The Drifter CD; Jr. Johnny’s tribute to Sonny Boy

‘THE DRIFTER’; A Tribute To Sonny Boy

The Drifter Reviews

• “Cd title says it all. Jr. wants to pay tribute to one of his great masters, but he has not done a simple version copy…his tribute is more focussed on the emotional feelings and a pesonal new conception. As usual, Johnny plays with a very suggestive intimistic fluent style and again surprises the audience with his effective, perfectly built piece of work as he normally does. Johnny follows on an ascending line and he is gradually maturing, not only as a harp player and song writer but especially as a singer ~ and I must confess the more I listen to him the more I enjoy him. All songs included on the CD are very personal compositions that he performs with an original, honest, and very sincere distinctive mark… which makes him different from other musicians, and which has made him reach high recognition in the New York Blue’s scene. Jr. Johnny shows himself as a real passionate blue’s musician who really enjoys himself with his music…and makes other people enjoy and love it too…which, finally, is the only important thing. VERY GOOD !”
  Vicente “Harmonica” Zumel, La Hora Del Blues Radio, Barcelona, Spain

• “Johnny, i am really impressed with your new cd. “The Drifter”. I put the cd into my player and i was blown away! Your harp playing is very powerful! I love the big fat tone of your harp. It brings to mind all the masters of the 1950s. Both Little and Big Walters, Snooky Pryer etc. The whole cd. is great! It’s low down and dirty, raw and powerful without studio tricks and fancy arrangments. Straight from the heart! Johnny it would be a pleasure to persent your music in my shows and direct my listeners to your website. Thankyou one more time for the beautiful music you’ve sent me. Let’s stay in touch.”
  Best wishes from your Polish promo guy, Przemek Draheim

• “Definitely the CD of the trimester – a real monument this bluesman! He lives and breathes the blues because he is the blues. The amazing thing is that I have never heard of JR Johnny and I suspect I am not alone. What am I going to do about it? Contact promoters, distributors, radio programmers and disc jockeys, all sorts of merchants… wait a second, that’s a lot of work! At the very least I can tell that Johnny Ruzich, the Bluesy Bohemian, is an extraordinary cat. This is a bluesman of serious import who presents himself through a 6-album collection of recordings under his own name, an ongoing career that stretches from Vietnam to various day jobs to keep food on the table, not to mention illustrious contacts with the likes of Mike Bloomfield, Jimmy Witherspoon and the legendary John Lee Hooker who gave Mr. Ruzich his moniker: “JR.” The sound is based in Chicago Blues, as JR tells it “the first time I saw Muddy Waters, I just freaked out.” Dedicated to the late Rice Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II) with the glorious track “Sonny Boy,” this CD contains 13 titles that are sung with conviction and depth through a smoky and raspy voice perfectly suited for the blues. A fine harmonica player as well, JR makes it breathe, moan and wail to great effect especially when in tandem with the out-of-this-world guitar riffs laid down (as if by magic) by the unforgettable David Litchtiger. His performance on this record helps elevate the whole affair above the everyday and into the realm of classic blues recordings. It’s a perfect CD, well-balanced and filled with a feast of blues music held in place by an impeccable rhythm section consisting of Stephen Minnich (gtr), Gil Cruz (bass), Clifford McComus (drm). Lyrical in my praise? Perhaps…. Excessive? Never! It’s a masterpiece and I invite you all to discover it. I await your reactions on the Blues’n Co forum.”
  Trans, Paul Linden.