Well, this album has been promised ever since this blog was launched. With the 54th Grammy Awards coming - whatever they may be and mean - I thought it would be a fitting opportunity to introduce the album that baptized our blog, since it features a Grammy Award Winner song (won in 1992) for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, Cliffs of Dover. Ah Via Musicom was released in February 1990, so we have here an oldie and I couldn't be happier in opening up our "A Long Time Ago" page with such a great album.
Don't get fooled by the "Rock Instrumental Performance" because this record has a bit of all flavours, not just rock. This is very guitar-oriented, mind you, but don't feel discouraged because Eric Johnson is able to make ear-pleasing non-guitar-listener-friendly songs while being classy enough to please the guitarrists from around the globe (including myself). As I said before, this is not just a typical rock album. It combines an up-beat rock groove with heart-felt blues and a bit of jazzy spice for a tasteful mix of melodies and harmonies. One of the cool things of writing this review is actually rehearing it, so I'm very pleased in introducing (or reintroducing in some cases) it to you.
I should also point out that this is not entirely instrumental, as it features in Desert Rose, High Landrons, Nothing Can Keep Me From You and Forty Mile Town, Eric's voice. That being said, I present to you - at the end of this post - two songs showcasing both his voice and his fantastic guitar playing.
On a more curious side-note, this album features some dedications to fellow guitarrists: Steve's Boogie is dedicated to Steve Henning, East Wes to the great Wes Montgomery and Song for George for a friend of his, named George Washington.
Don't get fooled by the "Rock Instrumental Performance" because this record has a bit of all flavours, not just rock. This is very guitar-oriented, mind you, but don't feel discouraged because Eric Johnson is able to make ear-pleasing non-guitar-listener-friendly songs while being classy enough to please the guitarrists from around the globe (including myself). As I said before, this is not just a typical rock album. It combines an up-beat rock groove with heart-felt blues and a bit of jazzy spice for a tasteful mix of melodies and harmonies. One of the cool things of writing this review is actually rehearing it, so I'm very pleased in introducing (or reintroducing in some cases) it to you.
I should also point out that this is not entirely instrumental, as it features in Desert Rose, High Landrons, Nothing Can Keep Me From You and Forty Mile Town, Eric's voice. That being said, I present to you - at the end of this post - two songs showcasing both his voice and his fantastic guitar playing.
On a more curious side-note, this album features some dedications to fellow guitarrists: Steve's Boogie is dedicated to Steve Henning, East Wes to the great Wes Montgomery and Song for George for a friend of his, named George Washington.
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