Artist description Long before MTV began it?s very successful series of ?unplugged? specials, Johnny Z was performing his acoustic skiffle music in clubs from Michigan to New England. After years as a solo performance artist, he?s now the guiding influence of the acoustic n ew-skiffle quartet, Johnny Z and the Spotlights. Their seamless 3-part harmonies are accompanied by bass, harmonica, dumbek and acoustic guitar (naturally). Along the way, he?s developed an ability to articulate his thoughts and combine it with melody in a most appealing manner. His writing is new and fresh, yet instantly familiar. He?s allied himself with some outstandingly talented musicians, who assist him in presenting his songs. It?s the combination of these elements that have seen fruition in the r elease of En Route, his new 14-song compact disc. The CD, which contains both new and previously released material, is Johnny Z?s fourth solo recording in a career that spansthree decades. All En Route songs were written, arranged and produced by J ohnny Z, and exhibit a diverse writing ability uncommon in todays niche marketing. Johnny Z?s well-crafted songs can turn on a dime -- and often do -- switching from the lean, muscular, hard-rocking numbers like ?18 Knives? and ?My Montgomery Baby?, t o warm intelligently written, jazz-inspired pop works like ?I?ve Got Nothing Without You?. Johnny Z offers his listeners a full-tilt rock-a-billy number in ?You Know What to Do?, and a pair of excellent blues songs: ?Depending On You? and ?It Happens Th at W ay?. Each song in the CD is distinctive. He moves gracefully from tender love songs like ?L. Elaine? to amusing topicality in songs such as?Cat In a Tree?, and from the street-wise funk of ?Cover It Up? to the happy, jazz flavored farewell tune,?Go od bye?. There?s even a lovely little lullaby, ?Good Night, Sweet Dreams . . .?, which features Johnny Z?s daughter wishing her daddy ?good night? against a background of delicate tinkling from a music box. Look for Johnny Z?s follow-up release to En Route, the acoustic-based Skiffle, scheduled to be released inearly-2000. ¢R

Music Style New skiffle, with pop, rock, jazz, R&B and alternative country influences

Musical Influences Beatles, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Paul Simon, Rolling Stones, Taj Mahal, Sam Cooke, Ry Cooder, Otis Redding, Bill Withers, Motown

Similar Artists Beatles, Lonnie Donnegan, Robert Earl Keen, David Gray, Elvis

Group Members Johnny Stepehn Zawacki, a.k.a. Johnny Z (acoustic guitar, keyboard, lead vocals); Tom Loewe (harmonica, backing vocals); Ron Patterson (bass, backing vocals); Kyle Jenkins (dumbek, percussion); Gary Strauss (drums); Jon Claussen (electric & acoustic guita r, mandocello); Jeffrey Golombisky (acoustic guitar, madolin); Chris Ranney (piano); Paul Vornhagen (saxophone); Scott Kinsey (electronic percussion); John Madison (viola); Paul Urbanski (electric guitar); Pat Carmody (electric guitar); Randy Walker (pia no); Terry Kirby (lead & backing vocals); Kristin Greenfelder (lead & backing vocals); Sarah Zawacki (speaking voice); Kimberly Zawacki (speaking voice)~ b

Instruments acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, dumbek, drums, piano, sax, viola, mandolin, mandocello

Albums En Route, Uptown, Skiffle

Press Reviews If Chuck Niles carried this on his night spot on KKGO (one of America's few 24-hour jazz stations) along with a roster of boppy vocal tunes, it would stand out as a superior work even amongst the best professional output. Impeccably recorded, this work is mind-blowing in its bohemian coolness and top-notch musicianship. John Zawacki is a Ben Sidran/Mose Allison-schooler by way of Robert Kraft, with a touch of the Randy Goodrum smoothness. Toss in a bit of Root Boy Slim's askewed wit (and the group's guita rists, one of whom is JZ, ring very close to Slim's axe-man, Sex Ray Lancaster), and you round out the desription. It then comes as a shock to hear him smoothly shift gears to a gritty Elvis(-type) number on "You Know What to Do". Normally, I would compl a in of the rather high price-tag on this, but the damn thing is sooooo good that I can't. You can be of two minds on money, but good music will always make the words fall dead in your throat, and this is irresistable. Besides, the recording approaches M o bile Fidelity Sound Labs quality (and it was recorded in a small studio in Michigan!). I'd glady scrap 95% of what passes for jazz-vocal playlist material to be able to hear this on the air. GREAT STUFF! - Marc Tucker (Camera Obscura/No. 9)ˇ—

Location Owosso, MI - USA

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