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American R&B and soul singer and producer Al Johnson debuted as lead singer of The Unifics in the mid 60's and enjoyed a successful career as songwriter and producer after leaving the group. He is also well known as a producer of Terry Huff's classic album The Lonely One.

His first album Peaceful was released from a minor label called Marina Records in 1978 and was produced by Lloyd Price.

Ten years into his role as poster boy for pop soul and peak-hour R&B, Syl Johnson did an unlikely about-face and cut the most inspiring and powerful song he'd ever touch. Issued on 45 in September of 1969, "Is It Because I'm Black" struck an immediate chord within the black community, forcing the song up the charts by sheer volume of call-in requests. It would be Syl's biggest hit for Twinight, climbing as high as #11 on the Billboard R&B chart during its 14-week stay, marking the defining moment of what had become more than just an occupation. Syl had his hands on a career and worked tirelessly rehearsing his next opus, an album of songs reflective of the changing times. With "Is It Because I'm Black" still bolding the pages of Billboard, the coming LP's title appeared to Syl plain as day _ or, in this case, black as night. Issued in April 1970 _ a full 13 months before Marvin Gaye's What's Going On _ Is It Because I'm Black can rightly be called the first black concept album, a distinction few give it credit for. But that factoid, whatever its meaning then or now, failed to inspire music buyers: Johnson's record never got a whiff of the two million copies Gaye's did in its first year of availability. Syl lays the blame squarely on the record's lack of marketability to a white audience. The album's cover didn't exactly move units either. Photographer Jerry Griffith dragged Syl to a burned-out building on 43rd Street to shoot the back cover image, and he finger-painted the iconic title over a stock photo of an eroding brick wall. The title track, coupled with the politically charged "I'm Talking About Freedom" and ghetto conscious "Concrete Reservation" sealed the album's cool reception as the work of an "angry black man." Which is unfortunate, as "Together Forever," "Come Together," and "Black Balloons" are positively uplifting, forming their own pot of gold at the end of a grayscale rainbow. The album's closer burns the brightest. "Right On" devolves into a full-on party track, ending with Syl riffing on the line "I'm gonna keep on doing my thing," as if to answer his critics before their needles reached the run-out groove.

Amsterdam based DJ and producer Perdu aka Alain van der Born returns to Live At Robert Johnson for his second release: On his Illusion Of Choice EP, Perdu drives his sound one notch harder, yet retains his trademark 1980s tinged vibe. Perdu has already secured releases on DGTL Records, Heist and Let’s Play House amongst others, and surely is a keen producer to keep your eyes and ears on.

A1 Archi gets into gear with a straight and focused beat arrangement. It’s a trippy uptempo vibe, intertwined by a slightly modulated Arpeggio-Bassline and its transposed twin figure.

A2 Grey Rush features a filtered broken beat, quickly rushing inbetween sprinkled effects and noises, off into a resonating Bass figure and outstanding melodic arrangement, both which dominate the better part of this energetic track.

B1 Sitrao doesn’t hesitate long in letting a pounding Kick Drum escort you right into an uptempo Cosmic vibe. It’s that arpeggiated Bass, catchy melody and silky pads, which might just get those hands in the air again.

B2 Blue Rush is a subtle variation of Grey Rush, omitting the resonating Bass figure. Yet it doesn’t compromise its level of energy, as this keeps the beat stand out contoured, compared to its twin track Grey Rush. credits

2023 Repress

Life At Robert Johnson is a natural home for Superpitcher, and this two tracker shows his sense of belonging.

Lush Life featuring vocals by Fantastic Twins was inspired by Corsican polyphony, an epiphany after a church concert though as ever with Superpitcher, simplicity is multi-layered: the track itself could be a trip back to the golden (rave) days of deep electronic US house à la François K, dubby yet peacefully driving the ecstasy home. No religious gospel euphoria though, the lyrics are a pagan hymn to Eventide presets. You can’t take the geek out of the schatzi.

Diario stretches its 10 minutes in a misleading laidback groove: Sueno Latino languid clichés are blown away by a smoothly unforgiving acid line. This is a trip, not a journey, a trip dedicated to the young raver in all of us and to a friend too soon departed. As Pasolini said in the poem of the same name: “That’s why I've never abandoned happiness, that’s why in the anxiety of my sins I’ve never been touched by real remorse. Equal, always equal, to the inexpressible at the very source of what I am”

In other words, kids, keep faith out there.

More than anyone, Blind Willie Johnson embodies the archetype of the cursed bluesman. Despite the fact that his records have sold fairly well at his time, or that one of his ballads (Dark Was The Night, Cold as the Ground - that also gives the name to this compilation) was included on the Voyager disc launched into space in 1977, the American singer/preacher has lived his whole life in total misery. However, his powerful voice fascinates. His guitar style, a mixture of picking and slide, will influence several generations of musicians. And like many of his contemporaries, it was not until the 1960s that his talent would finally be recognized at its fair value (via the work of the brilliant Reverend Gary Davis).

