1928-1952: Original Guitar Wiz [Box set, Best of]

B.B King, Albert King, Clapton, Vaughn, Green and Taylor were all guitar playing heroes of our youth. Naturally, they were really great pickers, no doubt about that! But the way I see it, this man, Lonnie Johnson, was the first and the greatest guitar hero ever! For five decades he entertained and pleased people with his mellow, emotionally charged voice and his unrivalled guitar playing. From country blues to jazz - he was equally at ease with a vast variety of music. His playing was always technically impressive (sometimes nearly insurmountable), touchingly melodic and with an inexhaustible well of ideas. Some of his solo instrumentals are not really possible to redo, and his duos with Eddie Lang surely belong to the highest class of American music. If I were to take only one single item with me to a deserted island (hopefully the area would have electricity), this CD box would be the one!

Lonnie Johnson was a musical master.
His guitar style is so clean and rythmic it is a standard that many try to reach, but few do reach it.
If you have never heard Lonnie Johnson, you are are missing a large piece of the "musical pie".
Lonnie Johnson covers sooooooo many bases, he has been, in my opinon over looked at times. Example...the blues, if you know/like/play or listen to the blues, Robert Johnson, Sonny Boy Williamson (I & II), Charlie Patton and Son House are names you know well. Lonnie Johnson fit right in with them. But Lonnie Johnson was more....much more.
Another example....jazz, do the name Louis Armstrong or Duke Ellington ring a bell? Both GIANTS of jazz, Lonnie fits right in, he played with both of them. But he played more than jazz.
Lonnie Johnson maybe the best and maybe the first "crossover" musician. Can you picture Son House of Charlie Patten playing with Duke!

If you are into guitar playing, names like Robert Johnson, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Chet Atkins, T-Bone Walker & Gatemouth Brown...all MONSTERS on the guitar. Lonnie fits right in.

Enough about why you should give Lonnie Johnson a listen, now about this 4 disc set.
Nice package. Nice cover art.
4 disc set in chronological order (for the most part).
This set may not please the "audiophile" because a few of the early tracks were somewhat poorly recorded, it was the 1920's....I mean, come on!
The early tracks can only be cleaned up so much before they lose the integrity of the music.
Each of the 4 disc set has is own cover.
Each disc has a nice cover shot of Lonnie.
Each disc has complete track listings.
The set has a 40+ page booklet w/facts, photos and more. VERY NICE!
While this may have more in it then the first time Lonnie Johnson listener may find necessary (95 tracks), the LOW cost and the excellent packaging make this a "no brainer".
If you are already a Lonnie Johnson fan, this is still a "no brainer".
It has some tracks you have on some of his other cd's, but you get the whole package with excellent graphic and packaging.
If you want to hear a true master of music, blues, jazz, standars etc.
If you want to hear a true master of the guitar and a gifted singer (I love his vibrato!). You should try this box set and find out what you have been missing.

This box set is an A+.

This is the perfect box set. The liner notes are great, the packaging is fine, and the music contained on these discs is simply stunning. Lonnie's work with Texas Alexander doesn't sound like anything else committed to record. "Section Gang Blues" and "Levee Camp Moan" are startling in their intensity. His guitar duets with Eddie Lang will never lose their novelty, because they are music on the level of the Classical music of Europe. "Away Down in The Alley Blues" and "Hot Fingers" are mind-boggling. Lonnie's Blues lyrics are original and greatly detailed. He is the master of romantic balladry. He is a pioneer in Rhythm & Blues. He knows how to use double-entendre, and he certainly seems to have a true distrust of women!

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