Midnite Johnny Band

The finalists are:
Adelaide Roots and Blues Association: King’s + Associates (Tales Of A Rich Girl)
Central Delaware Blues Society: The Little Red Rooster Blues Band (Lock Up The Liquor)
Dutch Blues Foundation: Robbert Fossen Band (Get Off On It)
Northeast Ohio Blues Association: Jake James (Front Street Blues)
South Florida Blues Society: Midnite Johnny (Long Road Home)
The final results will be announced on Saturday January 26, 2019 at The International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee.

"Long Road Home" CD Review by La Hora Del Blues

link

After growing and getting a solid reputation as guitar player and singer in South Florida, Midnite Johnny Moraña has now settled in United Kingdom, where he is developing an interesting musical career which has been enthusiastically received by his many fans who faithfully follow him. Not in vain Johnny is a versatile guitar player who easily moves among styles like blues, rock-blues, rhythm and blues and classic rock and he does it with an stunning guitar technique, which brings to our minds such great guitar players like Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana, Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, Otis Rush, or even Freddie King, who make him found his inspiration but always with a distinctive, daring, brave tone, which gives to his music a plus of personal originality. Midnite Johnny is now working to develop his composer facet, you will discover in ten of the fifteen songs that round up this attractive album, some of them in collaboration with his keyboard player Steve Zoyes, who also contributes with two original songs. Yow will also find some versions like "Crazy Mama" coming from JJ Cale, "Baby Batter" by Harvey Mandel and "Key To The Highway" attributed to Big Bill Broonzy or, according to other specialized researchers among them I find myself, to Jazz Gillum. Midnite Johnny is an artist to be taken into account, with a good future ahead and a lot of good things to give us. VERY GOOD.

Delighted to receive this review from The Nashville Blues Society on our latest CD... Have you got your copy yet!!!

MIDNITE JOHNNY "LONG ROAD HOME" MOSHER STREET RECORDS PLP 1850

YOUR NEW OCCUPATION–SLOW BURN INSIDE–CRAZY MAMA–LONG ROAD HOME–LOOKIN GOOD–TIRED OF FOOLIN AROUND–ALL THE BLUES–MOTELS, WHISKEY, AND ME–BETCHA BY NOW–BABY BATTER–HEARD THAT ONE BEFORE–KEY TO THE HIGHWAY–OUTTA TIME–THAT’S ALL YOU GONNA GET–LONG ROAD HOME (ACOUSTIC)

Guitarist Midnite Johnny (Morana) was long a mainstay of the south Florida blues scene, and, since his relocation to the UK, virtually the whole round blues world knows he’s here! His latest set is the aptly-titled “Long Road Home,” thirteen originals and one cover that shows his penchant for blues, rock, and roots music. With a style of playing rooted in that of the masters, he opens the set with a favorite, the infectious boogie of his lover’s “New Occupation–makin’ a fool outta me!” A fine, jazzy, slow-blues cut might well play out Johnny’s life as a road-warrior bluesman, for, sometimes, all that’s left is “Motels, Whiskey,And Me!” Johnny hits a strong Clapton-inspired vibe on a tune to which we can all relate, as Steve Zoyes’ acoustic piano rides over Johnny’s shout-out to all his debtors, “I can’t give what I ain’t got, and that’s All You’re Gonna Get!”

Johnny covers two standards in his own inimitable way, too. His slide guitar is the catalyst on an uptempo read of J. J. Cale’s “Crazy Mama,” while Big Bill’s “Key To The Highway” is presented in the spirit in which it was written–Johnny’s vocal and guitar only.

We had two other favorites, too. “Long Road Home” digs on a Muddy groove, with a rollin’, tumblin slide, as our hero proclaims he “coulda had religion, but bad luck and whiskey would not let me pray!” The set closes with this song presented in an entirely different light–it is done in an acoustic setting complete with a string section, and becomes an ethereal, almost reverential, beautiful ending to this album.

Midnite Johnny has won over legions of fans “on both sides of the Pond!” His may have been a “Long Road Home,” but,we believe he’d say it’s all been worth the ride! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.

Hi guys... our latest CD "Long Road Home" is now available link

Here's what CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher at Midwest Record had to say "MIDNITE JOHNNY/Long Road Home: A meat and potatoes white boy loaded with blues rock made it from south Florida to the UK with a load of recognition along the way still keeping his vibe in tact. Highlighting the rib sticking good stuff that you always come back to, this is how to do the basics right without making it seem basic. Solid stuff that might keep you up all night, but it won't be with indigestion. Hot stuff".

I hope you all approve... MJ

was really excited to hear Paul Jones (BBC Radio 2) play one of the tracks off our latest CD... if you haven't got yourself a copy or heard it yet..... what ya waiting for

have a good weekend

Hi all
well, the new CD is finally being released this week and I am busy getting ready for a couple of CD release shows before going back to the UK and my beautiful wife.... I have uploaded two tracks from the CD 'So Complicated' please have a listen and let me know what you think..

MJ x