The best live albums put you right there on the front row. And as the raucous Friday night crowd welcomed Eric Johanson to the stage at the Ground Zero Club in Biloxi, Mississippi, for a set that mines his Billboard-topping studio catalog, you’ll feel this generational performer in your bones. “I want Live In Mississippi to make people feel like they’re at our show,” says the Louisiana-born bandleader of the live album bottled last August in the home of the blues and being released in March of 2025 on Ruf Records. “Whether they’ve just seen the band and want to take a piece of that home with them, or they’ve never seen us perform at all, I want it to bring across the energy and emotion of the live show.”
As anyone with their finger on the pulse of modern rock and blues surely knows, Johanson is among a handful of artists dragging these ancient musical forms in vital new directions. Represented by no fewer than five songs on Live In Mississippi, Johanson’s 2023’s solo breakthrough The Deep And The Dirty was his biggest critical and commercial hit to date, summiting the Billboard Blues Chart and igniting the bandleader’s global profile.
“A lot has happened since The Deep And The Dirty,” says Eric. “It was #1 on the Billboard and we took the music overseas for the first time, performing in ten countries through Europe, as well as all across the US. It’s been great to meet people from so many walks of life who are digging the music. This record captures us after a year of touring in support of The Deep And The Dirty and has some of the songs we most enjoyed playing each night.”
From the thundering gallop of ‘Undertow’ to the instinctive slide-blues of ‘Just Like New,’ Johanson’s power trio moves with a rare musical telepathy. ‘Galaxy Girl’ packs a brittle sting – the band dropping out in the verses to give Johanson’s vocal full rein – while the bottleneck licks of ‘Familiar Sound’ sound both old as the hills and utterly of the moment. It builds to a climax with ‘Don’t Hold Back’s moody strut, the bandleader’s solo right on the brink of anarchy – and that’s exactly how he likes it.
“I’m really thrilled with how Live In Mississippi turned out,” says Johanson. “The great thing about making a live record is you just play your heart out at the show, and the record captures where you are at that moment in your life. You don’t have a chance to overthink or re-do anything – or at least you shouldn’t. I just focus on sharing an experience with the people in the room, and I think the listener at home can feel that…”
“Eric Johanson’s newest release captures the raw energy and emotion of his performances…the blistering set list showcases Johanson’s versatility, blending gritty rock with deep blues with backing from drummer Terry Scott and bass player Will Repholz…Highlights include ‘Nowhere To Go,’ ‘Undertow,’ and ‘Just Like New,’ each demonstrating his powerful guitar work and distinctive vocals…’Live In Mississippi’ makes the listener feel they are there, a wonderful musical achievement exhibiting that connection between audience and artist.”
Colin Campbell, BLUES MATTERS!
Source: dougdeutschPR