JAY JESSE JOHNSON - I've Got An Ax To Grind

Killer second studio disc from this outstanding bluesy heavy guitar axeripper
featuring Special Guest - Charlie Huhn (Nugent, Humble Pie, Foghat) on vocals.
12 tracks (63 minutes) of awesome, blues-based hard rock riffage complete with
a healthy dose of serious, bad-ass brain-damaging lead guitar action from this
excellent obscure Hendrix/Trower-inspired axeripper.

::TRACKS::

1. Cradle To The Grave (sample clip)
2. It Ain't Easy (sample clip)
3. Big Bad Rhythm (sample clip)
4. Sittin' By The Riverside (sample clip)
5. Demons (sample clip)
6. Matter Of Time
7. What Goes Around
8. Ax To Grind
9. Restless Soul
10. Spell Of Winter (sample clip)
11. Snake In The Grass
12. Cold World

The buzz has been humming around Indiana-born guitar slinger Jay Jesse Johnson for several years now but it took his teaming up with Victory/Nugent and current Foghat vocalist Charlie Huhn to catch our attention. At 16 Jay was playing in smoky bars grinding out powerhouse rock and blues that fueled his passion for ‘60s and ‘70s guitar rock. His position in East coast band Cryer landed him the gig as guitarist for the 1983 AOR classic Arc Angle with Jeff Cannata. He went on to play with Deadringer (1989) where he first hooked up with Huhn. The last few years have seen JJ Johnson returning to his roots that include his love for Johnny Winter, Robin Trower and Rick Derringer. With I’ve Got An Ax To Grind, the guitarist invites back Charlie Huhn to share vocal duties and finds his groove in tracks like "Big Bad Rhythm," "Demons" and "Restless Soul." The twelve tracks celebrate the guitarist love of classic blues-based rock and with Matt Zeiner (Hammond), B J Zampa (drums), old Cryer mate Steve Shore (bass) and Ed Corvo (bass) they create a magnificent noise.
Huhn and Johnson take turns singing six songs each. Huhn’s voice is perfect for the blues rocking opener "Cradle To The Grave." It’s harmonica intro builds a Blackfoot vibe before an echoed voice (from the control room?) says "play that damn guitar" and then it all breaks lose. Huhn takes it deeper in the politically charged "It Ain’t Easy" with soul and gravel while JJ’s guitar moves from dirty Stevie Ray Vaughan licks to clean picking and a big solo run. "What Goes Around" is more in line with Robin Trower making room for Zampa’s drums and Matt Zeiner’s (Dicki Betts Band) Hammond B-3. Zeiner adds a lot to the texture and color of the record using the organ on the traditional blues grinder "Spell of Winter" and joins the fierce guitar attack of "Demons." Office favorite "Sittin’ by the Riverside" echoes Gary Moore in scale and mood allowing bassist Steve Shore to drive the track while "Snake In The Grass" goes for the funk. The record closes with the Clapton-edged "Cold World" which mixes Chris Rea and Tony Carey’s sense of pop. Check out JJJ’s "Rockin’ Train" on YouTube.
---Todd K. Smith (The Cutting Edge)