IN THE ARTIST’S WORDS ~ ~ Over the last few years I’ve been experimenting with percussive effects on the guitar. For example, hitting the guitar just behind the sound hole with the heel of the palm delivers a large drum sound. Hitting the top with my right hand fingertips gives a much higher pitched sound. My left hand fingers can fill in between right hand hits, contrapuntally, either by slapping against the strings and fingerboard or using them to perform “rolls” on the sides of the guitar. On this project, my plan was to incorporate these techniques into the performances in an improvisational manner so as to resemble interplay with a real percussionist. The challenge in playing everything in real time with no overdubs, is the physical adjustments that have to be made in order to implement these various hits, taps and slaps on different parts of the guitar, then get back to a natural playing position without creating extracurricular noise. This perplexing process ended up a great learning and creative experience. I hope you enjoy it! ~~ WJ

 

Wayne Johnson   One Guitar   Solid Air Records  SACD 2040  CD
 
 This acoustic guitarist  is mainly known by his appearance by the
 Manhattan Transfer group, which had a lot of success in the early 80's.
 Wayne Johnson now has a solo acoustic guitar album out called One
 Guitar. His influences come from jazz and blues music, but you hardly
 can compare him with one, as Wayne does his own thing. Wayne plays
 classic and flamenco guitars. Firefly is the first track and has fantastic
 percussive elements and a challenging melody line with a first-class
 repeating pattern on which he improvises a lot in Bossa Nova style.
 Baby an interesting ballad which represents a lot of tranquillity. My
 Secret  is a top-notch piece on which he improvises  with percussive
 melodic and harmonic phrases on a Spanish orientated sound palette,
 but switches in a wink to excellent finger style play. American Medley
 is an ode to Ray Charles his version of American the Beautiful. Father
 and Son a very moody ballad played with great fantasy on a skilled
 melody line, which is intimate, a dedication for his passed away father.
 For Sodie's Sake a grooving piece played with flowing techniques in a
 jazzy way full of richmelody line building attainments. One Guitar is an
 unpredictable album as Wayne Johnson has the ability to fully absorb
 a listener in solid playing techniques, like structure, balance, rhythm
 and a unique approach to melody line building and swing.Seldom
 heard an album which so much variety and creativity, wow !
 

 
 Henk te Veldhuis
 Bridge Guitar Reviews.