- Reviews

Said about BJ and Northern Heart, Southern Soul in the media, reviews, comments etc..

Johan Eliasson’s not yet famous, but his train has arrived at blues junction! He got off at the station and is waiting to be let in. Open the damned door and get him a seat at the table. The blues from Sweden is here and it ain’t going back.

Perhaps as if to prove the very essence of what this web directory of the acoustic blues is fundamentally about, Johan Eliasson, aka Bottleneck John, is the real deal, playing deep roots, hard-sliding, hard-core, country blues. The blues has traveled far and become an international genre, with devotees and exceptionally awesome players all over the world. This fellow here is as good as it gets. If you listen to his blues without preconceptions, it becomes quickly evident that Elisasson is one of today’s great, albeit unlikely, practitioners of the genre. As many blues musicians from the non-English speaking world have learned, there often is a bit of prejudice to overcome. Somehow, it is easier for people to accept UK blues musicians than those from the continent. Here is a professorial looking white Swedish musician with soul who seems as far removed from the authentic blues experience as it gets, yet he’s got it all going the right way. Perhaps he took the almost farcical stage name of Bottleneck John, as to overcompensate and fit a bit closer into the mysterious blues world, so distant from Sweden. If you believe that musicianship depends on nationality, or that feeling blues music in your soul requires a certain skin pigmentation, Bottleneck John will be an easy target. If, on the other hand, you are open minded to the idea that the blues has set people all over the world on fire, it is undeniable that good music is everywhere, including in this case in Scandinavia, where there is a strong blues scene. And once they get that burning feeling, they are gonna play it and play it well. That requires no apology.

As the name ‘Bottleneck John’ implies, Eliasson’s claim to fame is his fiery slide playing. When it comes to that, he’s a hot licks virtuoso, perhaps on of the top in Europe, and that is saying alot. This Swede can really play the slide guitar! He sings with a rich, soulful deep tenor, and has a propensity for the deep-blues in the traditional realm. This guy has the true-hearted blues!

He just released a fine new CD, aptly named “Northern Heart, Southern Soul” with some very capable Swedish sidemen. Eliasson plays 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, a resonator, banjo and mandolin on the album. Country blues aficionados will have much to celebrate and Elisasson has made his mark as one of today’s most poignant voices in the genre. The blues suffers from too much repetition and reworks of traditional material, so it is refreshing to see Eliasson write his own material. It may have been wise to boost sales by including a few well-known classics for the comfort of familiarity, but Eliasson seems little interested in marketing. It’s all good, an excellent album, fun and light-hearted, with an easy-going spirit

Eliasson needs to get showcased in the US blues festivals and to get name wider recognition. In the meantime, definitely put Bottleneck John on your list and check him out!

Frank Matheis, www.thecountryblues.com, USA.

Artist: Bottleneck John
Title: Northern Heart, Southern Soul
Label: Bark Lake Records BLR 226

For more information go to: www.bottlneckjohn.com

The invitingly soft wailing, almost morose tenor voice of Johan ‘Bottleneck John’ Eliasson is by itself a wonderfully formidable instrument but, when matched with his heartfelt and passionate approach to his music and the peerlessly intricate delicate dexterity that he shows with both resonator and twelve stringed acoustic guitars his performances become breathtaking. Born and still residing in the small town of Lit in the delta region of deepest Sweden; where, from the age of three Johan was encouraged by his grandparents and their friends to listen to Swedish Folk tunes, Spirituals and Gospel.

It is the combination of these various types and styles of music that led him to discover the richness and wonder of the down-home, rural and country blues that was not only hugely popular but was also found in great abundance in the twenties and thirties in and around the delta region.

Johan has nurtured and honed his incredible talent to such a degree that you could be forgiven for mistaking his original deep country blues recordings for the genuine article, not, that any deception is intended. The inclusion of period instruments such as the calming sound of the tuba merely accentuates the period feel to the music.

Throughout the sixteen numbers here, Johan effortlessly manages to capture intense emotional highs and lows, which range from happy go lucky foot-stomping goodtime music and enjoyably solid crunching slide, to stark images of sadness and despair which exude more than a palpable sense of loneliness and desperation. Nonetheless, this is a cracking album and should grace anybody’s collection.

