Review: Dennis Johnson ‘Revelation’

By Mike O’Cull

Bay Area slide guitar ace Dennis Johnson gives fans a wonderfully evolved and articulate set of music on his brand-new record Revelation.

The album contains a sweet mix of originals and covers by the likes of Robert Johnson, Gary Clark Jr., and Big Joe Williams. Johnson produced the sessions himself with engineer Chris Bell (Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Samantha Fish, The Eagles) on the desk. He’s backed by a studio band of legit all-stars including drummer Anton Fig (Late Night w/David Letterman, Joe Bonamassa), keyboardist Bob Fridzema (Walter Trout, Joanna Shaw Taylor), and bassist/vocalist Jonathan Stoyanoff (Joe Craven) who provide the first-class grooves that support Johnson’s nimble playing and crisp vocals.

A native of the San Francisco area, Johnson picked up the guitar in his teens and developed a love for playing slide. He was inspired by masters like Robert Johnson, Roy Rogers, and Norton Buffalo and devoted himself to becoming a slide monster, himself. He cites an encouraging encounter with the great Honey Boy Edwards as the final factor that pushed him to go pro and present his music to the world. He released his debut album Slide Show in 2010 and has been building his career ever since. Revelation is Johnson’s fourth solo record to date and shines a light on some of his most nuanced and sophisticated playing ever captured by a microphone. He’s one of the West Coast’s finest guitarists who has an audible love for what he’s doing.

Revelation gets underway with an understated romp through the Freddie King classic “I’m Going Down.” What’s cool about Johnson’s take on this oft-covered tune is the way he keeps it simmering and tasteful. Too many covers of this song sound like the guitarist is getting paid by the note, as its simple structure frequently encourages the worst sort of overplaying. Not this one, however, as our man Johnson keeps himself and the band on a low boil that accentuates the groove and the lyrics.

Listen to “Revelation” Here

His slide work is also of interest because he doesn’t live inside either the Elmore James or Duane Allman traditions. He uses a touch-sensitive tweed Deluxe tone that’s mostly clean and seems to be more connected to the Delta style than Elmore’s dirty shuffles or Duane’s southern rock. He’s a precise and melodic slide player who also swings on rhythm and sings on top of it all.

Johnson’s title cut “Revelation” is a graceful instrumental ballad that puts many of his skills on display. It’s a gentle tune, even though it builds up, that is full of impassioned melodies, mixed slide and fretted playing, and guitar tones that go from mellow and clean to barking and brash. Johnson plays with a refined dexterity that sets him way apart from most of his peers. Even though this is an electric record with a band, Johnson is still country blues at heart and it clearly comes out here. He’s much more concerned with feel and mood than bravado and drama.

Dennis turns Robert Johnson’s timeless “32-20 Blues” into a dance floor-filling shuffle that boogies and jumps. DJ is on fire on this one and gets to stretch out as guitarists always love to do. If pure fun is what you’re after, you just found it. Another standout on the record is Johnson’s funky, New Orleans-ish take on Big Joe Williams’ eternal jam “Please Don’t Go.” Hearing it done this way is a new experience and the slinky funk feel lets Johnson blow some of his most uptown lines for our enjoyment. Dennis Johnson is one of those “magic touch” guys who revels in his ability to play this well in his own niche. Is Revelation a deep, multifaceted gem that needs to find its way to your speakers? Yes. Yes, it is.

Dennis Johnson website