Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Randy Johnston: Detour Ahead

Randy Johnston: Detour Ahead

By C. Andrew Hovan
July 1, 2001
View read count

One of the few no nonsense guitarists of the current set following in the footsteps of Tal Farlow, Chuck Wayne, Johnny Smith, and other mainstream legends, Randy Johnston has built a solid catalog with varied and disparate albums for such labels as Muse, HighNote and J Curve. He also counts among his supporters and employers Houston Person and Joey DeFrancesco. It is the former who produced Detour Ahead, which also happens to feature the latter.

Recorded in 1998, this date has inexplicably languished in the vaults for a few years. As it turns out, the trio of Johnston, De Francesco, and drummer Byron Landham is a potent one and an extra guest is provided with the inclusion of David “Fathead” Newman. Two Johnson originals (the straight 12 bar romp “Blues For Edward G.” and the waltz “The Triangle Pose”) are balanced by a well-groomed collection of standards. Off the beaten path, Burt Bacharach’s “A House Is Not a Home” is a lovely ballad feature for Johnson, whose burnished tone takes on azure hues. Another Bacharach ‘70s ditty, “They Long To Be Close To You,” even manages to shake off its dated facade while strutting to a groovy swagger.

So be it the funk of “Two Step Snake” or the bebop of “The End of a Love Affair,” Johnson and crew engage in the kind of good natured jamming that is part and parcel of the jazz legacy and a sound (captured expertly by Rudy Van Gelder) that will never go out of style.

Track Listing

Blues For Edward G., The Triangle Pose, A House Is Not a Home, The End of a Love Affair, They Long To Be Close To You, Two Step Snake, Detour Ahead, Dearly Beloved

Personnel

Randy Johnston

guitar

Randy Johnston (guitar), David 'Fathead' Newman (tenor saxophone), Houston Person (tenor saxophone on track 1 only), Joey DeFrancesco (organ), Byron Landham (drums)

Album information

Title: Detour Ahead | Year Released: 2001

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Meet Duane Eubanks
< Previous

Mats Gustafsson / Paul Lovens Duo & ...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.