The spirit of blind Willie Johnson and Son House must surely be watching over Johan.

Recommended!

Brian Harman, Blues Art Journal.

Bottleneck John "Northern, Heart, Southern Soul" Bark Lake 2010. A more than en excellent collection of acoustic songs based on traditional roots music. Blues played with interest, love and great respect by a country blues expert like blues singer, songwriter and guitar player Bottleneck John, who in this album also plays mandolin, banjo, Resonator guitar, percussion, foot stomping and kazoo. Bottleneck John passionately plays thirteen lively intense own songs. In this "Northern, Heart, Southern Soul", John has included some guest musicians who play different instruments like bass, piano, tuba, violin or harmonica, which contribute to create a calm intimist atmosphere. In short words, a warm touching walk along the musical essence of the south, driven by this talented artist, who makes his songs become a pure delight for the ears. GREAT

In Zweden wordt hij aangesproken als Johan Eliasson, maar op plaat denk je een rasechte Amerikaan te horen, mogelijks ene die als jonge knaap op zijn gitaar zat te oefenen aan de oevers van de Mississippi. In het plaatsje waar hij in Zweden opgroeide vloeiden ook enkele rivierlopen tezamen, zodat stilte en resonerende sfeergeluiden zich aan zijn gitaar konden hechtten. Zijn grootouders stimuleerden het talent en muzikaal gehoor van kleinzoon Johan al vanaf zijn vroegste kinderjaren. Na de volkswijsjes en spirituals en een omwegje in een rockband stortte hij zich op de akoestische countryblues. Onder die latere idolen vind je vooral Afro-Amerikaanse bluespioniers als Charley Patton, Son House, Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James en Bukka White.
In die stijl componeert Bottleneck John al enkele jaren zijn eigen blues, waarbij de Resonator gitaar en de banjo de instrumenten bij uitstek zijn om een nostalgische mood te creëren.‘Thankful’, ‘Too Bad You Had To Leave’ en het moedeloze ‘Tired Man Blues’ vertonen allen de gevoelsbedding van zijn oude blueshelden. En het piëteitsvolle ‘Blind Willie’s Tune’, een instrumentaal nummer, komt over als een elegie op gitaarakkoorden. Op meerdere nummers begeleidt een geïnspireerde Mattias Nordqvist de zanger op piano, één van de vele vrienden die op dit album meespelen.
John is zelf multi-instrumentalist, maar buiten hem geven tien medemuzikanten mee glans aan dit album dat eenvoud en oprechtheid combineert op een wijze dat alleen de integere dat kunnen, in welk land zij ook geboren zijn. De tuba op ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ of elders harmonica, mandoline, contrabas of kazoo brengen variatie. ‘I Like What I See’ intrigeert omwille van een sputterende tractor, als een primitieve ritmesectie naast dansende meisjesbenen. Maar absoluut weergaloos authentiek klinkt ‘Let It Go’ met de hartslag en de waarschuwing als van een oud volk dat in deze eeuw versterkt nagalmt. John’s diepe stem klinkt soms als een wanhopige, gegrepen door emotionele herinneringen die nazinderen.
Niet verwonderlijk dat hij nog in 2006 tussen de groten stond op het Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival in Helena. Eén jaar later was hij trouwens ook hier in België te gast toen hij op het bluesfestival in Wespelaar met zijn spirituels de Gospelmis opluisterde. Of hij nu aanleunt bij spirituele blues of meer ritmische songs met voetstomp zijn Noordelijk hart laaft zich aan zuiderse bronnen. De songwriter drukt het zelf het treffenst uit als “the blues is a companion, through good, through bad, through life…”, een zanglijn uit het ingetogen ‘Spirit In The Blues’.
Marcie, www.rootstime.be, Belgium. (Will be translated soon.. Hopefully!)

