes of songs Lonnie had originally recorded earlier in his career including Haunted House/ Back Water Blues and Jelly Roll Baker. He also does a distinctive version of the old standby St. Louis Blues. Affectionate notes by Chris Alberston. (FS)
LONNIE JOHNSON: Back Water Blues/ Blues For Chris/ Elmer's Blues/ Haunted House/ I Found A Dream/ I'll Get Along Somehow/ Jelly Roll Baker/ Memories of You/ Savoy Blues/ St. Louis Blues

 
LONNIE JOHNSON Smithsonian Folkways 40067 The Complete Folkways Recordings ● CD $15.98

 
LONNIE JOHNSON & VICTORIA SPIVEY Original Blues Classics 518 Idle Hours ● CD $11.98
Reissue of Bluesville 1044 from 1961. This album features 9 solo performances by Lonnie & his guitar with Cliff Jackson/ piano, two vocal duets with Victoria and one solo performance by Victoria with her own piano. The duets are charming if not terribly exciting and Lonnie's solo performances are about par for the period - pleasant sentimental blues. The solo Spivey cut I Got The Blues So Bad is a nice funky performance.

 

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