It had been a long day, following an out late Thursday evening listening to some really good blues at Denmark's Copenhagen Blues Festival. Invested were several hours on the Internet looking over the thirteen different acts on Friday night's festival slate, and visiting lots of web sites to listen to sample tracks/cuts. It was so difficult to settle on just one to hear live. (Or two at the most, since it might be possible to hear one and then squeeze into a later set at some other club.)

Making a decision like that drives me crazy--I just know it might be the wrong one. But, with much thought the decision was made: we would give "Bottleneck John" a try.

The room was claustrophobic in size and plain beyond words--no stage, just a few tables and chairs, a couple of speakers (not hooked up), and the sounds of uninvolved and uninterested people eating just across the way. The crowd for the music wasn't a crowd at all. At the appointed hour for the music to begin it was obvious that a mistaken decision had been made... there were a dozen folks (at most) ready and attentive for the blues. Oh no! Surely the (maybe) tens of thousands of Danes who would hear live music that night couldn't all be wrong-- and just us few in the little ground level room at Hussets Café right.

There wasn't even someone from the Festival there to introduce him. So the guy clutching the metal faced guitar walked over and stood before the chair centered between the speakers (still not connected) and began by saying "I'm Johan Eliasson from Sweden . . . ".

He didn't talk long and I don't remember anything else he said because the only thing in my head was that little voice saying: "Oh man! You dummy, you should be over at Mojo's listening to SomeOneElse...look at this pitiful turnout...and, there are so few people here you can't even sneak out unnoticed."

But, when Johan Eliasson stopped talking and he let "Bottleneck John" sit down...well... magic happened.

I don't how, but suddenly the reincarnation of some now long dead Mississippi delta bluesman was playing his Amistar Reso-Phonic guitar like it was an extension of his being... an appendage of his soul, a part of his being.

And when he sang it was like some alien's mother ship had tractor-beamed that 35 year old Swedish born Johan Eliasson into its evil airborne lab...scraped out Johan and stuffed him with the insides of an old black man with bad teeth...fresh from a full day of back breaking pickin' in the hot and dusty cotton fields.

[Now listen readers, I know what I'm talking about: Born a mile and a half from the corner of Beale and Main Streets in Memphis Tennessee, I grew up in a house less than 200 meters from a cotton field in West Memphis Arkansas. Hey, I know a little something about about cotton sack breaking and acking back, toothless black men and their blues--at least I have seen it.]

Real blues...the stuff that comes from the heartache and pain of real life in the fertile fields of the broad delta of the mighty Mississippi river back during those terrible times of inequality. John's were REAL blues, or a so close substitute that it was impossible (for me) to tell the difference. "Bottleneck John" is not some slick, button-downed studio hawker with a digitized, synthesized, commercialized and focus group selected "unique and marketable sound".

Nope, this is like what Robert Johnson actually played on the front porch of some Mississippi River delta grocery store, while sittin' in a rocker and singin' the roots of what has today become "The Blues".

But, Robert Johnson was not in Copenhagen that Friday night--this was "Bottleneck John", and when I closed my eyes it became so real that I could almost hear the pops and scratches on the records of the 1950s...where I had first heard that soulful music. Mine was most often heard on the RCA Victor wooden cabinet, console radio and record player which was the centerpiece of our modest living room. Long before anyone in town had one of those new television things, we had a radio that was a lot bigger than a TV set is today. It had a speaker a full foot across and, during the day our "maid" (we didn't call her our "mammy", but she was) would tune in WDIA, the AM radio station over in Memphis which we all knew as "the Negro station". A station, which in the 1950s had a "Beale Street Blues Boy" singing live on the air. That name was later shortened to "Blues Boy" and, later still to a simple "BB". That is right, B.B. King played right into my living room, live, when i was kid--listening.)

We would listen to "Negro music" until time for mom or dad to get home...and, then 'Louise' would re-tune to "yall's kind'a music". Yep, I grew up on real blues...and, through the magic of an alien mother ship (or something) you too can relive the experience.

Do yourself a favor--if all you know about "the blues" is hard driving dancin' music you need to make the chance sit at the feet of "Bottleneck John" for an hour or two--more if you are really lucky. And enjoy a little time travel back to the roots of good, down home, cotton pickin', God-fearing, closely kin to church music, blues...take the trip...and, don't worry about those tens of thousands of folks who are not smart enough to be exactly where you are.

DenverD
A Texan in Denmark
www.Texan.dk

"..So imagine the scene; a big, brown leather chair and a roaring fire, cocktails and bourbon in abundance, friends, talk and laughter and the very best in laid back blues and acoustic guitar, with a voice that can lift your soul. That, in short, was Bottleneck John and most definitely my favourite act of the night.."

"..With enthusiasm and feeling the Johan Eliasson Band provided the cultural-cellar on the Fronberger road. The swedish guitarist enchants the audience with moving, amitious spirituals and the true blues.

Music always been his life. He was only 3 years old, when his grandfather recorded his first songs on tape. Today, Eliasson belongs to the best musicians the blues scene in Scandinavia has to offer. That he comes on his first "acoustic blues and spirituals-tour" to Bavaria borders on a miracle. The Schwandorf audience was pleased, because the Friday’s concert can be regarded confidently already as a cultural high point of the year.   The fact that the bands first concert together was on Wednesday was hard to believe: Eliasson and the swedish pianist Mattias Nordqvist, the Abensberger drummer Stephan Ebn and the double-bass player Gary Todd – a living jazzlegend – made their program the first time on wednesday.. But the musical performance was unbelievable.

