Henry Johnson - New Beginnings (1993)

Tracklist

01. The River
02. Andrea
03. Creepin'
04. Sambalea
05. Please Send Me Someone To Love
06. Flying Fish
07. Lushlife
08. Tell Me A Bedtime Story
09. Happiness Is Now
10. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
11. The Point

After some success at MCA, guitarist Henry Johnson makes some impressive new beginnings with Heads Up, focusing on warm and fuzzy string work that breezes like George Benson and Phil Upchurch and turns fiery and fusiony a la Metheny every so often. Johnson's stroking is sassy and expressive on both pop/funk and more jazzy exercises, and he shows off his flair in numerous settings, both busy (as on the fast and furious original "Flying Fish") and spare (a poignant solo turn on "Lush Life"). He's chosen his covers well, with a brassy arrangement of Herbie Hancock's "Tell Me a Bedtime Story" and Stevie Wonder's soulful "Creepin'" as standouts. Bob Long's keys and Freddie Hubbard's horn provide snazzy complements to Johnson's jamming.

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