Influenced by ground-breaking artists such as Mahavishnu, Weather Report, Jimi Hendrix, and Miles Davis, it is obvious that Doug John’s earliest endeavors explored every genre. Going on the road at a very young age, he honed his technical skills on stage with many soul, funk, blues and jazz bands, realizing they were all connected by the rhythm of the soul. After playing together as fellow clinicians in 1991, Victor Wooten described Doug Johns as “a great talent who will definitely make his mark in the bass world.†Today, they maintain a personal and professional relationship. But even before gaining notice from Victor, Bass Player Magazine wrote, “Doug Johns wastes no time demonstrating command of his instrument,†and went on to say he “is an impressive showcase of… versatility and professionalism.†Later, while recording tracks at Joe’s Garage in Los Angeles, Dweezil Zappa cut right to the chase and said, “Doug is a freak of nature!†The culmination of these musical experiences has led to the much-anticipated release of Doug Johns’ self-titled, debut CD. The opening tune, “Pimpasaurus Rex,†comes out swinging and includes stellar performances on horns from Joe Miller from one of my personal favorite groups, Chicago’s own Liquid Soul and Kenny Anderson (Arturo Sandoval, Tom Jones). Following Doug’s funk roots, “Hippobottomus†features the deep groove of an unstoppable rhythm section with Chris Ceja on drums and Mark Leach on Hammond. Bound to be a bass players’ staple, track# 9 revisits the country song, “The Claw.†Jerry Reed’s classic takes a smoldering turn with Doug Johns and Victor Wooten furiously trading solos. Flavored with the soul of his teachers – Jaco, Stanley and Bootsy – Doug Johns’ first CD offers variety,depth and should have a home in your set list.
