Former Daytonian Nathan Lewis (guitar) recently discussed Ernie Johnson From Detroit, which also features Brendan Blumer (drums), Eric Osmanoglu (bass), Drew Loftspring (guitar), Wayne Kilgard (saxophone), Collin Thompson (trombone), Walt Azagba (trumpet), Rob Stamler (percussion) and Ben Tweedt (keyboards).
Live in studio: “We tried to capture our live sound with this record. A lot of people say that, but we really had a clear vision of what we wanted. We knew the songs, so we were able to go in and capture it pretty much live with very minimal overdubs. When a record has energy, that’s part of it, and we were able to do that. We’re proud of the record and everybody we’re hearing from thinks it’s great.”
Creative environment: “We’ve had a few different studio experiences and working with John was great. He worked very efficiently. He understood what we were trying to do, and he met us there. He’s a yes-guy. ‘You want to try this?’ ‘Sure, let’s do it.’ He entertained some of the silly stuff we were thinking. He’s just a great guy and the vibe really fit us well.”
Ernie Johnson From Detroit performs the title track to its new album, “Swamp Nymph!”
Regional expansion: “We’ve played a bunch of new places and played to new people since we released the album at the beginning of March. We’re returning to some places we haven’t been in a while. We also expanded our scope beyond Ohio. We made a conscious effort to push this regionally. Nothing is going to happen if you’re not doing something, and the response has been positive. We’ve got lots of great feedback on the record. We’re selling records and merch at shows, so it feels like how it’s supposed to happen.”
Sound investment: “We’re not doing anything that hasn’t been done before but we feel we have something very different to offer. We’re staying true to our vision of the band and the more time we invest in it, the more we sound like us. People are enjoying it, and everybody feels good about what we’re putting out.”
Contact this contributing writer at 937-287-6139 or donthrasher100@gmail.com.
HOW TO GO
Who: Ernie Johnson From Detroit with Jah Soul
Where: Yellow Cab Tavern, 700 E. Fourth St., Dayton
When: Saturday, April 15 at 9 p.m.
Cost: $12 in advance, $15 at the door; cover charge starts at 8 p.m.
More info: 937-424-3870 or yellowcabtavern.com
Artist info: erniejohnsonfromdetroit.com
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