Eric Johnson @ La Machine du Moulin-Rouge, Paris - July 2nd, 2026

It has been a decade since Eric Johnson last graced a Paris stage, and little appears to have changed. That is very good news indeed. Long regarded as one of the finest guitarists on the planet, Johnson has never belonged to the school of instrumental rock that mistakes complexity for depth. There are no labyrinthine Frank Zappa detours or Allan Holdsworth harmonic puzzles here. His music draws as much from the blues, country and jazz as it does from rock, always favoring melody over mathematics. Even when the guitar takes center stage, the songs remain the point. It helps that Johnson is also an underrated singer, his warm, understated voice recalling David Gilmour's ability to serve the song rather than compete with it.

That philosophy is reflected throughout the evening. Johnson's astonishingly fluid playing finds the perfect foil in bassist Daniel Kimbro and drummer Tal Bergman. Together they groove, swing and breathe as a true trio. Even when the music shifts into heavier blues-rock territory, the rhythm section never resorts to brute force. Johnson's warm, understated vocals, reminiscent at times of David Gilmour, are treated with the same restraint as his guitar playing. Kimbro's melodic bass lines wander independently beneath the guitar, while Bergman propels everything forward with remarkable finesse. It's a powerful band that never feels heavy-handed.

The set's highlights are many. Elegant readings of "Caravan," "Stella by Starlight" and "On Green Dolphin Street" showcase Johnson's deep affection for the standards, while the encore, a soulful rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Bold as Love," serves as a reminder that he is, at heart, a blues player. The loudest ovation is naturally reserved for "Cliffs of Dover," the instrumental that made him famous, and it remains every bit as exhilarating as ever.

Eric Johnson's gift has never been virtuosity alone. Plenty of guitarists can play faster, stranger or louder. Few can make extraordinary musicianship sound so natural, so lyrical and so inviting. Rich without becoming dense, sophisticated without excluding the listener. Sometimes simplicity is the highest form of mastery.