Eric Johnson Live And Beyond CD

Eric Johnson & Alien Love Child: Eric Johnson (vocals, guitar, piano); Malford Milligan (vocals); Steve Barber (Hammond B-3 organ); Chris Maresh (keyboards, bass, background vocals); Bill Maddox (drums, percussion, samples).

"Rain" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Recorded during a three-date stand at Austin institution Antone's blues club, LIVE AND BEYOND finds Eric Johnson playing with a much warmer tone than the more sterile work that's plagued some of his '90s studio work. Accompanied by bassist Chris Maresh and drummer Bill Marsh, the Texas-born guitar virtuoso flexes his considerable talents on instrumentals that contain ethereal phrasing and high-flying fretwork within a few bars of each other ("Zenland"), chugging blues-rock ("Enzo Shuffle"), and a slightly jazz-inflected workout ("Rain").

Storyville frontman Milford Milligan guests, in the process adding some grit to the proceedings via a sizzling cover of Jimmie Vaughan's "Don't Cha Know" and the slow-burning blues original "Once A Part Of Me". EJ pays further homage to his roots with "The Boogie King," a tribute to John Lee Hooker that goes from a modest shuffle to a sizzling tour-de-force. Wrapping up this impressive in-concert outing is "World Of Trouble," a studio cut that finds Eric Johnson setting aside guitar histrionics for some soulful blues playing.

Principally recorded live in Texas, January 2000.

Full performer name: Eric Johnson & Alien Love Child.

Engineers: Richard Mullen, Burke Hunn, David Hough.

Personnel: Eric Johnson (vocals, guitar); Malford Milligan (vocals); Bill Maddox (drums).

Recording information: Antone's, Austin, TX (1995).