The eagerly awaited second release from Roland Johnson, backed with the equally brilliant “Can’t Get Enough” on our Yellow series brings the fabulous Yours and Mine from the first album – Imagine this – to vinyl. Elmore magazine said; “Yours and Mine” and “Promised Land” bring to mind the loving duets of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, sounding perfect for film.

and when reviewing the flip; The horns and saxes are crisp and energetic. Johnson co-wrote 9 of the 10 songs including the inviting up-tempo opener “Can’t Get Enough” with its O’Jays influence.

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Roland’s first album, “Imagine This” was released by Blue Lotus Recording studio in 2016. This album was a deliberate move into mainly self-written songs and marked the desire by Roland to break out to wider audiences, gaining even more success than that shown by his live performances appreciated by all on the St Louis and Beale street Blues and Soul Scene.

Often compared to Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, which you can hear the influence, but Roland Johnson is a singer destined to come out of the shadows.

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The success and increased interest in Roland’s first album bright about more interviews with the Missouri press and News, with interviews and award nominations celebrating his highly successful blend of heartfelt Southern Soul with a classic vintage delivery in a new way. In the UK Brian Goucher of Vibe UK picked up on the album and reviewed it excellently.



I dot think we need to add much more than that in all honesty, Roland is the real deal, hit the play buttons and decide for yourself.



Mark n Des

Recorded inside of the latter’s Blue Lotus Recordings, Roland Johnson's “Best Outta You” is truly a collaborative affair between he and a pair of talented multi-instrumentalists, Kevin O’Connor and Paul Niehaus IV. All geared up to highlight the skills of the 71-year-old local soul legend. The recording, alongside the beautiful ballad “Ain’t That Loving You”, comes with a host of players and contributors outside of the core trio, many of them true local legends on their own. “Best Outta You” comes short after the release of the Long Player “Set Your Mind Free” and rides along the very same extremely positive vibes.

After his contribution to the "Lifesaver Compilation 4 - 21 (Dedicated To Andrew Weatherall)" last year with the pumping "Let's Hide Away", Damiano von Erckert presents his first proper full four tracker on LARJ. Expect dreamy moments with a lot of punch and great vocal snippets as Damiano dominates the bass drum in his masterful way.

A1 "MOONS" sucks you in with light and groovy bongo patterns which build the foundation for an uplifting track that's a bit dark around the sunnier side of things, yet still keeps the positive message: You and I can make it!

A2 "A MONSTER TO LOVE" sounds a bit like a modern take on the "Captain Future Theme", yet much deeper and darker. Atmospheric but built on one hell of a monster groove.

B1 "THESE ARE THE MOMENTS (FOR ZIMNI)" has epic qualities and is full of the uplifting moments we all need - not only Zimni … It does have a certain British sound to it and will definitely rule on a lot of dancefloors with its majestic bass line and whipping hi-hat.

B2 "WISHES" is reminiscent of yet more British sounds from the early 90ies (think Warp and early Nightmares On Wax). The beautiful vocal sample helps build up the tension here before a driving 303 bass line kicks in and takes no prisoners. You better wish for moments like these indeed … and relish them.

DIE NEUE ZEIT

Old time? New time!

And of course an exciting time - and thus time for DIE NEUE ZEIT and their eponymous high-speed statement "WIR SIND DIE NEUE ZEIT"!

But who is behind DIE NEUE ZEIT? We simply don't know! And we don't want to know. What we know is that these two daredevils race through their theme tune with sheer intensity - there simply is no stopping them - and you better don't - because when that cow bell gets loose … heaven forbid!

For extra extensive play of "WIR SIND DIE NEUE ZEIT" we strongly advise to make good use of the vocal AND the instrumental version playing both back and forth until all dancers surrender to the rhythms of DIE NEUE ZEIT.

Now tanz' die neue Zeit und geh' in die Knie und klatsch in die Hände, beweg' Deine Hüfte! The new time has come!

The incredible production. opus - complete with a stunning diva lead vocal, incredible scurrying strings,and an irresistibly catchy song that sounded like it was the equivalent of Ashford & Simpson on steroids -became me a massive disco anthem when released on the United Artists label. It was loved so much on both sides of the Atlantic that Ian uses the same backing track some time later to record a male vocalversion for AVI by LJ Johnson. Compared to the all conquering Barbara Pennington gem it went under the radar of everyone except the disco cognoscenti, despite being rather good in its own right.Now after tracking down the original 24 track studio masters, the two versions have been remixed by Paul Mooney to create a unique boy-girl duet.It sounds like it should have been done in the first place, and dare we say even better than the original “solo” versions.

