Main photo Rich Ward
“We haven’t been here in about 45 years,” jokes Eric Johnson midway through the evening.
Given the sheer timelessness of the music being played at KK’s Steel Mill, it is difficult to tell whether he is exaggerating.
The concert itself is split into distinct sections, each one offering a different demonstration of Johnson’s extraordinary talent. The opening electric portion is the first masterclass. “Righteous” immediately establishes the standard, before “S.R.V.” finds both groove and remarkable technical skill without ever becoming a mere exercise in virtuosity.
“Forty Mile Town” is wonderfully expansive. It seems to float around the room, and Johnson’s voice, heard for the first time tonight, proves every bit as impressive as his playing.
A cover of Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” allows Daniel Kimbro to step forward with a dazzling bass solo, while “Friends” shows how different Johnson’s vocal songs can feel. There is even a touch of Don Henley about its laid-back warmth.
Then the acoustics come out.
As Johnson and Kimbro tune up, Johnson insists: “I’m not a perfectionist. They tuned it at the factory, right?”
That relaxed humour contrasts with the precision that follows. The pair trade dazzling licks during “Resolution” before beautifully fingerpicking their way through “Abelia”. “Chester”, Johnson’s tribute to Chet Atkins, is lighter and more playful, almost like campfire music performed by people with abilities far beyond those possessed by normal human beings.
Kimbro’s subsequent bass solo is breathtaking, while “Once Upon A Time In Texas” underlines the intuitive way the musicians bounce ideas off one another.
“Song For George” wanders down some wonderfully bluesy roads before the electric guitar returns for “Stella By Starlight”. Johnson describes the old 1940s standard as a “beautiful song”. He is not wrong. His version appears to have all the time in the world, each note allowed to hang in the air before the next arrives.
Johnson announces that the band are going to play several blues-rock jams. “E Flat Groove” and “Trueheart Blues” follow, the latter featuring a sensational solo that seems to be pulled from somewhere deep inside the music rather than merely played over the top of it.
The aptly named “Blues Jam” finds the band visibly enjoying themselves. Crucially, though, the fun never comes at the expense of the song. This is improvisation with purpose, not self-indulgence.
“Steve’s Boogie” feels as though the entire room has somehow rolled into Sun Studios in 1956, while “On Green Dolphin Street” takes another established tune and reshapes it into something entirely their own. Kimbro cuts loose once more in a blur of bass notes before the drummer gets his opportunity to shine.
By the time “Desert Rose” arrives, you have almost forgotten how good Johnson’s voice is, such has been the brilliance of the playing. The song provides a timely reminder, while its guitar solo sparkles.
Then comes the introduction to “Cliffs Of Dover”.
Watching Johnson play it alone is utterly compelling. How anyone becomes this good remains tantalisingly unknown. He won a Grammy for the song, and hearing it performed here makes it abundantly clear why. It retains all its colour, movement and impossible grace.
“Zap” is enormous fun, but there is still one more encore to come.
Taking on Jimi Hendrix requires both confidence and exceptional ability. Making “Axis: Bold As Love” feel like something more than an imitation demands even more.
Make no mistake, Eric Johnson belongs in that bracket.
This was more than a display of technique. It was a reminder that, in the right hands, virtuosity can still have soul, warmth and a genuine sense of wonder.