Northern Heart - Southern Soul I opet, iz daleke nam Švedske Johan Eliasson a.k.a. Bottleneck John šalje novi album Northern Heart, Suthern Soul, prepun bluesa i to onog koji kao da upravo ovog trenutka i sada dolazi iz najdubljeg dijela Delte Mississippija. Bark Lake Records zaslužan je za objavljivanje ovog, usuđujem se napisati, pravog malog remek – djela. I sigurno se pitate zašto? Pročitajte u nastavku o čemu se radi.

Bottleneck John već dugi niz godina njeguje onaj 'najteži' blues, koji svojim 'roots' elementima odbija mnoge koji nisu spremni ili nemaju dovoljno utakmica u nogama da se upuste u slušanje materijala koji kao da nam dolazi sa početka prošlog stoljeća. Tada na jugu Amerike svirao se takav akustični, tradicionalni, i mnogi to vole kazati, pomalo dosadan blues. O kakve li zablude! Netko može tvrditi ovo i ono, ali blues u svom korijenskom značenju ima obilježje zvuka gitare, glasa i tapkanja nogama, pljeskanja rukama i svega ostalog što može dati ritam (washboard - naški rečeno 'rifljača' - mnogi mladi ni ne znaju da su nekada naše mame, a pogotovo bake prale rublje na bistrim i čistim rijekama i potocima u kojima su nekada plivale ribe, klen, babuške i sl. a ne ovo, što danas pliva) Bottleneck John za mene osobno znači sve ono što sam proživio kao mladić, koji je lupio glavom o zid i tada je došlo do spoznaje da mnoge pjesme nisu napisali moji favoriti Alexis Korner, John Mayall, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton i Peter Green već su oni prepjevali…ma, priznajem vraški dobro neke pjesme od imena koja su bi bila totalna nepoznanica poput: Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Bukka White, Blind Willie McTell, Leadbelly, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Nighthawk, Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James Son House, a upravo Son House kao da se ponovo rodio u tijelu, ovog puta, bijelca, Šveđana briljantnog glazbenika Johana Eliassona a.k.a. Bottleneck Johna.

Naime, i kod ovog albuma, kao uostalom i puno puta do sada, Bottleneck John me najprije osvoji svojim toliko izvornim pristupom glazbenoj, ali i prezentacijskoj formi. Potom tu je njegova totalno nepredvidljiva inventivnost koji pali sve oko sebe. Na kraju njegova izbrušena sposobnost da oko sebe uvijek okupi najbolje glazbenike i da u studiju svi furaju isti film, tako da ni rezultat ne može biti loš, dapače uvijek svaki novi album zvuči sve bolje i bolje.

Svirka ove ekipe toliko je izvorna, izražajno obojena tradicionalnim i već davno zaboravljenim formama, da to jednostavno nije za vjerovati. Tko bi se sjetio svirati uz ritam sekciju koju daje i predstavlja: Victor Bolinder-Munktell: traktor - ritam Bo-Lennart Erikssona u pjesmi I Like What I See. Škola i duh New Orelansa I've Got A Feelin', When Everything Else Is Done i My Little QT, folk - country štih osjeća se u temama: I Still Want You, The Truth, We Can Never Tell, snažan gospel nalazimo u pravim dijamantima, skladbama poput: Thankful i Let It Go. Svi mi tražimo onaj tradicionalni blues, evo ga neobično izravno i puno u pjesmama: Rainbow Blues, Spirit In The Blues, Tired Man Blues i naslovnoj Northern Heart, Suthern Soul. Ako smo se zaželjeli blues tema, onako sa trijema… znate onu sliku: dolje prašina, vjetar koji kotrlja osušeni žbun i čegrtušu koja vijugavo prelazi cestu… poslušajte teme: Your Time in The Sun, Too Bad You Had To Leave i Blind Willie's Tune, totalno ludilo!!! Na kraju još i dodatak, bonus pjesma, kraj, nema dalje, nema više! Ma, što nema! Idemo ispočetka i tako gledam kako sviće zora, a ja sam zadovoljan i pun bluesa koji je opetovano napunio moje baterije i daje mi razloga da u novi dan krenem još jače i sigurnije.

