Ron Davies, The Beatles, Yeats, Rimbaud, Amma, Jesus, Ghandi, Guy Clark, Townes van Zandt, Picasso, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Carl Jung, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed, Ry Cooder, Jessee Ed Davis
Sounds Like
Essential Americana Records
~The Best Of 2008~
- Barbed Wire Productions
Recommended Albums "2008"
- American Music Belguim
Tengo Ranchito Reviews...
John Nelson delivers each song with a calm, almost moist vocal that draws a little from Paul Simon, an accent-less Graham Nash, and a gentle Neil Young. His voice is elegantly calming as it and the harmonies melt into the disciplined guitar picking and tender band. It all feels so effortless, as it it floats out of Nelson and his band. Tengo Ranchito, Nelson's 2007 release succeeds in gently, beautifully squeezing out your breath.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, John picked up his cousin’s acoustic guitar when he was 14, fell in love with the blues, The Beatles and the beat poets, and began composing his own tunes. He writes in a rootsy Americana style, etching out narrative character sketches rich in visual imagery and observation. These characters might be a vagabond, steel worker, a poet, out of work drifter, ‘47 woody or a waitress from a small town diner. Themes explored include wanderlust, jilted love, transformation, dreams and hope. Influences include Townes van Zandt, Guy Clark, Jimmy Reed, Freddy King, Tim Hardin, Ron Davies, Muddy Waters, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Picasso.
John’s new CD, Tengo Ranchito (May 2007) offers listeners a mix of folk, blues and country textures with 13 originals and one cover. Featuring acoustic guitars, fiddle, Dobro, and harmony vocals and backed by ace musicians Alice Stuart, Jeff Simmons (Frank Zappa), Chris Leighton (Bill Frisell, Laura Love), Jon Parry (Hank Williams Jr., Danny Barnes) and Orville Johnson these tunes come alive. From honky-tonk piano to blues inflected slide guitars, to the Appalachian sounds of Dobro & fiddle on “Light On the Shore”, the arrangements underscore the stories without overwhelming them. Accordion and nylon string guitar add texture to “Sail Away” and Hammond B-3 organ backs several cuts including the classic “Satisfied Mind”.
Other CD’s by Nelson include Soliloquy, a record of tasteful instrumental guitar music inspired by weekly visits at Children’s Hospital in Seattle. In 2003 his song Lindsey was selected for the NW Harvest benefit CD: A Night Of Song For World Harmony. This live concert and recording featured 17 rising Northwest singer-songwriters. A duo record, Coast Bound Train, was released in 2005 with guitarist/songwriter Max Schwennsen, an alumni of The Atlanta Rhythm Section and Doug Kershaw’s band.
John Nelson is also an engineer/producer of note, having worked with many artists including blues great Guitar Shorty, jazz bassist Gary Peacock, Gypsy musicians Inti Illimani, Grammy nominated African master King Sunny Ade and folk musician Brian Bowers.
Tengo Ranchito Reviews...
Wow, what a good record. Old hand John Nelson sounds great, the playing is crisp,
and the songs are endlessly engaging. It's nearly Country Rock, with the addition
of drums and some brushes across a Tele and an Epi archtop on several tunes. The
one cover, "Satisfied Mind", and the lead off "Small Town Girl" rock pretty well
too, but while the whole record maintains a good groove, Nelson usually gets the
job done acoustically. The title cut is an intricate story, and the next song,
"Light On The Shore" is hushed and hopeful. It just gets better from there -
one dreamy mix of marvelous musicianship mated to thoughtfully wrought stories
after another. And whereas Nelson's last outing, a duet with Max Paul Schwennsen,
was an exuberantly rough record of tub-thumpin' and fishin' harmonies, Tengo Ranchito is
spankin' clean and Nelson works hard to get things just so. Oh, Boy does he!
- Tom Petersen Victory Music (November 2007)
Only weeks ago we received an email from John Nelson with the question of
whether his 'Tengo Ranchito 'we could review. For me he was unknown
and I first went web 'surfing' to see what information could be obtained. Usually
John Nelson is playing acoustic guitar on this album but he did call on Jane Milford
(BG vocals), Chris Leighton (drums), Jeff Simmons (Piano) and Bella Trio (violin). After the
first listen to this album was my initial reaction ... wow. A mix of
Neil Young and Bob Dylan and for me there may be Eagles in a pinch. Country
and Folk are mixed together with beautiful poetic texts and these are all from
the pen of John himself. Certainly not in a loud 'Barrel House' presentation, let
alone at a festival where beautiful immediately goes into the fog. No, John Nelson
you should you listen to in a club where there is respect for song writers like
him or by the fireplace with a glass of wine.
14 Tracks are equally beautiful and harmonious with the singing of Jane, this is
certainly a feast for the ear. From the magnificent 'Tengo Ranchito' to the wonderful
instrumental 'Wysteria' to the dreamy 'Horses With Wings' piece by piece poetry.
The need for some luck anyway in a small corner that is full with mega successful and
others less to do with all these people are just as John Nelson who live for their
music and truly enjoy with their guitar in hand and take away equal time with their
music. Beautiful!
(Belgium)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RADIO COUNTRY CLUB
<br />1st March 2006 - 1st March 2009
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<br />Country Music - Best Regards
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Just to let you know that you’re on the current show broadcasting on:
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Tom Fahey Productions – Now that's Americana Radio
Thanks for the add. If you get a chance check out the show broadcasting on:
CMR Nashville Radio Six International kyouRADIO San Francisco WGWG 88.3fm N&S Carolina WorldFM Tawa 88.5 New Zealand Country Music 24 Germany GoldRush 1440 New Zealand Moozikoo Radio Nashville
Details of music played and links to artists web sites from http://www.americanaok.com/
Tom Fahey Productions – Now that's Americana Radio
I am very excited! My first book Passage to Freedom is available for purchase now, from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and bookstores worldwide. Passage to Freedom is a guide to happiness and spiritual fulfilment that provides exercises to help readers along the way. These techniques incorporate visualisation, intention, meditation and self-healing. You can find more information on my website at www.dawnmellowship.com. I hope you will decide to purchase the book and I hope that it helps you find the spiritual answers you need.
Hey John, Thanks for coming out to Highway 99 Blues Club on Tuesday. Great tunes man! Love your song writing, and playing. Lets do it again sometime. -JD
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