AMG Review of Playing with the Strings [JSP]

John Storm Roberts
All Music Guide

Maybe because his singing was more powerful than raw and his superb guitar-playing straddled jazz and blues, Johnson is vastly underrated. Yet aside from his fine solo recordings and his partnership with Eddie Lang, he recorded with jazzmen from Oliver through Armstrong to Duke Ellington. All are present here along with his brilliant fiddle and banjo, in acceptable dubbings from rare 78s.