Johan Eliasson a.k.a. Bottleneck John je izuzetan vokalist izražajnog i autentičnog glasa, izvrstan gitarist, koji u instrumentalno – prezentacijskom smislu naprosto briljira. On je na albumu zastupljen sa vokalom i svira: akustičnu 6/12-žičanu & resonator gitare, banjo, ritam - mandolinu, Foot-stompin’- udaraljke i Kazoo. Jednako tako on svoj 'mojo' sa izuzetnom lakoćom prenosi na ostale članove banda, a to su za ovaj album bili:

Lars Åstrand: mandolina & violina Fredrik Eriksson: kontrabas Mattias Nordqvist: piano Patrik Idell: Ritam gitara Stefan Swén: usna harmonika Peter Danielsson: banjo Kent Ögren: kontrabas Jan-Olov Oscarsson: tuba Mattias Olofsson: bubnjevi Victor Bolinder-Munktell: Traktor-ritam!

Pred Vama štovani posjetitelji Blues Cornera nalazi se album Northern Heart, Suthern Soul fascinantnog glazbenika Johana Eliassona aka Bottleneck Johna i njegovog banda, koji će Vas svojom svirkom i pjesmama osvojiti na prvo slušanje. Ako meni ne vjerujete pročitajte što su drugi izrekli i napisali o Bottleneck Johnu: A complete, talented and generous artist!.. - David Fraternali, Bluescat.ch , Switzerland . Extraordinary singer with a powerful and expressive voice. -Philippe Le Guennec, Blues & Co. magazine, France . ..It's as if Son House's voice has come alive again.. Deeply moving. - Don Hooper, Unplugged Records, USA

Wist hij ons vorig jaar nog te paaien met zijn project BJ & The Hound Dogs en de daarbijhorende release Howlin’ The Blues ,slaat hij ons nu murw met zijn nieuwste soloworp: Northern Heart, Southern Soul.

Een zalig album heeft BJ gemaakt, aangrijpend, soulvol en met een expressieve stem.
Sluit je ogen en je zou zweren dat je naar een doorleefde, oude zwarte Mississippi Blues meester zit te luisteren.
BJ doet op deze release een meesterlijk zet door zijn “je bij de keel grijpende songs” wat af te wisselen met folky tintjes er door te weven..hier en daar een streepje viool, mandoline, banjo, kazoo.

Alles meesterlijk gebracht, we gaan niet alle 16 (!) door hem zelf geschreven nummers gaan bespreken , want het ene hoogtepunt volgt het andere op, meer dan 66 (!!) minuten ga je mee op zijn trip door traditionele, akoestische blues.
Zijn stijl kan je wat vergelijken met Son House, de invloeden zijn uiteraard Robert Johnson en Blind Willie Johnson maar wie werd door deze heren niet beïnvloed kan je stellen. Wat ons het meest van al nog imponeerde is dat zijn songs gerust tussen die van de aangehaalde meesters mogen plaatsnemen.
Op deze release start een song met het aanslaan van een tractormotor, we zeggen niet welk lied omdat we graag zouden hebben dat je naar ‘s mans samples zou gaan luisteren (link)...Normaal gezien zijn we niet zo onder de indruk van dit soort speciale effecten maar het werkt hier zo illustrerend...Trek mee de desolate velden in , laid back, en geniet...

Bottleneck John, with your permission hereafter referred to as BJ, recently watched a few Belgium gigs go up in smoke due to the eruption of an Iceland volcano (I don’t dare to pronounce the name). But no sobbing, he’ll be back. Just check Rootsville’s unsurpassed concert calendar now and then and don’t miss him because BJ is good… Really good!

He teased us last year with his project BJ & The Hound Dogs and the Howlin’ the blues, this time he knocks us out with his new solo release: Northern Heart, Southern Soul. BJ has made a delightful album, poignant, soulful and with an expressive voice.

Close your eyes and you could swear you’re listening to a weathered, old black Mississippi blues master.

