Description
click here to hear the liner notes….
The Swinging Johnsons were born of necessity. As is often the case, that necessity becomes the mother of invention. It is just that inventiveness that sets The Johnsons apart and allows them to rise above the mainstream.
The necessity to break down traditional barriers in popular music is not a new concept. Miles did it. Steely Dan did it. Jeff Beck did it too. These are a few of the artists that could borrow freely from popular jazz, traditional swing, the blues and, of course, rock and roll and sculpt it into their own signature brand of contemporary music.
The Swinging Johnsons are one of these fortunate few musical groups that have both the vision and the talent to invent their own sound from a fine blending of these same musical styles. If you are lucky enough to have heard Jeff Beck’s “Rough And Ready” or Steely Dan’s “Aja” album, you know exactly what I am talking about.
The Swinging Johnsons feature Clinton Johnson on the slide trombone, an instrument difficult enough to master let alone lead with. Clinton handles the sonorous voice and cadences of the slide trombone with all the ease of a young master still thirsting for new avenues of expression on this traditional instrument.
On the drums and lead vocals is Moe Johnson. Possessing that rare gift of what can only be called Soul, Moe’s voice is instantly recognizable as a powerful and classic sound made famous by many of the artists at Motown and Stax. Also an equally gifted drummer, Moe has sat in with the likes of Grover Washington Jr. and Lionel Hampton.
Chilly Johnson, on lead and rhythm guitars, is the primary resident composer in the group. With over one hundred fifty songs to his credit, he has penned all of the original songs on this LP. On the guitar, Chilly’s tastes range far and wide. From Wes Montgomery to Jeff Beck, from Alan Holdsworth to Larry Carlton is to name but a few of this seminal player’s influences.
T-Bone Johnson, bass and lead vocals, is the musician’s musician of the band. Known and respected throughout the Southeast, T-Bone has played with a who’s who of blues and jazz icons in the region. Serving hard time with Rock Bottom, The Telephone Kings, Sarasota Slim, Pat Ramsey and Greg Poulos, and recording along side blues legend Ronnie Earl, is only a partial list of this local luminary’s resume.
Listen to this album. When it’s all said and done, when the dust has settled and the air clears, you will agree that The Swinging Johnsons are some group of inventive mothers. They swing and they bop. They are rhythm and the blues. And brother, can they rock. You decide. Born out of necessity, they are living proof that music can still be both challenging and fun. They are The Swinging Johnsons.
Credits
Produced by the Swinging Johnsons and Dan Smith
Mixed and Mastered by Dan Smith
Recorded at Bay Sound, Tampa, Florida
Photography by Ronny Morales Photography
(813) 876-8445 / moralesphoto@hotmail.com
Layout and Design – interSTAR Communications – Tampa > www.inter-star.net
Cover Art by David Nichols
Liner Notes by Dan Smith
Shout-outs
The Swinging Johnsons would like to extend a hearty and sincere “shout out” to (in no particular order): all of our fans (you know who you are), Linda Berry, Sheila (“Mom”) Harris, my mom Jean, Dan (“Grumpy”) Smith, Ronny Morales, Bill and Kirsten Upmeyer, Tommy Duff, Dan Electro and the Silvertones, Bob, Deputy Greg Wynne, Lamar and Lois and Phil and Karen, Lance, Don and Mike, Jenevieve for your inspiration, Carolyn and Susan and Dawn, Spencer, Brother George (“Lumpy Johnson”), Max, WMNF, WUSF, The Tampa Bay Storm, this crappy weather we’ve been having lately, organized religion, Hooty, the fish oil shortage, the Florida Bar, GTE Mobilnet, Gaither High School, Riverview High School and the rest of the Hillsborough County Schools, Camp Anytown, Kawasaki, Ford SVO Motorsports, and you, the consumer. If we forgot you it doesn’t mean we don’t love you. If we don’t love you, we didn’t forget you.
Photo labels: CLINTON · MOE · CHILLY · T-BONE
