Kris Johnson

Louis Jones III: Motions

by Paul Rauch
October 9, 2025

Drummer and composer Louis Jones III is an artist steeped deeply in the Detroit jazz tradition. A Motor City native, Jones is a prominent figure on the scene there, applying his talents across a variety of genres. That versatility is ever-present in his jazz playing but, to be clear about this, he is a jazz drummer first while being a gatherer of musical innovation from multiple sources. Motions is his most complete recording project and a formidable one ...

Album Review

Kris Johnson: Jim Crow's Tears

Read "Jim Crow's Tears" reviewed by James Nadal

by James Nadal
November 10, 2016

The term Jim Crow, reputedly, has its origins in West Africa, based on a Yoruba folk tale of a crow called Jim, who appeared lazy, yet was clever and lucky. This story was brought to America by the enslaved Africans, who embellished it, and turned it into a song and dance routine to take their minds off of their harsh environment. With the appropriation and popularization of the song “Jump Jim Crow" in 1828 by a white man named Thomas ...