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Wayne Wesley Johnson & Friends: Jazzamenco

By Jack Bowers
November 13, 2018
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Wayne Wesley Johnson & Friends: Jazzamenco

The well-traveled and now New Mexico-based guitarist

Wayne Wesley Johnson

drums
b.1950

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Wesley Johnson pulls out all the stops on the generally engaging double-CD set Jazzamenco, using (at various times) no less than seven guest guitarists, saxophone, Latin percussion, pan flute, charango and Chinese pipa to amplify the rhythm section of keyboards, bass and drums (which is present and accounted for on an indeterminate number of the session's thirty tracks, fifteen on each disc). As the saying goes, with friends like these . . . one could easily make the case that Johnson's sidekicks are quite impressive.

When appraising the album's nature and design, two antithetical features must be touched upon. On the one hand, this is by and large charming and lively music in a Latin vein, admirably performed by everyone involved. On the other, there isn't much actual jazz on Jazzamenco in the sense that the essence of jazz is improvisation. While there are a handful of concise and respectable solos along the way (most on guitar but one by saxophonist

Rusty Crutcher

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Rusty Crutcher on "Zamora"), the lion's share of the charts are through-written for the ensembles as a whole. That's not a bad thing in itself but listeners should be informed up front not to expect many sustained or resourceful ad libs. Johnson, who once criss-crossed the country with the great

Les Paul

guitar, electric
1915 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Les Paul, wrote or co-wrote twenty-two of the songs and may have arranged all of them (the notes are unclear about that). Ernesto Lecuona is represented by the familiar "Malaguena," guitarist

Johnny Smith

guitar
1922 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Smith by "Walk Don't Run," Ed Marshall by Frankie Avalon's rock anthem, "Venus," George Gershwin by the closing "Summertime."

It must be assumed that most of the solos, such as they are, are by Johnson although guitarists

Lou Pallo

" data-original-title="" title="">Lou Pallo and

Edgardo Cruz

" data-original-title="" title="">Edgardo Cruz are credited with bassist

Jon Gagan

bass
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Gagan on Disc 1's sunny "Ticklestick." Matt Vaughn, unlisted among the album's personnel, performs (instrument unknown) on Disc 1's "Song for the Soul" and Disc 2's "Venus." Turning to the music itself, it is melodically handsome and rhythmically seductive from the outset. In other words, there are no complaints in either respect. As a bonus, Johnson uses the various instruments at his command deftly and to good advantage. In sum, low marks for jazz content but three stars for the blueprint, buoyancy and musicianship.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Disc 1: Blue Rumba; A Bit of Freda Vol. 2; Malaguena; Between Two Mountains; Walk Don��t Run; Turquoise Jungle; The River Suite; Ticklestick; La Gloria; Mama Song; Caresses for the Princess; Sambaleo; Song from the Soul; Fire of the Gypsy; Hypnotic Safari. Disc 2: Autumn; Dance of the Dove; A Bit of Freda Vol. 1; Chi Di Di Cha Cha; Hypnotic Safari; Pharaoh��s Journey; Short Stories; Segovia��s Dream; Passion; Cathedral Bells; Venus; Zamora; Melancholy; Pipeline; Summertime.

Personnel

Wayne Wesley Johnson

drums

Collective: Wayne Wesley Johnson: acoustic, electric guitar, guitar synthesizers, piano, bass, drums; Rusty Crutcher: saxophone; Thom Bresh: guitar; Edgar Cruz: guitar; Tom Doyle: guitar; Nokie Edwards: guitar; Tim Farrell: guitar; Lou Pallo: guitar; Ruben Romero: guitar; Sher Lindsay: keyboards, vocals; Paul Arntz: bass; John Gagan: bass; Ben Lucero: bass; Tim Stroh: bass; K.C. Morris: drums, percussion; Josef Martinez: Latin percussion; Mario Reynolds: pan flute, charango; Gao Hong: Chinese pipa; Consuelo Luz: vocals.

Album information

Title: Jazzamenco | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Self Produced

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