Blues is my life, said Eliasson at the beginning of the concert. And already after the first piece, the spiritual “Stayed on Jesus”, the audience knew what he meant with it. Fortunately he found the spirituals and the blues for himself some five years ago.

During his songs he has the needed sensitivity and feeling, both on his guitar and with his voice, to keep the spirit high. The profound, intimate lyrics are complemented by interesting bass-improvisations and marvellously lyric and jazzy fill-ins and walking-basses on the piano. Most impressive was his version of “Amazing Grace”. At the latest starting from "Blues with a feeling" one could easily compare the Felsenkeller with a jazz bar in New York.

The traditional music from the delta region in the south of the USA shifted the listeners into an omitted and pleasantly eased mood. Well known, classic spirituals like “Swing low, sweet chariot” are the high-points. During the last song “Where the green grass grows” the four musicians played all their best. It felt like the whole audience forgot to breathe, with such devoutness the Schwandorfers listened.

The spectators were fascinated by the high musical and tonal skill, with which Eliasson makes this old music form living. One thing was sure, that this wouldn’t be the last song of this evening…"

Wow, this man has real talent.

I'm from perth Australia and just discoverd the blues. I am a Keb Mo and Eric Bibb fan but I tell you, what this talent is equal to those two classy acts.

I recommend Bottleneck John for any blues collectors mix.
Keep them comin Bottleneck John, this is true blues at its best.

I've been listening over and over to your mp3 tracks for the last three weeks. That's all I care about! Thanx very much. You inspired me to improve my singing.

You put so much soul in your thing it's amazing! Thanx very much. Keep on keepin' on!

"..Blues man, singer/songwriter, guitar/car collector etc etc . We honestly don't know how to label strong voiced Johan Eliasson. Think: a black American Van the Man. Only, he's a white bloke from Norrland(northern Sweden).."

"It's as if Son House's voice has come alive again. Deeply moving!" ...

..Wooowww!! I got your promo-pack this morning...and I've spent the whole day in the office here..drinking good coffee & listening to some of THE BEST blues music I've EVER had the pleasure of hearing!

Sorry buddy - I'm gonna embarass you here...but, in my 30-plus years of following the blues - both
listening, & talking to the 'legends'...in my humble opinion you're up there with the best of 'em - believe me!!
Seriously, the 'soundclicks' you post on the various forums show you can 'do the business' - but listening to your work on these two C.D.'s just prove to me that you really are a true master of the acoustic blues
genre...and i mean that!! - Fantastic!!

www.diamondbottlenecks.com

Artist: Bottleneck John
Song Title: Tired Man Blues
Genre: Blues
Sub-Genre: Country Blues

I think Im going to burn my guitar and never sing again.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/5/bottleneckjohnmusic.htm

The moment this guy starts singing......you KNOW you are listening to an ancient, weathered black man from the southern US, who has endured all the hardships that life could possibly offer. The toils, trouble and inhumanities have burned an imprint into a hardened soul. Great. Then you check out his page and find out that hes a thirty something as white as you can get guy from Sweden.

This music is nothing short of incredible for the genre. Either this gentleman has been possessed by the spirit of a roaming Delta Jook-Joint
long dead madman, or hes just plain genius. Im pretty sure its the latter.

The depth of soul in this man's voice is at the least stirring, and at the most.....entirely captivating. To top it all off......his traditional bottleneck accompaniment on vintage pre-war resonator tricones and duolians are so perfect for the genre that if we added some phono hissing and record scratches......we wouldn't know that we weren't listening to a lost blues legend. I don't say any of this lightly.

Wow.

If you like the Blues, and particularly the Delta (country) Blues, I can almost garuntee that you will hang on to this guy's MP3's.

Absolutely amazing John. Amazing.

Hi Johan, I finally sat down and listen to every song on the CDs you sent me and I'm very impressed with your musical talent. Very professional arrangements. Very listenable music.

The MudCats "First Takes" CD captured the excitement and sound of the 50s & 60s electric blues. Your vocals have the necessary range and strength to lead the action. Your slide work is dynamite. Your harmonica player Stefan sounded like his was "channeling" Little Walter at times - very strong harp riffs. Sven, Kent and Per added their considerable talents for a perfect synergy on this CD. Every song was solid blues.

The "With Heart & Soul" CD was very "very" good. This CD was very introspective. I kept thinking about Stevie, the love of my life, the woman of my dreams, as I listened to the soulful songs "Forever more" and "I miss You." They both have a soft western sound to them. The words "I gave her all I had to give still I got more in return" from the song "I miss You" touched my heart in a special way. Hard to listen to this CD with dry eyes.

The Hot Tamales "All Over Again" CD is GREAT! Absolutely Great. Let me ask you "Did you and Uif (the Hot Tamales) grow up in the Mississippi delta region of America?" You can't be from Sweden - not with that raw blues sound in your blood and in your music. You definitely capture the soul of delta blues on this CD. I liked it very much! As you say in your liner notes, "For all the good and bad that'll pass along our way, we've gotta be thankful for each day..." And I'm very thankful for your CDs you passed along my way.

Thank you very much Johan. Best Wishes for your continued success in your music and in your life. Please pass along my compliments to your fellow musicians. I've recommended your CDs to others on your gallery posting on my web site. Best Regards, Jack

/ Jack Walsh    www.goyaguitars.com