AMG Review of Complete 1937 to June 1947 Recordings, Vol. 2: 22 May 1940 to 13 February 1942

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

This CD completes Lonnie Johnson's prewar recordings with 23 titles (including four previously unreleased numbers from a club date) from the 1940-1942 period. Johnson is mostly heard in trios with such sidemen as pianists Lil Armstrong and Blind John Davis, and bassist Andrew Harris. There is only one instrumental ("Secret Emotions") but Johnson's guitar gets its spots along the way. Highlights include "Somebody's Got to Go," "Rambler's Blues," "The Devil's Woman," and "He's a Jelly-Roll Baker."