Live At Robert Johnson introduces SIRS to its artist roster, with a two-track laid-back Balearic disco EP, reducing the tempi to bring on a nicely crafted and floating cosmic groove. Arrived EP kicks off with Keep Forgetting, a laid-back and slowly evolving cosmic vibe, which lets you forget the daily routines and hardships for a while. On the flip-side, Junee widens the Balearic panorama with added pads, uptempo beats, and a heart-warming synth line. Available digital-only, Call Me turns a notion of long-distance longing into a punchy downbeat, with floating chords and melodies building into a labour-of-love tune. Daniel Klein aka SIRS (read: Sounds In Real Stereo) has come a long way since getting acquainted with electronic sounds in the 1980s and into DJing just a decade later, inspired by the early Hamburg gay scene. His mid-Nineties relocation to Ibiza and Mallorca has clearly informed SIRS’ productions and overall style, which features on many remixes and co-productions, as well as his own tracks and label SIRSOUNDS.

Live At Robert Johnson welcomes Amsterdam-based DJ and Producer Alain van der Born aka Perdu to the Club, who already made his marks with Releases on DGTL Records, Heist, and Let’s Play House amongst others. His contribution is a Four Track EP called Soaring Flights, including a Digital only Bonus Track. On this EP, Perdu champions a full-on 1980s sound, which hits more than one Chord in Live At Robert Johnson’s very own set of Styles.

Dystopia (co-produced by Tjade) is a High Energy Track, in which a raw and stoic Bass Riff slowly working its way into a Break. It’s the first Break in which the Atmosphere heats up significantly and subsequently sustains for the remainder of this quite enjoyable, and not quite dystopian rush on the Dance Floor. Retrograde immediately kicks off with a South American infused Rhythm Loop, joined by a deep and analogue Bass Serpentine, with bubbly Acid sprinkled along the way. Rise Of F5 brings back those 1980s signature pumping Kick and gated reverb Snare Drums, employing melodic and slightly haunting elements, which eventually dissolve in Euphoria and a Melody to hum along with (or shout, if you prefer). Somehow It’s Different Now concludes in a slightly different and quite mellow vein, that lets you leave this EP on the easy side. Available Digital Only is the Bells Mix Version of Perdu and Tjade’s Dystopia, for those inclined to a more melodramatic Dystopia with added playfulness thanks to—you guessed it—Bells (no whistles, we promise) …

Live At Robert Johnson kicks off 2021 with a new cut above the rest thanks to Benjamin Fröhlich, who dons a cosmic Acid-to-Italo four-track EP. Whether „Club Fantasy“ insinuates the phantasy of clubbing in times of a pandemic shutdown in global club cultures, or a club by the name of it, lies within the ears of the listeners. Either way, Benjamin’s ties with the Robert Johnson club can be heard resonating throughout this fantastic EP.

Club Fantasy (Club Version) introduces a a happy 303 reminiscent bouncy bassline, supported by relentless rim shots, fast-forwards the Club Version of the title track directly into the uplifting domains of well-established sounds. Sparse echoing vocal snippets, encouraging us to dance, and by the time the piano stabs finally kick in, it’s all hands up for your very own club phantasies. Club Fantasy (Fantasy Version) boasts a less peaky signature, while working a more playful and driving treatment of the title track, supported by mellow strings, a harder kick and subtle room reverberation. On the flip-side, Escape presents a warm, emotional and cinematic Italo soundscape, featuring floating arpeggios, which flash like coloured strobes in the dark. Benjamin’s final track, Dream Machine, is a beautiful kaleidoscope of sounds, slightly more energetic yet moody, that is sure to catch everyone's ears on the dancefloor.

As a co-founder to Munich based record label Permanent Vacation, but also as a DJ and producer, Benjamin Fröhlich’s musical involvement traces back many years in the Cosmic Disco and Balearic scene, and into the networks of both Robert Johnson club and its label.

Chicago-area native Josh Johnson’s vital presence in the vanguard of new jazz music is evident by his features on countless critically-acclaimed
projects like Jeff Parker’s Suite for Max Brown and Makaya McCraven’s Universal Beings.
When he moved to L.A. eight years ago, he thought his stay would be temporary. The saxophonist and keyboardist would spend enough time there to learn from his heroes Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, but not a complete geographic pivot. But eight years later, Johnson is still in L.A., where he recorded his debut album Freedom Exercise with three ‘musically omnivorous’ friends (the very quality that inspired him to stay on the West Coast).
The songs on Freedom Exercise reflect this idea of genreless exploration ‘ a fluid combination of jazz, post-rock and electronic music. Ultimately, Johnson’s compositions are concise yet expansive, like an intimate gathering in a sprawling city.

The follow-up to Johnson’s lauded Balsams album, The Cinder Grove delves further into the compositional possibilities of the pedal steel guitar.
This halcyon collection of tracks draws on a wider palette of sounds, adding strings and piano, to dive deeper into the sound bath of Johnson’s meditative music. The Cinder Grove is a profound, affecting statement on the nature of loss and irreplaceability as well as a major addition to the canon of Johnson’s increasingly seminal work.