by Jim Newsom
The appeal of the blues is its earthiness, simplicity, honesty and the humanity of its purveyors. Got to Find a Way has all of these; plus, it's a rockin' good time from beginning to end. Anchored by five originals and several classic blues songs, this disc finds Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson and his band, the Magic Rockers, dishing out the real thing. In fact, it's so real that when the rhythm guitarist hits the wrong chord toward the end of "Home Alone," the mistake is left in rather than being doctored with a retake or studio magic. Lynwood Cooke's saxophone and Johnson's own guitar versatility help Got to Find a Way stake its claim in the crowded field of modern blues recordings. In addition, this is an enhanced CD featuring video of Johnson performing acoustically.