Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, the latest from bluesman Mike Zito (and Friends), arrives 1 November via Ruf Records. Joining Zito in this endeavor is a wide range of guitarists, including Luther Dickinson, Alex Skolnick and, for a rendition of Berry’s quintessential tune, “Johnny B. Goode”, Walter Trout.
It’s an essential pairing: Trout’s scorched Earth Stratocaster maneuvers meld nicely with Zito’s, equally blistering Telecaster tones. Though the song itself is well-worn, it’s not the less necessary for it, especially on a compilation featuring some of Berry’s greatest compositions. Really, if you can’t/don’t play “Johnny B. Goode” what’s the point? Moreover, Zito and Trout remind us of Berry’s bridge between the blues and rock ‘n’ roll and that without him, guitar-slinging as we know it today just wouldn’t exist.
Zito says, “I had the idea for this video for the past year. A really fun, throwback to early MTV kind of vibe. Director Bill Megalos captures the old school feel perfectly. Getting to make this video with my hero, Walter Trout, is pretty much the coolest thing ever.”