Customer Reviews

Blues & Ballads

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I would be hard-pressed to pick one or two albums as my absolute favorite blues recordings, but these two Johnson/Snowden releases are right up there. I happened to learn about Lonnie Johnson after viewing a video he made in the 60's. Once I read a bit of his history, I learned that he was one of the true greats: creating wonderful guitar recordings back in the 20's, than later playing with Duke Ellington. Forced to give up his music for years, I believe he re-discovered while working as a janitor in a hotel.


I have seen many lists of great guitarists, but few of them include Lonnie Johnson. Like many of the old greats, he never received his well-deserved rewards during his lifetime. Thankfully, many of his recordings have survived for our enjoyment!

The first disc in this separate two disc set is 44 minutes in length. The second disc is 43 minutes in length,each approximately.The sound on both discs is very good-each instrument is clean and crisp (thanks to Rudy Van Gelder who recorded these tracks),and the vocals have a real presence. The booklets for each disc give a short overview of both Johnson and Snowden,even thought Johnson's birth date is different in each set of notes. This review is actually for both releases,since they were recorded at the same session,and gives a better picture of these two musicians during this recording session.

This music is some of the most "human" music I've heard in a long time. Human in that's it's honest and straight forward,with little in the way of pretentiousness. It's laid-back,soft and gentle music,but infused with both feeling and swing. Listening to these tracks connects the listener with the musicians on a somewhat mysterious level-the atmosphere just draws you in. Once in a while the comments between Snowden and Johnson sound a bit self-aware,but that's okay because the music is so captivating. This is music that has to be listened to-not just heard. Put these discs on at the end of a long hard day,or late at night,and see what happens.

Lonnie Johnson is well known in jazz and blues circles as a guitarist of uncommon skill. His vocals are smooth and warm,yet knowing. He has played solo and with many jazz and blues greats throughout his career. Many listeners will know him through his duets with Eddie Lang. Elmer Snowden,and old friend,has played and lead a number of bands through his early years,the most famous was probably THE WASHINGTONIANS,which became the Duke Ellington Band.

Together,Johnson on gently swinging electric guitar,and Snowden on acoustic guitar usually in a supportive roll (except on disc 2),give a good foundation for Johnson's gentle vocals. With Wendell Marshall on bass (on both volumes),which grounds these tracks,and gives needed depth for both musicians,the sound feels complete.

The first album ("blues and ballads"),which was released in 1960,is the more laid back of the two volumes. From the first track ("Haunted House") through "Memories of You",to "I'll Get Along Somehow",the blues are never far away. The slower tracks on this set have a wistful sadness about them-which is why they sound so "human". Even the instrumentals ("Savoy Blues' for example) have a certain weighty sadness to them. The exception is "Elmer's Blues",a swinging instrumental which still manages to sound laid back.

The second volume ("blues,ballads,and jumpin' jazz"),released many years later,has a more upbeat feel to it,yet still retains the appeal of the first release. This volume consists of unreleased sides recorded at the same session as the original release,with six of the ten tracks instrumentals. The other four feature Johnson's vocals much like the first album.

From the first track ("Lester Leaps In"),the energy level,the swing is intensified. Snowden's acoustic guitar is out front as a lead instrument,with Johnson's electric in a complimentary,supportive roll. The next track ("Blue and All Alone"),harks back to the sound and atmosphere of the first album,with Johnson's plaintive voice out in front of his blues guitar,with Snowden gently playing in the background. The third track ("On The Sunny Side Of The Street"),is another swinging instrumental,with Snowden out front again.

And so it goes-the four vocal tracks are blues-based,while the instrumentals contain that characteristic old-time swing. Why these tracks were held back is anyone's guess. Together they give an even better picture of two old friends coming together to play some old favorites. Taken together,these two volumes complement one another,and give added depth to both musicians. This is music that is seldom heard today-maybe it's "old-fashioned". Maybe it's because there aren't any players like Lonnie Johnson and Elmer Snowden around anymore. We should be grateful that these two fine musicians were given the chance to record some old favorites-songs that meant something (listen to "Stormy Weather" take 2 on volume 2) to them personally. Both volumes are unassuming classics in their own right. Strangely moving. Strangely captivating. Listen.relax,and hear for yourself.

Okay, Okay those of you who have been keeping tabs know that I have spend much of the last year, when not doing political commentary or book or movie reviews, reviewing many of the old time blues artists that were the passion of my youth (and still are). So this writer, who thought he had heard virtually all the key blues men and women of the old days, got his comeuppance recently when the name of Lonnie Johnson and his version of the classic double-entendre "Jelly Roll Baker" came up. To name drop just a little, the occasion was a local reunion of Geoff Muldaur and Jim Kweskin of the old Jim Kweskin Jug Band from the 1960's (that also included Geoff's ex-wife and great performer in her own right, Maria Muldaur, all of whom have been reviewed here). They did a stirring rendition of the song and attributed it to the performer under review here. After scratching my head I ran out to get some more of Brother Lonnie's work and I am here to tell you- get this CD because if you have any interest at all in the blues you will not be disappointed.

