JOEL JOHNSON Blues Joose Vol.II
Independent
Joel is a well-established blues musician from the six nations in Ontario, Canada. He was a founder member, along with his late great friend and mentor Paul ‘Joose’ Mitten of the widely known band, The Blues House Hustlers. After a good number of years of playing together in the band, he went on to release his first solo album Blues Joose Vol.1 in two thousand and ten, the album was titled in honour of Mitten; he continues to acknowledge his gratitude and memory with the title of this, his new album. Joel really gets into his stride with these eleven numbers, two of which are covers; firstly with an interesting version of Robert Johnson’s Crossroads, which is an energetic, fuzz guitar led, heavy swinging and foot tramping rocker that is underpinned with a rolling bar-room piano and Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing, which contains a powerfully driving, moody and swirling organ, combined with solid, punching drum work, the delicate little touches that he delivers with his powerfully ringing and reverential guitar work, certainly adds to one’s enjoyment of the number. After listening to Joel’s’ voice for a while you begin to notice a definite languor in his delivery that is not dissimilar to that of Dave Gilmour. Assisting Joel; lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, are; Mike Fitzpatrick; drums, Steve Pelletier; bass and Wayne Dagenais; piano and keyboards. The heads down and onwards instrumental Insanity, most definitely racks up the effervescent and surging power guitar playing level. A change of pace, style and texture is delivered with the loose, hip swaying and rocking drums of Rhumba Song, adding to the fun, is an infectious chicken scratch guitar which is paired with a rather nice bubbling organ. There is also, a stark and evocatively surging guitar and organ led instrumental tribute simply entitled Luther Allison. The Jazz tinged heavy horn and guitar led Chicago influenced shuffler Real Mispleaser rolls along nicely with a surging and growling organ in the engine room. Recommended!
BRIAN HARMAN
