jazz Archives - the rockabilly chronicle

Ella Johnson – Bring It Home!

El Toro ET15141
What a Day! – No More Love / They Don’t Want me to Rock No More – Bring It Home to Me

The great Ella Johnson, who recorded with her brother Buddy falls right on that blurry line between Rhythm’n’Blues and Jazz with a dose of Rock’n’Roll. The singer possesses a beautiful voice, very clean yet expressive. The tight arrangements remind those of the Big Band era, and there’s plenty of room for soloists to express themselves (superb rocking sax part on They Don’t Want Me to Rock No More). You’ll love this EP if you dig Dinah Washington and Ella Mae Morse.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Joel Paterson

Published on 26 August 201515 October 2016

Albums/Contemporary artists/Reviews

Joel Paterson – Handful of Strings

Ventrella
Speedin’ North – Twin Guitar Shuffle – Pensacola Rhythm – After You’ve Gone – Swingin’ Easy – Northern Gentleman – Callin’ the Cat – La Paloma – Flyin’ Low – Seven String Ride – Blue Steel Serenade – Mable’s Rock – Fender Freeze – King Freddie’s Blues

One thing is certain: Joel Paterson is a man of taste. So, when he decides to record an all instrumental album on which he plays all the instruments (he’s also a man of many talents) it doesn’t sound like all those sterile records that too often sound like a guitar method. He draws influences from all the guitar greats. The more obvious here being Les Paul and Buddy Merrill but it covers a wide spectrum of genre from the Jimmy Bryant tinged “Pensacola Rhythm” to the funky tribute to freddie King (King Freddie Blues) with jazz, rock’n’roll and plenty of Joel Paterson in between. And as usual with Ventrella the package is superbly designed. Highly recommended.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis