Album Review: The Art of Life from Norman Johnson

-
Album:  The Art of Life
Artist:  Norman Johnson
Label:  Self-Released
Website:  http://normanjohnsonguitar.com

Guitar fusion, R&B/soul, and dance funk come together on guitarist Norman Johnson's third solo effort The Art of Life.   Johnson demonstrates his intuitive nature to play to the grooving beat, cultivating a symbiotic rapport that engulfs the listener in harmonious rhapsodies.  Johnson's performance crosses over the music spectrum from smooth jazz to dance pop, adding to each genre.

The mid-tempo grooves of "Sing On" are modulated with a touch of reggae, complementing the bopping chord movements of Johnson's guitar.  The tune is further layered in intervals of lobbing splashes from the tooting horns.  The smooth sensations emitting from Johnson's guitar infuse light rivulets along the title track, producing a succor effect on the listener.  Conversely, "Old School" is seared by a dance funk groove laced in the light tremors of Johnson's guitar and fringed by the ruffled notes of the horns, adding dimension to the track.  The calypso-tinged gusts framing "It's You" produce a festive mood as June Bisantz's vocals enhance the island-induced ambience.  Finishing the recording with "Summer Dance," the Latin-inspired rhythm is sheath in glittering horns that pull the listener into its harmonious soundscape.

Influenced by the music of George Benson and Earl Klugh, Norman Johnson focuses his original works to invite audiences into uplifting spirits.  Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Johnson refreshes old school R&B and soul idioms, showing a fondness for guitar fusion and transitioning pop-influenced modes into contemporary landscapes.  Johnson takes chord structures that have been handed down to him from his predecessors and retools them, re-imagines them to his liking.

Musicians:
Norman Johnson - guitar, bass, piano, and vocals
Chris Herbert - saxophone
John Mastroianni - saxophone
Bill Holloman - horns
Jeff Holmes - trumpet
Steve Davis - trombone
Ed Fast - drums
Matt Dwonszyk - bass
Grayson Hugh - vocals
June Bisantz - vocals
Atla Dechamplain - vocals
Poller Messer - vocals
Lisa Marien - vocals
Mitch Chakour - piano and organ
Alex Nakhmovsky - piano

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Album Review: This Could Be The Start from Linda Purl

-
Image
Album: This Could Be The Start Artist:  Linda Purl Label: Reaching Records Website:  https://www.lindapurl.com Vocalist Linda Purl and her music director Tedd Firth come together for their fourth album, This Could Be the Start .  The collection contains Purl's reimagination of a handful of jazz standards, tailored to her vocal specifications.  Supported by an intimate cadre of musicians that include bassist David Finck, drummer Ray Marchica and reed player Nelson Rangell, Purl finesses a selection of Great American Songbook jewels with a contemporary sheen. The playful merengue rhythm driving "Blue Moon," a swinging romp written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, is trussed in Ray Marchica's percolating percussion and a profusion of jutting keys performed by Ted Firth.  The track steps out of the customary schematics of swing jazz bolstered by blues vocals and articulates a Latin-imbued tremor.  The bossa nova curves shaping one of Cole Porter's signature pieces,
Read more

Album Review: The Ways In from James Zollar

-
Image
Album:  The Ways In Artist:  James Zollar Label:  Label: JZAZ Records Websites:  https://www.rsberkeley.com/james-zollar https://www.discogs.com/artist/954763-James-Zollar https://wyntonmarsalis.org/personnel/detail/james-zollar A straight-ahead jazz oeuvre, The Ways In from bandleader and trumpet player James Zollar resumes a quest where pioneers of the trumpet's sympathetic vibrations like Clifford Brown and Bill Coleman left off.  Zollar shows audiences the delightful, melodious tone of the trumpet, moving in harmony with an array of brass, woodwinds, and rhythm instruments. The robust wails of Zollar's trumpet strutting languidly along "Do Nothing 'till You Hear From Me" emotes an enduring personable trait, unwavering persistence in the face of being dejected.  The recording switches to a joyful atmosphere in "Swing Spring" with jangly beats from percussionist Chembo Corniel, interfacing with the buoyant ripples generated by Michael Rorby's trom
Read more

Album Review: Globetrotter from Luca di Luzio

-
Image
Album:  Globetrotter Artist:  Luca di Luzio Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.lucadiluzio.it   Guitarist Luca di Luzio's upcoming CD, Globetrotter  is an assortment of contemporary jazz tunes bridging funk, blues, soul, and Latin music.  Comprised of a few jazz standards and a handful of original works written by Luca di Luzio, a prolific guitar player who studied different styles of music, the recording expresses his personal vision of jazz guitar based on melody and groove.  Joining Di Luzio in his vision are bass guitarist Jimmy Haslip, drummer Dave Wecki, keyboardist George Whitty, and saxophonists Max Ionata and Alessandro Fariselli. From dance-funk numbers like "Jazzlife" and "Elisir" to the soft billows and reflective moods projected in "Smile" and " Buena Suerte," Di Luzio's artistry stems from his vision to make music that is aesthetically pleasing.  "Sunshower," a tune written by Kenny Barron, is a pr
Read more