"Crazay" by Jesse Johnson, Featuring Sly Stone

Funk/soul guitarist Jesse Johnson and music legend Sly Stone duet on this ultra-tight groove. Johnson wrote and produced "Crazay," a bumpin' synth-laden funk track. He crafted the perfect groove to showcase Sly's soulful voice. The multitalented funk pioneer really shines here, and it's cool to see him back in his element doing his thing. The track also has a great synthesizer intro and a funky slap bass line. It's a high-energy groove with a joyful, celebratory vibe. 

The video for the song is also top-flight. It's filled with infectious energy and bright psychedelic colors, giving it a 1960s Haight-Ashbury flavor. And Sly and Jesse both look like they're having a blast. When the song was released in 1986, Sly looked primed for a major comeback, because he was really on his game here. Unfortunately, the big comeback never materialized, but it's still a very cool track and video. Anyway, comeback are not, Sly was the guiding force behind one of the most influential bands in contemporary music and a true music innovator.

"Crazay" was the first single from Jesse's sophomore album Shockadelica (1986). The track performed well on the charts, rising all the way to #2 on Billboard's R&B singles chart and reaching #53 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it peaked at #22 on the charts in New Zealand. Shockadelica is an impressive collection of tracks, and it showcases Jesse's skills as a musician, songwriter and producer. 

Jesse Johnson is one of the most talented artists to emerge from the Minneapolis music scene, spearheaded by Prince back in the 1980s. He's a talented songwriter/producer and a highly gifted guitarist. He was the lead guitarist for the funk outfit the Time and helped write their hits "Jungle Love" and "The Bird."

After a nearly 14-year hiatus from the music scene, Jesse released the double album Verbal Penetration on October 27, 2009. He joined acclaimed neo-soul artist D'Angelo's band, the Vanguard, in late 2011.

The visual quality of the video is kind of dodgy, but it's the best one I could find that allows embedding. The sound quality is cool, though.


Download Crazay at Amazon

Related blog entry: "Love Struck" by Jesse Johnson