“Complete Mythology”: Syl Johnson, Numero Group & The Road Less Traveled
Those crazy crate diggers at Numero Group have done it again. Their latest release -- "Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology" -- is a whopping 6 LP box set, complete with the meticulously prepared packaging Numero has become known for, that provides a complete portrait of a soul & blues singer whose name is all-too-often forgotten despite the commendable contributions he made to the world of music from the late '60s forward.
Check out Numero's official "trailer" for the release, which dropped in mid-November:
A recent profile on Johnson from the Chicago Reader (well worth the read, if you've got a few minutes) describes what the album contains:
Complete Mythology contains 81 Johnson tracks recorded between 1959 and 1977. The bulk are from his stint at Twinight, 1967 to '71. Eleven are previously unreleased, and the set also includes rarities for short-lived labels like Cha Cha, TMP-Ting, and Zachron as well as songs issued only in Japan. Nearly all the music predates Johnson's 1971 signing to Memphis powerhouse Hi Records—at various times home to Al Green, O.V. Wright, Ann Peebles, and fellow Chicagoan Otis Clay. The set packages the same material on four CDs and six LPs, along with a photo-packed 52-page book that includes a detailed essay by Shipley and thorough song annotations by Reader contributor and blues and soul scholar Bill Dahl. Despite the $75 price tag, Numero expects to sell out the initial run of 5,000 by year's end.
The set is an excellent snapshot into the life of a musician who truly can be described as among the hardest working in show business. Whether you're a lifelong fan of Johnson's work or completely unfamiliar with the name that made the microscopic Twinight Records into a label people still remember today, there truly is something for everyone in the set's 81 songs, from hard hitting soul to raw blues to borderline gospel.
The album's release has put Syl back in the spotlight for an audience that by and large barely knew he existed beyond the heavily-sampled "Different Strokes" they've unwittingly heard in dozens of rap songs over the years. He's selling out shows around the country, playing for enthusiastic (and often young) crowds who've already begun wearing out the grooves on their "Complete Mythology" box set. And he seems to be enjoying every minute of it as if he never left the stage.
All in all, the record makes for an uplifting listening experience, and -- when coupled with the extensive history included within the liner notes -- is well worth the price.
