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about johnny j blair |
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Pennsylvania-based "singer at large" Johnny J Blair creates pop music hailing from sources as diverse as Motown, Tin Pan Alley, and the British Invasion. An adept multi-instrumentalist, he writes adventurous songs that get under the skin while speaking to issues larger than romantic love and loss. His recordings reflect a spectrum of styles and traditions, drawing on influences as disparate as the Beach Boys, Sam Cooke, and the Velvet Underground. Through this virtual clinic of composition and performance rings a note of missionary passion. Blair's new Treadmarks, released by U.S. indie label Wampus Multimedia, distills his influences into a finely cut slice of acoustic pop. With touchstones ranging from the Beatles, Kinks, and Roxy Music to Al Green and James Brown, Treadmarks is mainstream music with a bold edge, accessible pop bent on originality. Building on the success of Fire (2000), Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (2001), Snapshots (2003), and his contribution ("Sunday Morning") to After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed (2003), Blair mines his strongest material, old and new, to create a heady mix of thought and soul that speaks unerringly to the present. Displaying an affection for composers from Stravinsky to Gershwin to Boyce and Hart, he recasts his influences, making them his own. While Blair's work can evoke Ray Davies, Brian Wilson, or Smokey Robinson, it ultimately is more diverse, and closer in sensibility to the explorations of David Bowie or Elvis Costello. An accomplished arranger and producer (e.g., Davy Jones of the Monkees), he employs a colorful palette on his landscapes, where genres happily co-exist. Blair creates what Goldmine magazine called "pop music with a conscience," accessible music rooted in a sense of justice. Honest, direct, and uncompromisingly inclusive, his work exalts the spirit without piety, and calls the audience to empathy. From the gospel-inflected testament of "Music Up Inside of Me" to the cool, urban pop of "I Like the Street," it runs the range of experience, from chaos and despair to self-knowledge, generosity, and faith. Produced by Mark Doyon at Wampus Sound Studio, Treadmarks is part of the Wampus Multimedia Sessions series, featuring literate singer-songwriters captured in the studio over the course of a single day. The focus falls on the intimacy of performance, evoking the mood of a live show in the context of the studio. Keep up with the latest news on Johnny at Independent Music & Media. Hear Johnny interviewed by the Monks Media Radio Network. Treadmarks is available at Amazon, CD Baby, Tower Records, iTunes, and other fine stores. Johnny J Blair / Treadmarks
Also available.... Johnny J Blair / Fire ******** press.... "Recorded in a single twenty-four hour blast of creative energy, the crackling acoustic vibe of Johnny J. Blair’s Treadmarks doesn’t let up for a single note. While Blair modestly attributes the record’s vivacity to his 'love [of] strong coffee,' in truth it’s his unwavering belief in his songs and the rock-solid foundation of his virtues that fuse the nine tracks into a cohesive whole. The disc’s opener, 'One Planet—One Utopia—One Helmet,' seamlessly melds some tasty acoustic slide guitar with a barrage of image-laden lyrics that ultimately pose the troubling question: 'Where are we headed?' Elsewhere, Blair and his acoustic guitar can be jazzy and romantic ('One Wonderful Smile (2 A.M.)'), funky and soulful ('Somebody Loves You (Like Dino Said)'), or infused with the gospel spirit ('Music Up Inside of Me'). Best of all is 'Sam Said,' a loving nod to the genius and spirit of Mr. Cooke, complete with musical phrases slyly lifted from 'Cupid' and 'You Send Me.' With Treadmarks, Blair has more than earned his rightful spot alongside such latter-day neo-folkies as Steve Forbert, John Wesley Harding, and Billy Bragg. That’s fine company, indeed." --Rick Schadelbauer, Amplifier Magazine "With Johnny J. Blair, there’s no missing the immediacy. You could be in the coffeehouse with him; you could be in that small club down on the corner. Blair’s belting out the tunes like he’s filling a concert hall, but you’re right next to him." --Ben Squires, MusicSpectrum "A solo record full of originality, guts, and feel." --Francesco Emmanuel, The Muse's Muse "'One Planet – One Utopia – One Helmet' is one of the best tracks on the disc. It has a Graham Parker groove that’s so infectious I had to listen to it twice.... Very entertaining." --J.R. Oliver, Ear Candy "Blair's songs are mostly acoustic pop with shades of styles ranging from exploratory to Tin Pan Alley. Johnny writes honest, intelligent lyrics that address important issues. 'Music Up Inside of Me' and 'I Like The Street' caught my attention with their snappy rhythms and catchy hooks. The guitar chords on both were thick and some layered vocals were present. Blair leaves his mark with his unique approach to acoustic pop with an added edge." --Laura Turner Lynch, Kweevak.com "Each of the tracks on Treadmarks is crafted with a care that will bring masses of listeners into Johnny J Blair’s line of sight; one only need sit Johnny down with a guitar and watch individuals mass.... Soulful and catchy acoustic-rock." --James McQuiston, NeuFutur ******** Visit the official site. Download a publicity kit. For more information, contact Wampus. |
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©2008 Wampus Multimedia. all rights reserved. |
