I've been waiting SO long to see Johnny Hates Jazz live. They created one of my All Time Favourite Albums(TM) and one of The Best Albums Of The 80s with Turn Back The Clock in 1988.
And if I can just apologise right now for the fact that I didn't get the name of the musicians that accompanied Clark & Mike on the night but you Musician fellas will insist on shouting out the names which I can't understand. Anyway - it was an excellent band and gave the music depth and dynamism.
Johnny Hates Jazz don't have a huge canon of Music but what they have is glorious.
With Clark leaving the group of Himself, Mike Nocito and Calvin Hayes back in 1988 their second album Tall Stories featured singer songwriter producer Phil Thornalley instead. Look out for Clark interviewing Phil on his Journey Song version of Greater Good later in the blog.
Johnny Hates Jazz
Turn Back The Clock (1988) Tall Stories (1991) Magnetized (2013) Wide Awake (2020)
And to celebrate it's 30th anniversary in 2018, Clark & Mike recorded and released a beautiful acoustic version of Turn Back The Clock. Seek it out.
The Last To Know - from Tall Stories
Clark Datchler
Raindance (1990) Medicine Wheel (1992) Fishing For Souls (1992) Tomorrow (2007)
Journey Songs Vol 1 (2022) Journey Songs (2023)
Clark Datchler - Crown Of Thorns
Clark then went on to produce several albums in the 1990s and 2000s which he is now currently revisiting in his Journey Songs releases. These releases went on to prove that Clark was still a man who could write and make some fabulous music. Part 1 is out already Part Two is taking orders on the Johnny Hates Jazz website - link at the end of the review. He has also recorded videos to accompany these songs which you can find on Youtube,
Journey Songs 2 Trailer - set for release in November 2023
On the night The Band concentrated on the three albums with Clark, Turn Back The Clock, Magnetized and Wide Awake. With Mike taking a back of house position on stage with his bass, it left Clark to work his front man onstage magic to wow the crowd. And wow he certainly did. With a ton of professionalism he proved he still had the voice and the musical chops to cut it here in 2023.
The band kicked off with the title track from the Magnetized album and straight away the audience knew they were in safe hands for the evening.
Magnetized
Greater good came next and showed there was so much more to this band than just the Turn Back The Clock album. But it was good to see there were other die hard fans in the crowd that knew the words to these songs from the other albums.
Greater Good - Journey Songs Version with Phil Thornalley
But obviously the biggest cheers came when the band played any song from Turn Back The Clock, which they skilfully sprinkled like magic dust throughout the set. First of these was the uptempo Don't Say It's Love
Don't Say It's Love
New Day Ahead from Wide Awake quickly followed before we have another jewel from the Turn Back The Clock album in the shape of the gorgeous Different Seasons. In my opinion, many of that albums best songs weren't released as singles back in 1998.
Different Seasons
The band did have a couple surprise tucked up their sleeve for Part 1 of the show- the first was a splendid version of the Earth Wind & Fire classic, September, which was just fabulous. A great singalong moment from the crowd who upstairs were up and dancing in their seats
September
Following the exuberance we the band headed once again to the Wide Awake album for the AHA-esque No Mistakes, I can definitely hear Morton singing this and think that it WAS a A HA song.
The end of Part 1 was another highlight as Clark introduced Lottie Law to the stage, who the band had been working with for their time with the 80s Classical Orchestra album. Another excellent release worth a purchase.
Turn Back The Clock
Obviously, the crowd went wild for this one and everyone headed for the bar and the merch stand well happy.
Part 2 kicked off with another title track - this time from the Wide Awake album. another uptempo opener.
Wide Awake
ANother of those Turn Back The Clock classics comes next as the band launched into the hit, I Don't Want To Be A Hero.
I Don't Want To Be A Hero
The lovely Ghost Of Love from Magnetized slows the pace which really should have been a killer single back in the day. How Clark never settled or found his way to Nashville, I'll never know. Perhaps he had a 'Sliding Doors' moment. If I ever meet him, I'll ask him.
Ghost Of Love
Magnetized also gives us the next track, Man With No Name.
With only 4 songs left to go we are taken back to the Turn Back the clock album for the huge hit single Heart Of Gold before my favourite Johnny Hates Jazz song, Me And My Foolish Heart hits my ears, I was worried they wouldn't play it as it came so late in the set. I've included the gorgeous Acoustic version here in the blog for you to hear it.
Me & My Foolish Heart (Acoustic)
Again, we go all A Ha-esque for the penultimate track in the set, Lighthouse from the Magnetized album. It's keyboard and guitar riffs really remind me of A HA. I can see why Clark ended up writing with Mike Rutherford for several Mike & The Mechanics songs.
Lighthouse
The final track was ALWAYS going to be the band's greatest hit - the mighty Shattered Dreams, which went down a storm tonight and was the end to a really perfect night of 80s nostalgia.
Short of playing the Turn Back The Clock album in it's entirety, I don't see how the band could have done any better.
Shattered Dreams
But, I hope Clark noticed how fantastic the sound quality was and what a lovely baby grand piano Acapela Studios have. SO if he ever fancies an evening of Journey Songs live in the future I hope he considers coming back to Wales. I'd love him back, that's for sure.
Twitter (X) - @JHJ_Official @ClarkDatchler
A fantastic show from johnny hates jazz hope they come back soon met Clark after the show and Mike amazing set they did and a great review of it thanks 👍
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