Photo by Guy Le Querrec
The energetic cities of Philadelphia and Minneapolis have produced, and continue to produce, some of the most original phases and figures in black American music. Today the heirs of the Prince of Minneapolis (D'Angelo, Bilal…) readily nest in Philadelphia with the Minneapolis scene feeling years younger again.
The key guitarist on the Philadelphia scene goes by the name of Jef Lee Johnson. He has plays in a supertrio with the stunning rhythm section from the city of a thousand lakes, Sonny Thompson and Michael Bland. The three first met when Chaka Khan's band took up residence in Paisley Park, and the three met up again episodically, jamming together on occasion, at the legendary Bunker’s in Minneapolis during a George Clinton tour, and participating in Michael Bland's The Sons of Almighty project. Little by little, they built evidence that this was a trio such as people only dream of.
Categorised as unsettling, original or enigmatic by numerous musicians who have enormous admiration for him, Jef Lee Johnson takes tranquil pleasure playing either the most stimulating riffs or the most flamboyant of solos. Feeding on the heroes of his youth (Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane, Vanilla Fudge, Sergio Mendes, Jimi Hendrix), this veteran of the David Letterman Band accompanied diva Aretha Franklin, and then joined Ronald Shannon Jackson's group, defining the fragile frontiers of a journey without limits. For example: his contribution to the soundtrack of Spike Lee's film Drop Squad; Billy Joel's last album River of Dreams; the recent projects of singers Chaka Khan, Rachelle Ferrell or Eryka Badu; and his association with George Duke's current group.
Sonny Thompson and Michael Bland, of course, are the most precious rhythm unit that Prince ever had, the rhythm team with which he risked the trio format, and the sublime eccentricities of "Gold Nigga" and "Exodus". To Michel Portal, Thompson and Bland are the " two suns”. Their capacity to bring light to music is staggering. Nowadays they can be found, often together, in all kinds of settings, and in Michel Portal’s highly regarded recent project, recorded in (and entitled) Minneapolis.
The first words in Jef Lee Johnson's song "Jungle" are the best description of the journey awaiting us with the trio Jef Lee Johnson - Sonny Thompson - Michael Bland:
"I took a little nap, woke up in the jungle.
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