On this cd BJ makes a masterly move by weaving some folky shades through his “catch you by the throat” songs, with a dash of violin, mandolin, banjo, kazoo. All brought masterly, we’re not going to talk over all 16(!) self-written songs because one highlight follows after the other, you’ll join him for over 66(!!) minutes on his trip through traditional, acoustic blues. His style can somewhat be compared with Son House, influences of Robert Johnson and Blind Willie Johnson but one can state: who was NOT influenced by these gentlemen.

What impressed us most is that his songs fit easily between those of the masters mentioned above. On this release one song commences with the starting of a tractor-engine, we’re not saying which song because we like you to listen to this man’s samples(risky)…Normally we’re not very impressed by such special effects but here it works so illustrative…Wander into the desolate fields, lay back and enjoy…

Han har en otroligt omfångsrik och uttrycksfull röst som klarar av det mesta vare sig det gäller lugna ballader eller låtar i snabbare takt. Hans sätt att sjunga berör verkligen och sätter känslor i rullning då han gör det med verklig inlevelse. Med trycket han har i sin röst kan tro att han är född i den amerikanska södern och att han har sjungit gospel i kyrkan om söndagarna under uppväxten. Detta kan skönjas i låtarna "Let It Go" och "Thankful".

Artisten jag talar om är Bottleneck John och hans skiva "Northern Heart, Southern Soul" utgiven av Bark Lake Records (2010). Namnet på skivan passar som handen i handsken då Bottleneck John är född och uppvuxen i norra Sverige men upplevs av lyssnaren som infödd amerikan. Sanningen är att denna enastående artist har en potential att gå verkligt långt inom denna genre och då menas inte bara inom landets gränser utan även internationellt. Vad gäller hans gitarrspel så finns det absolut inget att anmärka på. Han är skicklig men svävar för den skull inte ut med onödiga krumbukter utan allt verkar riktigt genomtänkt detta gäller även sammansättningen av instrument i låtarna.

I låten "I Like What I See" kompas Bottleneck av en traktormotor. Man kan då tänka sig att detta stör låten men så är inte fallet utan det känns helt naturligt. Instrumenten Bastuba, munspel, mandolin, banjo, violin, resonatorgitarr, akustisk gitarr och piano finns med på skivan. Också valet av låtar i olika stilar visar på bredden denna artist besitter. Det finns nämligen inte en svag låt på skivan. Bottleneck John har här hjälp av ett antal skickliga musiker som också de brinner för sin musik.

Samtliga 16 låtar på skivan är skrivna av Johan Eliasson. Låtarna är: Rainbow Blues, Your Time in the Sun, I Still Want You, Iv'e Got a Feelin', Thankful, The Truth, I Like What I See, Too Bad You Had to Leave, When Everything Else Is Gone, Blind Willie's Tune, Let It Go, My Little QT, Spirit in the Blues, We Can Never Tell, Tired Man Blues och Northern Heart Southern Soul.

Jag brukar skriva att skivan svänger och det gör verkligen denna skiva men den är också World Class!

He has an incredibly extensive and expressive voice that is capable of most things, whether it be quiet ballads or songs at a faster pace. His way of singing really affects emotions and sets them in motion since he does it with genuine empathy. With the power he has in his voice one might believe that he was born in the American south and that he has been singing gospel in church on Sundays while growing up. This can be discerned in the songs "Let It Go" and "Thankful".

The artist I speak of is Bottleneck John and his album "Northern Heart, Southern Soul" released by Bark Lake Records (2010). The name of the album fits like a glove because Bottleneck John was born and raised in northern Sweden but is perceived by the listener as a born American. The truth is that this remarkable artist has the potential to go really far in this genre and not only within Sweden but also internationally. As for his guitar playing, there's absolutely nothing to fault. He is skilled but he stays away from unnecessary, excessive notes and everything seems really well thought out. Even the composition of the instruments in the songs.

In the song "I Like What I See" Bottleneck is being accompanied by a tractor engine. One can imagine that this interferes with the song but this is not the case, it feels quite natural. The instruments tuba, harmonica, mandolin, banjo, violin, resonator guitar, acoustic guitar and piano are included on the CD. Also the choice of songs in different styles shows the variety this artist possesses. There is not a weak track on the disc. Bottleneck John has been joined here by a number of talented musicians who also have a passion for their music.

