LONNIE JOHNSON — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 1 • 1925-1926 | DOCD-5063 (1991) RM | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. In 1925, Alonzo “Lonnie” Johnson won a talent contest sponsored by Okeh, and acquired a seven year contract with them as a result. Male singers playing guitar were about to make the breakthrough on race records; Blind Lemon Jefferson was beginning to record about the same time as Lonnie. Nevertheless, Johnson seems to have been anxious to show his versatility on these first dates; on this album, he plays violin on more numbers than he does guitar, as well as switching to piano, banjo and harmonium. His contract with Okeh required him to work as a staff musician as well as a name artist, and he may have wanted to impress the company with his range. He also seems to have wished to promote brother James, who was at all Lonnie’s sessions until April 1927, also making some recordings of his own. James, like Lonnie, was a multi-instrumentalist, playing violin, banjo, guitar and piano. “He was better than me,” Lonnie remembered proudly in 1960, and certainly they blended admirably together, whether playing violin and guitar, violin and banjo, two guitars, or even two fiddles, as on Very Lonesome Blues.

As an accomplished professional, Lonnie didn’t limit himself to blues; the irresistible, if enigmatically named Nile Of Genago is a waltz for two guitars, straight from the 19th Century parlour tradition. From the same session, the crazily syncopated Johnson Trio Stomp crosses hillbilly music with silent movie piano. Nevertheless, from the first Lonnie Johnson made his mark as a blues singer, and one with an impeccably poised, elegant guitar style, the melody tripping along over rich chords in support of his clear, bittersweet vocals.

Already a master musician, Lonnie Johnson was also a lyricist of considerable originality, and one with decided views on the complexities of human affairs. Often, he was misogynistic: “To find a good woman, is like finding a dime in a bed of sand… Men, love will make you drink and gamble, and stay out all night long.”

Ah, you don’t see into these blues like me  I can see further into the blues, than a fish can in the deep blue sea

he proclaimed, and his appeal to his audience seems to have derived as much from his ability to analyse his and their concerns, and write coherent responses, delivered with conviction and sincerity, as from his instrumental proficiency. DOCD-5063
Tracklist :
1    Lonnie Johnson–    Mr. Johnson's Blues 2:40
Piano – John Arnold
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
2    Lonnie Johnson–    Falling Rain Blues  3:03
Piano – John Arnold
Vocals, Violin – Lonnie Johnson
3    Lonnie Johnson–    Very Lonesome Blues 2:57
Piano – De Loise Searcy
Violin – James Johnson
Vocals, Violin – Lonnie Johnson
4    Lonnie Johnson–    When I Was Lovin' Changed My Mind Blues 2:58
Piano – De Loise Searcy
Violin – James Johnson
Vocals – Lonnie Johnson
5    Lonnie Johnson–    Sun To Sun Blues 2:30
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
6    Lonnie Johnson–    Bed Of Sand 2:59
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
7    Lonnie Johnson–    Lonesome Jail Blues 3:06
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Violin – Lonnie Johnson
8    James "Steady Roll" Johnson–    No Good Blues 2:43
Banjo – Lonnie Johnson
Piano – De Loise Searcy
Vocals, Violin – James "Steady Roll" Johnson
9    James "Steady Roll" Johnson–    Newport Blues 2:43
Kazoo – Lonnie Johnson
Piano – De Loise Searcy
Vocals, Banjo – James "Steady Roll" Johnson
10    Lonnie Johnson–    Love Story Blues 2:28
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
11    Lonnie Johnson–    Nile Of Genago 2:40
Guitar – James Johnson, Lonnie Johnson
12    Lonnie Johnson–    Five O'Clock Blues 2:58
Banjo – James Johnson
Piano – De Loise Searcy
Violin, Kazoo – Lonnie Johnson
13    Lonnie Johnson–    Johnson's Trio Stomp 2:58
Piano – James Johnson
Violin – Lonnie Johnson
14    Lonnie Johnson–    Woman Changed My Life 3:10
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Violin – Lonnie Johnson
15    Lonnie Johnson–    Lonnie's Got The Blues 3:07
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
16    Lonnie Johnson–    Good Old Wagon 3:29
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Violin – Lonnie Johnson
17    Lonnie Johnson–    A Good Happy Home 3:15
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Violin – Lonnie Johnson
18    Lonnie Johnson–    Baby You Don't Know My Mind 3:12
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Violin – Lonnie Johnson
19    Lonnie Johnson–    I Have No Sweet Woman Now 3:13
Piano – James Johnson
Vocals, Guitar – Lonnie Johnson
20    Lonnie Johnson–    You Drove A Good Man Away 2:40
Violin – James Johnson
Vocals, Piano – Lonnie Johnson
21    Lonnie Johnson–    Ball And Chain Blues 3:01
Violin – James Johnson
Vocals, Piano – Lonnie Johnson
22    Lonnie Johnson–    You Don't See Into The Blues Like Me 2:41
Violin – James Johnson
Vocals, Piano – Lonnie Johnson
23    Lonnie Johnson–    There's No Use Of Lovin' 3:20
Vocals – Victoria Spivey
Vocals, Piano – Lonnie Johnson
24    Lonnie Johnson–    Baby, Please Tell Me 2:45
Vocals, Piano – Lonnie Johnson
25    Lonnie Johnson–    I'm Gonna Dodge The Blues Just Wait And See 3:14
Violin – James Johnson
Vocals, Harmonium – Lonnie Johnson