Johnny Juxo’s new CD of blues and soul originals, Get Off Of My Lawn, finds the veteran Rhode Island singer-keyboardist performing songs written by his many friends in the New England and national music scenes. After performing in the industry for decades, Juxo has got many songwriter friends to have chosen songs from. That also made it easier for Juxo to get permission from each artist to record each’s song.
Opening title track “Get Off Of My Lawn,” by Glen Shambroom, finds Juxo laying down some fine piano boogie, Drummer Benny Banning kicks it along too with his adept drum fills, supporting Juxo’s snappy rhythmic click. Juxo sings in a vibe here like he does in his live shows, part cool, part spiritual. His is the voice of a man who has seem the world in all of its brightness and in of its darkness and has adjusted to it, mostly.
“Doing O.K.” by Lisa Mann lets Juxo show how well he can finesses a melody line by merely speeding up notes to a given meter. The peppy dance of bluesy piano notes moves through the sonic landscape as Banning puts a backbeat tightly inside Juxo’s rhythmic snap. Backing vocalists Lisa Marie and Virginia Stevens add a gospel flavor. With all that going on around him, Juxo need only apply his understated lead vocal, a coating of laidback philosophical self-reflection.
Paul Geremia’s “Things That Used To Matter” lets Juxo take things low, down tempo. Juxo slows to an almost speaking vocal and his voice makes for a world weary guide through his moody, forlorn piano melody. One can appreciate all of the easy going style Juxo uses to express mellow blues.
Jimmy Warren‘s “Wine In A Bottle” lets Juxo and Banning have some fun with a danceable blues song. Juxo’s strutting piano line, supported by Banning’s cool backbeat and jumpy fills, could pull many onto the dance floor at a live show. It makes you picture Juxo tinkling these hip notes and chords, something that keeps repeating on itself in an alluring rhythmic pull
“I Can’t” is a mid-tempo number that moves to thumpy left hand side piano notes. Those jittery bass notes, which Juxo manipulates flavorfully, puts feeling and momentum into this. Juxo sings slyly over his mischievous melody as Banning keeps a persistent pulse in a space created by the lower notes. Held together by this crafty technique, “I Can’t” shows what happens when good players can. Making sly cameo appearance on backing vocals is Jim Morgan who wrote this piece.
Moving into Keith Munslow’s boozy You’re Bad,” Juxo does his best Tom Waits narrative. Sounding like a man who has spent too much time drowning his sorrows, Juxo reaches deep inside himself to express the itch that won’t go away. Desperation, despite knowing its source, permeates Juxo’s sorrowful blues drawl as well as his mournful piano.
“Real Good Time” by Rhode Island Americana roots rocker Mark Cutler is an upbeat party favor.. With a catchy piano rhythm, augmented by a juicy bass line and lively drum work, Juxo strides through this number coolly. He livens the party as he sings with self-restraint of having a good time. That restraint, and its following jubilant chorus, make it party worth attending.
Juxo takes a turn toward the serious ballad with Dan Lilley‘s “Stormy Seas,” placing his partner Virginia Stevens at the microphone. Stevens knows how to travel Juxo’s emotive piano line. This one feels like it comes just before a dramatic film comes to end, after a climatic scene in which nothing will ever be the same. Stevens keeps the emotive flow coming without affect and Juxo milks the sadness for what each note is worth.
“Too Many Bad Habits” by Johnny Nicholas brings Juxo back into Tom Waits territory. The sing-speak narrative is enriched by Juxo’s whisky soaked rasp, deep, soulful, a well of something with knowledge both good and bad. Keeping this low key, down tempo lets Juxo coax as much humor as regret out of these experienced lyrics.
Juxo rocks right out 1950s oldies style on Mickey Bones’ “$20 Gig.” Juxo’s speedy, rollicking piano line reminds of all of those early rockers who created the genre. Jerry Lee Lewis comes to mind most of all as our Rhode Island piano man keeps this one hopping and bopping.
Barry Cowsill’s “Kid” gets Juxosized. Juxo’s deeper rasp coats this one with deep, dark feeling. Despite the dark vocal delivery, this rendition comes across well in how Juxo puts his vocal through halting paces, as if he’s afraid for himself and the listener if this talk of love being a dying word gets around. His piano work lets his message unfold with dire saloon foreboding. Someone has had his heart broken too many times and now he doesn’t see the triggerman coming up in the mirror behind the bar.
“C.R.A.Z.Y.” by Bill Harley is part blues crawler, part comedic narrative. Juxo sing-talks about the way in which we are all a little bit crazy and how that makes us all fit into a crazy world. His down tempo approach lets him milk each pause for what it is worth. His piano notes are juicy rich with tone, and his way of cruising over that makes this a winsome tune.
Juxo puts a nice spin on Hoyt Axton’s “Have A Nice Day.” Juxo maintains this as a snappy piano and drums head nodding affair. Putting a slight vocal swagger above the melody along with soulful backing vocals, this rises into the land of a feel good soul number.
Close out track “Something Good Comin’” by Mickey Scotia leaves Juxo’s listener with a song of hope. Juxo and his backing singers give a warm, considerate vocal treatment to this notice of good news. One’s luck must change at some point, and many bad things at once only means that something has to give way to something better. Juxo captures the essence of the battle of life with his understated but heartfelt vocal.
Juxo has worked his magic with theses bluesy ballads and soulful numbers. Written by friends he has known over the years. Juxo’s own interpretation are loaded with his own individual musical imagination and his own personal panache. Along with Benny Banning, Lisa Marie, Virginia Stevens, and Jim Morgan, Juxo’s Get Off Of My Lawn album will delight all of his fans. Released on Juxotone Records, Get Off Of My Lawn was rehearsed and recorded at Dan Lilley’s Rock And Roll Practice Space. For more about this CD Release:
