Primary Instrument: Saxophone
Johnny Butler is a multi-genre musician, composer, and teacher. He's a member of the Brooklyn, NY music community and grew up in Seattle, WA.
Butler performs nationally and internationally solo (with my saxophone and laptop), with my band Scurvy, and with numerous other groups.
Currently, he plays with The Skeletons Big Band, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, Sonia's Party and the Everyone's Invited Band, Ryan Snow's Pull, Indra Raj, Afuche, and Astoria based fusion group Dak Dies. I've also made recent appearances with Joe Lally of Fugazi, Scott Stein of The Ramblers, Margaret (Rhodes) Butler, and the Stumble Bums.
In addition, Butler donate my time and music to Musicians On Call, a not-for-profit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in health care facilities.
Johnny Butler graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with a BM in Jazz Studies and Performance with an emphasis in classical composition, studying with Gary Bartz, Robin Eubanks, Billy Hart, and classical composers Randolph Coleman and Lewis Neilson and have continued my studies with Lenny Tristano disciple Connie Cruthers, Vijay Iyer, and Ableton Live sponsored electro-acoustic violinist Todd Reynolds.
“Johnny Butler is a musician to look out for. I love his playing.” --Gary Bartz
“Johnny's complex compositions--sometimes satirical and political, sometimes emotional--reflect his intelligence and unpredictability.” --Conservatory Magazine 2006
“I got sucked into said mesmerizing world on Tuesday night while listening to Johnny Butler's Quintet at the Cat. "This guy's the greatest. It's a real pleasure to play with Johnny Butler…it really comes out in the music," said Ryan Snow, trombone. His original compositions were indeed the stars of the show.” --Lillian Copeland, Oberlin Arts Editor
“Butler’s solo was outlandish; it was hyperbolic speech translated through the saxophone. He developed a narrative, thinking out loud and responding to his own quirky comments. Everything was related and jumbled up in a big conversational pot: soul spoke to blues which responded to honk which spoke to squeal which screamed at swing. --Oberlin Review
“If you don’t know Oberlin, or Jazz, or Ortleibs [in Philadelphia]…here’s your chance. I can tell you that these musicians are amazing, so take the time next Thursday to catch the show!” --Ian McFarlane, Philadelphia.MetBlogs.com
“Johnny is an interesting and forward thinking musician…” --Robin Eubanks
