antiMusic.com: Americana Kitchen

Americana Kitchen - Come and Get It

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Americana Kitchen is a studio collective, a sizable group of players from the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles area that's curated by guitarist Danny Johnson. The idea here is to show off the talent of these players, some of which are not so well known while others are sidemen for the likes of Walter Trout and the Sugar Rayford band (there's a former member of Oingo Boingo too.) Johnson has accomplished that goal as listeners will find cool cuts performed in lots of different styles on the generous 20-cut, 2-CD release. Johnson wrote all the songs but a handful of different singers spotlight on the set, including "Jumpin' Jack" Benny, who has a great voice for R&B. Benny gets the lead track on the offering with "Hard Love," a song about being infatuated with a lover: later in the set he's in a bluesy mood for "Blood of the Blues" and swingin' the blues pretty good on the joyous "Catch That Train." Many of the cuts are presented in different versions, so for example you can hear the holiday cut "The Christmas Song" sung in a pop style by Andee Avila and in a laid back, banjo-driven country style by Francesca Capasso. That of course demonstrates how Johnson's songs are adaptable to different styles, making the whole effort here a good promotional tool for him as well as good listening for fans. Other highlights are the soulful gospel of "Jesus I've Got a Friend in You," sung by Michelle Sanchez and "Just Fine for Now," a Cajun rocker sung by Big Mike Vasquez.

Americana Kitchen - Come and Get It

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