Jonny Lang - Wander This World

[Paul C]

Artist - Jonny Lang
Title - Wander This World
Year of Release - 1998
Record Label - A & M Records
Genre - Bluesy Rock & Roll / Rhythm & Blues
Jonny Lang - vocals & guitar

I mean REAL Rhythm & Blues, not the "R & B" you hear on the Hip-Hop stations.

Jonny Lang has a rich, vibrant, expressive voice. I was surprised to find this seasoned bluesy voice to come from a young musician who released his first album at the age of 15 just a few years before Wander This World.

Lang sounds like an old seasoned pro, you can hear a little B. B. in there, a little Otis Redding, a little Tony Joe White, and a lot of music.

:thmbsp:

 

[BULLWINKLE]

He is really good. I liked the 1st album better but, Wander is good also. Suprising depth for a 15 year old on his 1st.

 

[big1daddy]

Saw him live at the Chesapeake Blues Fest, he kicked ass.
His last few CDs have been disappointing. He's moved away from blues and is trying to get a hit and $. Understandable I guess, but he's still young, he'll come back to the blues eventually and I'll be waiting.
If you like Jonny, try Joe Bonamassa. He's in the same blues/rock style, but IMHO much better.

 

[Urizen]

I prefer his first also. I feel his later works were overproduced. I got to see him at the Beale St. Music fest after that first release. Impressive.

 

[RayW]

When you guys say his first do you mean "Lie to Me" or "Smokin'"? Smokin was actually his first and was produced by his father. Then he got a deal with A&M and did "Lie to Me" and they got the rights to "Smokin" so it went off the grid. A few years ago they re-released it under their label. He was 14 when he did "Smokin". If you haven't heard it, it's very Albert Collins.

"Lie to Me" was the first commercial release. I remember a review saying that he was probably the only guy to ever do "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" without it being illegal.:nono:

When he was getting started I worked with a guy whose wife was a blues concert promoter. We got "Smokin" before it was available to the public and saw him shortly thereafter (Water Tower Festival in Louisville, Ky). I saw him a few times around Louisville when he was way too young to enter the bars he was playing. One of my favorite shows ever was he and Keb' Mo'. If you haven't heard Keb' Mo' you need to.

Ray