All 16 songs on the album are written by Johan Eliasson. The songs are: Rainbow Blues, Your Time in the Sun, I Still Want You, I’ve Got A Feelin ', Thankful, The Truth, I Like What I See, Too Bad You Had to Leave, When Everything Else Is Gone, Blind Willie's Tune, Let It Go, My Little QT, Spirit In The Blues, We Can Never Tell, Tired Man Blues and Northern Heart Southern Soul.

I usually write that an album grooves and this one really does that, but this is also World Class!

"..It's as if Son House's voice has come alive again.. Deeply moving.." -Don Hooper, Unplugged Records, USA.

"..The Van Gogh of European bluesmen.." -Roy Bainton, Blues Matters Magazine, UK.

"..Especially the traditional song ‘Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel’ evoked true emotion; as if Blind Willie Johnson’s silhouette suddenly appeared on the church walls.." -Marcie, Rootstime.be, Belgium.

"..Enslig Mississippi-blues, mästerligt utförd.." -Mattias Pettersson, Länstidningen, Sweden.

"..Has to be some of the finest that Swedish blues can present when it comes to soulful and beautiful vocals.." -Freddy Toressen, Blues News, Norway.

"..The depth of soul in this man's voice is at the least stirring, and at the most.....entirely captivating.." -Soundclick.com, USA.

"..A genuine sensation from the cool north.." -Axel Melhardt, Jazzland, Austria.

"..During the last song the four musicians played all their best. It felt like the whole audience forgot to breathe.." -Christina Pigerl, Mittelbayerische Zeitung, Germany.

"..Desolate Mississippi blues, masterly performed.." -Mattias Pettersson, Länstidningen, Sweden.

"..A complete, talented and generous artist!.." -David Fraternali, Bluescat.ch, Switzerland.

" Extraordinary singer with a powerful and expressive voice. " -Philippe Le Guennec, Blues & Co. magazine, France.

" You’ll return again and again to the ghostly tones of “Blind Willie’s tune” which effortlessly gives Ry Cooders “Paris, Texas” a good run for it’s money. " -Roy Bainton, Blues Matters Magazine, UK.

" I was certainly impressed with this set. Some enterprising label should certainly pick him up and put his music on general release. " -Norman Darwen, BluesArt Journal, Austria.

" Able to bring you instantaneously to the moistness and heat of the clubs of the south of the USA, Bottleneck John creates a strange atmosphere once his CD is placed on the turntable.. One feels plunged into an old black and white movie.. " -Fred Delforge, ZicaZic Music Magazine, France.

" It’s hard to describe how strong and great his blues feeling is.." -Mladen Lončar, Rock Oko Radio, Croatia.

" Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" really opened my eyes to the power that is the voice of Bottleneck John. Not since Paul Robeson have I heard someone master this song with a vocal effort that is nothing less than thunderous. If there was ever a poster child for how this form of music should be done then look no further than Bottleneck John." -Steve Landy, Black Cat, USA.

" This voice has an enormous volume and rich expressiveness not only for ambitious spirituals like I woke up this Morning or Sweet Chariot but also by fast songs like Talk to me baby or an expressional version of Ray Charles Georgia on my mind.." -Oliver Hochkeppel, Sûddeutsche Zeitung, Germany.

"..don't know what to say... Your CD blew me away. I'm sure that God loves the blues and this is the reason he gave you such a voice, just great. Together with intense slide playing you created a time-travel machine that took me on a journey to the Delta of 1920s. I'm very impressed!.." -PD, Poland.

" The most exciting artist of the year, Johan Eliasson, who sings with, most likely, the blackest voice in Sweden and plays slide guitar in the same eerie haunted way as Blind Willie Johnson.." -Swedish Radio P4 Värmland.

" He can create a mood. If you close your eyes he'll take you somewhere else man. Not many people can do that!!! " -Ed Pavy, Canada.

Johan Eliasson (Bottleneck John)