Fingertip Ship

Richard Leo Johnson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 23, 1999)
• Original Release Date: February 23, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B00000I41D
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,669 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Hearts of Palm

2. Glidepath

3. Tony Bennett

4. Mother's Day

5. Bluefield

6. Get Funked

7. Cicada

8. The Filing Song

9. Jaco Morocco

10. Synthetic Blues

11. Heart of the Beast

12. Prometheus Meets the Digital Age

13. Empitsu No Uta

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With all his incredible virtuosic technique, and a boatload of imaginative tunings and improvisational structures, Richard Leo Johnson falls squarely into the "where've they been all these years?" file. Johnson, a professional photographer whose interest in the acoustic guitar compelled him to practice and play constantly, has devised multiple unique tunings and fingerings, turning his double-neck acoustic into far more than the sum of its strings, chords, and customary harmonic possibilities. Where the late Michael Hedges once walked, Johnson is now sprinting, playing at frantic speeds with pile-ups of notes and hard-strummed concatenations making the ear race to follow. For all the tunings and preparations, though, there are eminently warm moments, albeit ones that will fascinate the ears of the adventurous and the guitarophile equally: "Prometheus Meets the Digital Age" is full of middle-low register playing that invokes a Dobro before going into clipped repetitions that sound unreproducible. Johnson is a magical talent and perhaps the next in a short line of guitar greats--a line that includes Hedges, Derek Bailey, Pat Metheny, Sonny Sharrock, and precious few others. --Andrew Bartlett

From Jazziz

When one considers it's a solo album, Fingertip Ship boggles the mind. It sounds like guitarist Richard Leo Johnson either used some serious multi-tracking or possesses an extra appendage. Actually, neither is true - Johnson's puzzling pyrotechnics come from his idiosyncratic approach to a double-necked 12-string/six-string, hybrid acoustic guitar. In effect, he's his own combo.

Like its title suggests, Fingertip Ship makes for good traveling music, but it alternates between sounding like sailboats and train engines. The first tune, "Glidepath," chugs along as if self-propelled, heavy-strumming patterns loaded with rhythmic energy. By contrast, the calming chords of the next track, "Tony Bennett," flow effortlessly. Percussive knocking on the body of the guitar creates an effect akin to droplets as they break the surface of placid pools. Arpeggiated chords ripple through, emerging from the undercurrents.

All the tunes display remarkably rich textures. Bass lines and treble figures retain a striking degree of independence, in part a byproduct of the unique instrument. Johnson's tunes would gain from more melodic emphasis, yet his array of well-placed timbral effects - strumming below the bridge, occasional harmonics, and various percussive sounds - keep this predominantly rhythmic album interesting and varied.

--- Lara Pellegrinelli, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, but Don Ross is more musical, February 24, 2000

By 

"artshogun" (Rochester, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fingertip Ship (Audio CD)

Richard Leo Johnson has outdone Hedges in edgey, percussive, harmonic-ringing playing, but not in musical interest. Johnson still has to be heard to be believed, though. And just when you think he's worn out every textural possibility a guitar is capable of, he goes and plays an entire song above the nut! -and it's actually captivating! Ok, so why do I withhold my fifth star? It's because there is very little breathing room to Johnson's composition style, and even less lyricisim. It is just relentlessly rhythmic and fast. However, I find myself strangely addicted and keep going back to it, like some kind of wierd cheese facination. Anyway, Don Ross' recent debut on Narada: "Passion Session" is another outgrowth of the Hedges phenominon, but a more sucessfull one. Ross is MUCH more musical, without selling out to the modern "pretty boys" of the fasionable fingerpick set. Buy both of these CD's for some real humility if you play.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars acoustic guitar nirvana, October 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fingertip Ship (Audio CD)

this guy is beyond anything i have ever heard on acoustic guitar, including the great Michael Hedges. if you like Hedges or any sort of guitar virtuosity get your hands on this album. he is so good it makes your head hurt. (in a good way)

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inventive Chop Master, July 13, 2000

By 

Robert Lunte "Author of The Four Pillars of S... (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fingertip Ship (Audio CD)

If your a solo guitar lightweight, i wouldn't reccomend this CD. Its heavy on techniques, chops and abstract usage of tapping & captuirng weird new sounds out of the guitar.

To that end, It IS however, extremely interesting and this player is clearly a technical wizard.

If you want pretty new age melodies, stick with Will Ackerman, if you want something more progressive, check this one out.

Guitarists will like it a lot...