Jacob Johnson: Where No Folk Song Has Gone Before

Want to thank “Judith Koepnick” for sending this vid of guitarist/singer/songwriter/ showman Jacob Johnson, who is a high energy performer that uses a wide array of styles and combines them in his songs. This particular song entitled “Waitress” starts out as a singer/.songwriter folk style song and builds into a multiple looping session with perhaps as many as 4 guitar loops going on all at once.

But wait…. and besides rhythm pattern loops, Jacob also includes multiple lead guitars (and a distorto electric sounding lead guitar) to add to the very full orchestra of sound (no not separately, but all at once)..

Jacob is not short at all with his chops, and is not afraid to go for it. He doesn’t mind taking chances here and definitely lives out on the edge. This makes for great energy live on stage, even though some of you listening might think it gets out of control at times. I know a lot of you here will also appreciate his use of song quotes. For example, a little piece of “Shortnin Bread” is here along with a famous classical piece (title eludes me right now). Just had to be the highlight if you were in the audience.

I looked around and also found some other vids on Jacob who is also big into the tapping style and quite accomplished (which I am not at all surprised by). Check out this song entitled “8 O’Clock Jive.” (hey, another title could be “8 O’Clock Coffee Jive” (remember the 8 O’Clock Coffee by A&P?) cause if I were to pull this song off, I’d have to drink a couple of pots to be able to play this fast).

Jacob Johnson Bio:
“Hailing from upstate South Carolina, Jacob Johnson is a one-of-a-kind solo acoustic performance artist who specializes in a style of guitar playing he calls “Neo-acoustic folk/funk”. In his short career he has already shared the stage with the likes of The Steel String Theory, Dave Matthews collaborator Tim Reynolds, and even funk maestro Robert Randolph. In live performances, his off-the-cuff sense of humor and tongue-in-cheek sensibility disarm the audience and leave them completely unprepared for the multilayered guitar masterworks he unleashes. Jacob thumps, taps, and slaps his acoustic guitar into submission, weaving a musical tapestry that usually climbs to sonic frenzy whilst never losing its balance or control. His lyrics, thoughtful and realistic, are delivered with the wry sort of charisma that makes you wonder if he isn’t just making it all up as he goes. And sometimes he is.”