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One of the ways to measure the quality of art or music is to consider the level at which it affects us personally. Listening to Jay Johnson's songs is like listening to your best friend tell you his troubles. The first time I saw Jay was several months ago on a Wednesday night at a KHYI Pickin Party at Lone Star Cafe. I immediately decided I didn't like him. He was wearing a Dallas Stars sweater, jeans, boots, and a black hat, and moved through the crowd at Lone Star shaking hands and slapping backs like a politician. He seemed much too happy and comfortable, I thought, and he had to be terrible. By the time he got through his first chorus, I was a convert. For the rest of Jay's set that night, I was thinking how amazing it was that someone with this level of talent could be found at an open mike night at the Lone Star Cafe! Jay's first CD, "Images", has seen lots of playing time at my house since I bought it from him back in January. When I played it the first time, and "In the Flash of the Storm" began, I thought I had a new favorite song, but when 'Something Deep Within Me' started, I changed my mind, and pretty much continued this with each new track. Jay sings about life and love and coping with the inevitable changes that we face. These are the things Hank Williams and Ernest Tubb sang about, and that is why people felt such a personal attachment to their music. Jay is like a new wave "Texas Troubadour". I've thought about it a lot, and the artist who seems most comparable to Jay is Steve Fromholz, and I think Jay is more talented. "Images" contains some really beautiful music, although some tracks are a little unsettling. 'A Perfect Villain', which was written about the murder of Mansfield teenager Adrian Jones by David Graham and Diane Zamora, has been described as "haunting". The electric guitar accompaniment has a '60's psychedelic air to it and Jay's daughters background vocals will send a chill up your spine. On 'Gumball Wedding Band' we are exposed to masterful rhyming. I haven't counted, but he found a lot of words to rhyme with "sin". This is an excellent song, although I was a little disappointed with the CD version after hearing Jay perform it live several times. As I write this, 'Long Road to Heaven' plays on my computer. Jay was moved to write this song after looking into the eyes of a man living in a box on the street in Dallas. He captures the feelings of lost opportunity and lost hope. While there are some technical shortcomings on "Images", the music carries the day. I recommend this disc to anyone who loves honest, thoughtful music. If you're looking for "another stupid song about Texas", this might not be for you. You can see Jay perform on Tuesday Nights at Slider & Blues in Plano. I urge you to see Jay live. He's a genuinely nice guy who will thank you for listening and mean it. If you want to see him in these intimate venues, you'd better do it fast because I think Jay's headed for bigger things. Also check out Jay's web site at www.jayjohnsonmusic.com. You can buy Jay Johnson's "Images" at:
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