Why this particular album to start out with? Well, it features Lonnie Johnson and long time friend Elmer Snowden together after a long separation. Early on (back in the 1920's) they had worked together on some blues and jazz albums. That is, perhaps, why this work is interesting as an example of that closeness between the jazz and blues idioms before those musical forms parted ways sometime in the late 1940's. As others have mentioned Johnson, the father of single-note six-string soloing, is in a strangely haunting voice on this selection of blues, ballads, and jazz, crooning the double-entendre "Jelly Roll Baker" and the heartache-laden "Back Water Blues". I cannot add much to that description except you cannot go wrong by giving "Haunted House" and "I Found A Dream" a listen. That sets the mood. Finally, let me say WOW!

Lonnie Johnson is THE guitar virtuoso. He is the inventor of Jazz guitar, for God's sake! This album is made by the first three songs, which are exquisite. Johnson recorded in the '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s, and '60s, and sounded different in each decade. In my opinion, he was in his prime when backing Texas Alexander with those otherwordly guitar moans, and his guitar duets with Eddie Lang still sound fresh almost 100 years later. I've never heard guitar playing like there is on "The Risin' Sun". However, let's jump ahead three decades to this album that was made with Elmer Snowden. I highly suggest you purchase this disc, as Lonnie's guitar playing is beautifully romantic and his vocals are impeccable.

Todo livro sobre jazz fala sobre blues. A maioria dos escritores, não sendo geralmente músicos, limita-se a tentar nos enrolar tecendo comentários sobre doloridas lágrimas africanas, o sofrimento, a ira e a melancolia da alma núbia escravizada. Citam depoimentos atônitos daqueles que ouviram gritos indiscerníveis que sobrevoavam campos esquecidos de algodão. Também nunca faltam referências à humilhação e ao ódio sofrido pelo povo colorido: alguns negros, em busca de libertação, suicidavam-se. Outros cantavam orações em igrejas ou clamavam por alívio ao voodoo. Outros simplesmente cantavam o blues. Alguns escribas, quando também músicos, tentam nos explicar (ou talvez confundir) dizendo que o blues é uma forma musical, composta quase sempre de 12 compassos, onde é freqüente o uso das chamadas blue notes, notas musicais instáveis que não se enquadram no temperamento usual dos 12 semitons legados por Bach. Para o desorientado leigo basta dizer que o bluesman, ao invés de utilizar as velhas e conhecidas notas DÓ RÉ MI FÁ SOL LÁ SI, passa a utilizar as notas DÓ, RÉ, MI BEMOL, MI, FÁ, SOL BEMOL, SOL, LÁ, SI BEMOL, SI. O terceiro grau blue (mi bemol) tem função exclusivamente melódica, dando aquele tom deprimente e melancólico a certas passagens do blues. O sétimo grau blue (si bemol) cumpre uma função melódica e harmônica, como que estabilizando o fraseado, além de ser bem menos sofrida que o terceiro grau. O quinto grau blue (sol bemol) é mais moderno e decorre da tendência dos músicos de jazz ao abaixamento da quinta (bemolizando a nota). Como nos esclarece brilhantemente Christian Bellest:

Enquanto o terceiro grau blue associa-se melodicamente à tônica e o sétimo grau blue à dominante sem intermediário, o quinto grau blue parece requerer, para sua resolução, um trânsito pela nota de passagem do sexto grau, a subdominante. Nota forte da escala, esse quarto grau tende, por sua vez, a resolver na fundamental (dó) através da terça maior ou, com mais frequência, menor.

Ou seja, nenhuma pessoa normal entende exatamente o que é o blues. Por isso, nada melhor para o leigo que apenas ouví-lo. Fazer como o não iniciado que, mesmo sem entender os cálculos matemáticos que o levam à Lua, limita-se a entrar na nave e verificar que, de fato, a Terra é azul.

Lonnie Johnson - Blues & Ballads - Compre sem medo.

Wonderful slow blues. Song selection is great. A very intimate recording that goes far beyond three guys just making music. Some may find fault with the way the recording was mixed, with it's strict left and right channels, but going beyond that and listening to the raw emotion of each song left me speechless. This is an exquisite recording and one not to be missed.

Somehow, I just can't figure how guitar jazz/blues could possibly get any better than this. And then, there are Johnson's vocals which cut straight to the blues bone. Why this recording (and its companion, Vol 2)isn't better known, and widely distributed, is truly beyond me.