Hip Address

David Earle Johnson, Johnson/Hammer

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 17, 1995)
• Original Release Date: 1980
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: One Way Records Inc
• ASIN: B000002R74
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #295,570 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jazz-rock fusion with a percussive feel, March 28, 2000

By	Nate Olmos (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

What a surprise to have stumbled upon this CD by percussionist David Earle Johnson, who doesn't seem to have many albums in print, let alone much of a solo discography. Granted, the co-billing of Jan Hammer (a mover and shaker during the heyday of jazz-rock fusion) on the CD cover may have convinced me that there was some worth to buying "Hip Address", but the music itself turned out to be rather good for the most part.

Orignally released in 1980, "Hip Address" builds on the jazz-rock fusion Hammer created with both the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jeff Beck, adding a more percussive feel to it courtesy of Johnson. Hammer and Johnson play all instruments, with Hammer playing drums in addition to his multiple keyboards. The duo are augmented by flutist Jeremy Steig on two tunes, "Bamboo Forest" and "Hip Address" (instrumental).

Odd-metered tunes such as "Rebel Trot" and "Siete Para ti" and "Hip Address" (instrumental version) add a Latin-tinged influence thanks to Johnson's percussive assault using congas and timbales along with other exotic instuments such as an African Log, cuicas and kalimbas. Yet the music is not entirely geared towards dance-like rhythms ("Punk Luck", "Hip Address") and attempts at commercialism (the vocal tunes sung by Johnson are rather dated, but nonetheless charming in their own way). Tunes such as "Green and Black" and "Night" (the latter tune orignally from Hammer and Jerry Goodman's "Like Children" album from 1974) are displays of textures ranging from lush to moody. "Bamboo Forest" (originally released on Hammer's "Oh, Yeah?" in 1976) is a fierce jazz-rock workout with Hammer blazing with a fierce guitar-like synthesizer solo.

This is definitely worth owning for Jan Hammer fanatics such as myself. However, Johnson pulls his musical weight by adding to Hammer's frenetic energy and stimulating musical dialogue throughout "Hip Address".

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended for Jan Hammer Fans, May 6, 2009

By	L. ESSEMBER (New England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a Jan Hammer fan from the early seventies. I just listened to this album by Johnson/Hammer for the first time. There are strong similarities to both Jan's "Oh Yeah!" album from 1976 and to the Jerry Goodman/Jan Hammer Album "Like Children" from 1974. Johnson also worked with Jan on 1975's "The First Seven Days". After which Johnson recorded three albums which feature Jan. I owned the vinyl LP of Johnson's "Mid Week Blues" which featured Jan and John Abercromie. Jan has recorded albums with many drummers: Billy Cobham, Horacee Arnold, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, and David Earle Johnson. This album is among the best because Jan's playing is layered and brilliant. Recorded at Jan's home studio in 1980, this is a prime fusion keyboard extravaganza. The vocal's by Johnson are similar in effect to the vocals on Jan's other albums in that they have an unpolished, home-grown feel, and don't detract from the musical interplay. This album is a great find for me. I'll be playing these tracks alongside the music of "Oh Yeah!" and "Like Children" , and the recently released "Jan Hammer Group Live in New York". I highly recommend this album to any fan of Jan's fusion performances.