POP MUSIC REVIEW : Jesse Johnson Turns Out to Be Prince of Performer in Anaheim

Once upon a time, Jesse Johnson was content to be Jesse Johnson, a fiery young man with a strong sense of identity. Unfortunately, Johnson has now decided it’s better to be Prince-ly. At least, that’s how it seemed at the Celebrity Theatre in Anaheim on Saturday.

From the moment Johnson strode on stage sporting a long pink coat, his every move smacked of the Purple One’s, from the careening guitar-playing to the spacey raps about love. After telling the audience for the fourth time that his show was “a house party,” Johnson wisely allowed the groove to guide his show.

Indeed, many songs flowed into each other in the fashion of go-go music, stopping just long enough for the drummer to establish the new beat. Yet, for all the groovaciousness, several songs were marred either by an excessively loud sound mix that overwhelmed the vocals or shapeless riffing.

While trying to place himself as the new Jimi Hendrix, Johnson offered too many guitar solos that went nowhere fast. It was only on the slower numbers that he was able to communicate emotions effectively through solos that were better thought-out.

Much of the new material from Johnson’s “Every Shade of Love” album is strong, especially “Stop-Look-Listen,” “Everybody Wants Somebody to Love” and “I’m the One.” Although he brought along an excellent backup band with four horns and an energetic female singer, Johnson’s live versions never came close to capturing the impact of the album.

The same can be said for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, whose opening set was long on strutting and short on the terse rapping that made them hip-hop kings in the early ‘80s. Glaringly absent from their 35-minute set was “The Message,” while newer songs such as “Gold” and a remake of Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride” came across as perfunctory at best.

Only rapper Melle Mel’s solo hit “White Lines” packed any real punch. An effective message rap, it received less than the response it deserved due to the bloated lead-in from the rest of the set.

Both of these artists can turn out vital, captivating street music. But “the message” they may deliver to fans with performances like these is to save your ticket money and stick with the records.