Email Author Ross Johnson

Awards

• 2008 - Southern California Journalism Awards/LA Press Club, published January 12, 2007

  "Wendy's Posse"

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2000 Stories by Ross Johnson

• Charles Lloyd

  published November 16, 2000

  Tenor saxophonist Charles Lloyd turns in another ECM recording that looks and sounds like much of the German label's high-quality "chamber jazz"... More >>

• Brad Mehldau

  published November 2, 2000

  Pianist Brad Mehldau is an interesting critter: a rather uncommercial-sounding jazz player who alternates between solo piano and work with his... More >>

• It's All in the Name

  published October 26, 2000

  Once known as the Hawks when they backed Arkansas rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins, they jokingly dubbed themselves the Crackers. They finally... More >>

• The Beach Boys

  published October 19, 2000

  The Beach Boys did make more than just one great album -- speaking of Pet Sounds of course -- before they became an oldies-circuit... More >>

• Easy to Slip

  published October 12, 2000

  Some bands benefit from the box-set treatment and some don't. Falling into the latter category is Little Feat, on Rhino's Hotcakes & Outtakes:... More >>

• John Lee Hooker

  published October 5, 2000

  These are some of John Lee Hooker's earliest recordings, probably his second recording session ever, but one can never be sure given the numerous... More >>

• Andre Williams

  published September 28, 2000

  Andre Williams began his musical career as a novelty-tune R&B crooner in Detroit during the Fifties, penning and singing songs such as “Baco... More >>

• Various Artists

  published September 21, 2000

  This is the fifth release on Sonic Youth's self-released label, but it also is one of the few on SYR that is not exclusively by the band... More >>

• Ramblin' Jack Elliott

  published September 7, 2000

  Professional geezer, Woody Guthrie imitator, and cowboy song collector Ramblin' Jack Elliott celebrates the release of his biopic documentary,... More >>

• Giant Sand

  published August 31, 2000

  Ah, pot rock and its attendant, spacy pleasures. Chore of Enchantment has been out for a while but it can still probably be referred to as... More >>

• The Jayhawks

  published August 17, 2000

  Everybody these days seems to be trying their hand at doing the perfect pop record à la Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. The Flaming... More >>

• Charlie Watts and Jim Keltner

  published August 10, 2000

  Oh God, it's a world-beat record from two aging rock drummers who really ought to know better than to attempt something like this. Charlie Watts,... More >>

• Roosting Blues

  published June 29, 2000

  The mock primitive factor (hereafter referred to as mock prim) in blues is very high. Mock prim is that racial/racist double bind that says the... More >>

• Medeski, Martin & Wood

  published June 22, 2000

  Is it possible to love the way a band sounds on record and at the same time loathe its audience and the milieu it inhabits? That is the dilemma... More >>