Gig Review: Jonathon ‘Boogie’ Long, Maui Sugar Mill, Tarzana, CA

Gig Review: Jonathon ‘Boogie’ Long, Maui Sugar Mill, Tarzana, CA

By Martine Ehrenclou

If you’ve never heard of Jonathon Boogie Long, you’re not alone. But on Monday, June 23, plenty knew of him and made their way into the Maui Sugar Mill just to see him perform. Long won the 2011 Guitar Center ‘King Of The Blues’ for best blues guitarist and was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2019. He’s toured with other guitar heavyweights like Chris Duarte, Kenny Shepherd, Luther Kent and Tyree Neal. With four albums to his name, Long is known as a guitar slinger with a voice to match, not something you find that often.

Hailing from Baton Rouge, LA, Jonathon ‘Boogie’ was a child prodigy whose journey with the guitar began at just six years old. By the time most kids were still figuring out homework, he was already lighting up the stage at Swamp Mama’s, trading licks with local legends like Kenny Neal, Rudy Richard, and Lil Ray Neal. At 14,  he hit the road with Louisiana bluesman Henry Turner, cutting his teeth in the rough-and-ready juke joints of the South and learning how to command a crowd night after night.

Jonathon Long is a force. He brought his own brand of Southern blues rock to this intimate venue with the flash of New Orleans and the rock & roll swagger of a virtuoso guitar player. That’s no lie. This guy is good, and with a voice this strong, he exudes a bit of magic not unlike other musicians who seem to draw a lucky hand.

The Maui Sugar Mill had a certain frenzied energy this night, most there to see Long, some guitar fans or wanna be guitar players hoping to catch some of Long’s talent through osmosis. The crowd was louder than usual, and I felt the warmth of people pressed closely together in the best kept secret venue in ‘The Valley.’

Jonathon Long is an entertainer and knows how to connect to his audience. You can’t take your eyes off him, even with Fosset and Hightower rounding out the power trio. Dressed in a flowered, sequined white hat with feathers tucked in the back, Jonathon ‘Boogie’ Long graced the stage with his mahogany Les Paul Junior in hand. His outfit spoke of NOLA, a bit flamboyant to match his personality on stage. Drawing himself to the mic, he waited for the clapping and whistling to die down before thanking Cadillac Zack for bringing him here. He then gave us a punch of rhythm with blues classic “Parchman Farm Blues,” done the Jonathon ‘Boogie’ Long way, jazz inflected and with plenty of groove.

I don’t know if I’d call Long’s guitar solos shredding, because even though many are at lightning speed, they are also soulful with double stops, string bends and more. He offered plenty of those to dazzle us throughout the night. Without a second to spare, he launched into “Bad Day” an original from his album ‘Jonathon ‘Boogie’ Long & The Blues Revolution’ a bluesy rock & roller with smooth riffs and solos and one helluva groove. His vocals are rich and soulful, powerful too, with an impressive vocal range. He uses his ability to sing in his upper register without a hitch in his act on stage, accompanied by animated facial expressions, and body movements used to connect to the audience. And if that wasn’t enough, he blew away any hint of being over the top with a mind-boggling guitar solo, untamed but still under control.

After joking with the audience, Long mixed his set with blues standards “Fried Chicken” and beloved covers like “Into The Mystic” by Van Morrison, each with his own individual style. He made a joke about his touring days with B.B. King and how he and B.B. were stealing each other’s guitar licks. Long then launched into “Catfish Blues” and his riffs were sweet, soft and soulful. Versatility at its best.

In professional fashion, Long gave Vince Fossett Jr a drum solo and Mike Hightower a bass solo, and rounded them off with a jazzy guitar riff of his own. Fossett and Hightower are top tier pros, and their solos were not just impressive but completely in keeping with Long’s set.

The night grew hot and sweaty and those of us lucky enough to be inches from the stage, took it all in with the wonder of young kids watching their first ballgame. There’s really nothing like this—fantastic musicians performing in a small venue and being so close to the stage that you can almost feel the heat coming off the performing musicians. It’s thrilling. And that thrill lasts through the night and into the next couple of days. Thanks to Cadillac Zack, we have that here.

Long played “Snatch It Back and Hold It,” the funky groove fitting perfectly with his innate sense of timing and groove. I watched him shift into guitar solo mode, his eyes above my head. It wasn’t the first time I wondered if he wasn’t staring at someone behind me, but slipping into his own world where music lives.

Long interjected humor in between songs—he grabbed a Miller Light bottle from a fan and began playing slide with it on his guitar, a big grin on his face. The crowd went absolutely nuts, clapping and whistling.

Before “Empty Promises”, he said to the crowd with a laugh, “I’ve been playing this long before Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram. I love this Michael Burks song.” Not many could get away with saying that but Long is such a good player, he pulled it off. He launched into the song and stepped off the stage, playing amidst the crowd on the floor. People couldn’t get enough as they clamored to catch sight of him, surrounding him. All I could see was the top of his white hat. Some stood on chairs with their phones and cameras high in the air. Others moved in, standing on tiptoe.

From blues, to blues-rock and rock, to a bit of Country and gospel, Jonathon Long is not just a bigger than life talent, but he’s made for the stage.

Watch “Bad Day” Thanks to @MikesBluesThang for the video

 

Jonathon Boogie Long website