San Francisco Bay area slide guitar master Dennis Johnson released his new album, Rhythmland, September 15 via Root Tone Records.
Today, we present the exclusive premiere of Johnson's performance video of “Walkin’ Blues,” a magnetic track off the new album.
On the album—and in the video—Johnson (guitar, vocals) is backed by his band, the Mississippi Ramblers, featuring Tim Metz (drums), Jonathan Stoyanoff (bass) and Craig Long (keyboards, background vocals).
Rhythmland features nine songs composed by Johnson, plus a cover of “Walkin’ Blues,” a classic Robert Johnson (and/or Son House) song that has been covered by a host of blues/rock greats, including Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, Peter Green and Roy Rogers.
Robert Johnson's approach to guitar was the blueprint for Dennis Johnson’s evolution as a guitarist. “Robert‘s guitar playing sounded like two guitars,” Dennis says. “It’s a blend of rhythm and slide phrases that sound like two guitarists are playing when it’s really one. I approach guitar in much the same way."
Rhythmland also features a few innovative slide techniques. “I came up with techniques like halftime rhythmic slides and artificial harmonic slides," he says. “I've learned to think rhythm first, and it takes slide guitar to a whole new level. It’s not about how many notes you play, but what you do with the notes you choose. I want to support the rhythms of the song.”
In the studio, Johnson worked with co-producer Craig Long to find unique tones that fit with the songs and the other instruments.
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“There are some great guitar tones on the record,” Johnson says. The 12-string Dobro just sings on “Walkin’ Blues;” his 1961 Martin New Yorker demonstrates a beautiful acoustic resonance on the jazz-flavored “My Love Is Here for You” and just rips on the barrelhouse “High Heel Shoes.”
Dennis Johnson Tour Dates 10/7 Emerald of Siam Richland, WA 10/10 McMenamin’s White Eagle Portland, OR 10/11 McMenamin’s Old Church Wilsonville, OR 10/20 Live from the Divide Billings, MT 11/3 Silo’s Napa – 8 PM Napa, CA
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
