专辑简介

by Jonathan WidranCapable of blinding speed and tremendous thoughtfulness in his playing, the veteran jazz guitarist had a double entendre in mind when titling his debut for the Chicago based label. He recorded his quartet without overdubs or electronic fixes, and more significantly, he returns to the style of his early jazz/blues roots when he played with organist/bandleader Jack McDuff in the mid-'70s. When he's swinging heavy and cool with his boys (featuring saxman Peter Roothaan, and organ whiz Chris Foreman), Henry Johnson is explosive, creative, in full command. The disc gets off to a rollicking start with the jamming spirit of "It Could Happen To You," Organic has its cooler moments on mid-tempo pieces like "Know It All," then speeds back up later with the zippy "Blues for James and Dave" -- which features a classic, gravity defying Johnson solo. But when he starts singing, he hits the skids in comparison. No less than Joe Williams taught Johnson to sing once upon a time, but Johnson's clearly a guitarist moonlighting, and his voice is pleasant but ultimately too bland to whip up much emotion. The always inviting legendary voice of Nancy Wilson appears on cuts like "If It's The Last Thing I Do" and "Hello Like Before," but her sharp, unique vocals far surpass that of her duet partner. Johnson fashions the moody "A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry" as a tribute to Williams, and his heart is definitely in the right place. But ultimately, the listener will be hungrier yet for more of his brilliant guitar, and less of his secondary talent, vocals.