Ecard "Betty Jean"
Black John and The Soul of John Black. Whichever way you look at it, this John has got his groove thang going nonstop on this recording on the sizzling hot Eclecto Groove label. I have not heard a CD from this label that I did not love yet.
This is the gospel according to John, in a very musical sense that is. Black John sings from deep down in his soul and plays the six-string the same way. He gets help from his friends on this project including notables Adam McDougal (keys), Oliver Charles (drums), Scott Seiver (drums), Jake Najor (drums), Shawn Davis (bass), Davey Chegwidden (percussion) and Bill Botrell (2nd guitar), the list and resumes are long and impressive.
It sure sounds as if Mr. John is a good match for everyone that steps in the studio to lend a hand. I knew I was going to enjoy this the moment the title track kicked in. This sound has the perfect blend of street smarts, a belief in the lord above, and enough real life interplay including expletives to keep it real and every day as the sunshine and blue sky. In addition to all of that, the dude can sing and play, he makes you believe every story he is telling and if you don’t he sounds like he will give you a thrashing you will never forget. I have to say I like his style and his straight up with-no-chaser look at life.
This man is breaking some new ground here with a melting pot of emotion and sound that crosses over many different musical lines in the sand. He steps into gospel and then grabs back the blues and rocks on “I Knew A Lady” and then commences to serve up some nasty funk and soul on “Black John”. He cuts it loose on “Betty Jean” (about Miles Davis’ wife Betty) and warns her that she will be missing out saying things like “a cool MF like me,” and then lays it all down heavy on a track that would have made Isaac Hayes envious, with the rockin’ soulful and cinematic “Push Into The Night”. Like he says in “Holiday Inn”- don’t give me no chaser, give it to me straight, and he is not talking only about the booze here. Just as some of the rough edges wear off and the sun is ready to set, Black John pulls a rabbit out of his hat to close down the day with a tender ballad to his lady, offering us some haunting vocals accompanied by a beautiful acoustic guitar.
Just when you think you got this guy all figured out he does something entirely different that you would not expect. For that, I believe this artist will have tremendous success wherever he plays out live or records. The Soul of John Black is diverse and entertaining in so many ways and that is an unusual thing in these strange and uncertain times. This artist is consistent yet unpredictable all at the same time and that is why he seems to find it easy to rock and cut out a groove that you cannot resist on every track.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
February 17, 2009
