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Randy Johnston

Electric blues meets bebop with contemporary influences. An exciting convergence of sounds that has made Randy Johnston one of the hottest jazz guitarists both in the United States and abroad.

January 2006 marked the release of "Randy Johnston Live", a full length DVD trio recording. This comes on the heels of the audio CD "Is It You?" which was a major hit on jazz radio in 2005. His previous eight CDs "Hit and Run","Detour Ahead", "Homage", "Riding the Curve", "Somewhere in the Night", "In-A-Chord", "Jubilation", and "Walk On" have all recieved critical acclaim and commercial success. Johnston's recordings have throught the years featured an impressive array of sidemen including Grady Tate, Joey De Francesco, Benny Green, Eric Alexander, Idris Muhammad, and the legendary Johnny Griffin among others. These albums feature both original material and compositions drawn from the great American songbook as well as new interpretations of the classic jazz repertoire.

Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1956, Randy Johnston moved to Richmond, Virginia when he was thirteen years old. Since arriving in New York after attending the University of Miami, Florida in the late 1970's and early 1980's he has performed and recorded with such jazz notables as Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Houston Person, Etta Jones, Lionel Hampton, Jack McDuff, Warne Marsh, Lee Konitz, Tom Harrell, and Irene Reid. Randy has toured the world many times concertizing including stints in Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa.

The key to this guitarist's appeal is how successfully he has blended various inspirations to create a firey jazz/blues style that reaches both the head and heart. "My influences are a diverse group for sure" says Johnston. "Guitaristically I would say Wes Montgomey, Pat Martino, Grant Green, George Benson, Jimmy Raney, Kenny Burrell, and even B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix have played a role in my development." Of equally profound influence have been the great horn players such as Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis and also pianists such as Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, and Wynton Kelly. Singers such as Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles in fluenced Johnston's soulful phrasing. Finally, saxophonist and producer Houton Person played a significant role as a mentor in enhancing Johnston's general musical knowlege and recording skills.

In addition to his performance and compositional talents, Randy Johnston has achieved distinction as an educator. He is currently on the jazz faculty at New York University; the State University of New York at Purchase, New York; and the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford, Connecticut.

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83
Album Review

Randy Johnston: People Music

Read "People Music" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


Perhaps more than any other musical instrument, the guitarists of today come drenched in the music of highly diverse musical genres. The instrument has been a fulcrum of expression, from folk, country and blues to jazz and rock--with a smidgen of classical thrown into the mix as well. Thinking about it, the task of developing as a guitarist has got to be daunting, with all of those musical bases to cover. With People Music, celebrated guitarist Randy ...

192
Film Review

Randy Johnston: Live at the Smithsonian Jazz Caf

Read "Randy Johnston: Live at the Smithsonian Jazz Caf" reviewed by David Adler


Randy Johnston Randy Johnston: Live at the Smithsonian Jazz Café Mel Bay 2006

Archtop guitarists don't come more highly qualified than Randy Johnston. This live trio date finds him in excellent form, backed by bassist Tom Pietrycha and drummer Tony Leone. After an opening groove-jazz version of Hendrix' “Up From the Skies , Johnston wends his way through four originals and tackles classics such as “Impressions , “Secret Love , “Billie's Bounce ...

132
Album Review

Randy Johnston: Is It You?

Read "Is It You?" reviewed by John Kelman


When most folks think of baby boom generation jazz guitarists, the names that invariably come to mind are Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, and John Abercrombie. But while these players have all made great strides forward, there's a second string of guitarists who, while moving forward in smaller steps, are equally worthy of attention. This list includes players like Vic Juris and Dave Stryker, who have significant bodies of work behind them that demonstrate a depth of vision and ...

151
Album Review

Randy Johnston: Detour Ahead

Read "Detour Ahead" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


One of the few no nonsense guitarists of the current set following in the footsteps of Tal Farlow, Chuck Wayne, Johnny Smith, and other mainstream legends, Randy Johnston has built a solid catalog with varied and disparate albums for such labels as Muse, HighNote and J Curve. He also counts among his supporters and employers Houston Person and Joey DeFrancesco. It is the former who produced Detour Ahead, which also happens to feature the latter.

Recorded in 1998, this date ...

126
Album Review

Randy Johnston: Homage

Read "Homage" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


Beginning with 1991’s Walk On and continuing through two more Muse dates (all of which are currently out-of-print), a few sets for High Note and then 1998’s Riding the Curve, guitarist Randy Johnston has championed his own take on the mainstream jazz guitar tradition, doing so with not much of any fanfare whatsoever. But with his second effort for Cincinnati’s J Curve label, Homage, things just might start to change for the better. Johnston believes it to be his best ...

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Album Review

Randy Johnston: Homage

Read "Homage" reviewed by Jim Santella


Guitarist Randy Johnston pays homage to nine influential jazz artists with his 7th recording as leader. Johnston leads a strong quartet that has been augmented with four horns for this session. Rich Shemaria’s straight-ahead arrangements give the ensemble a full, big band sound without burying the individual contributions from each member. The leader’s fluid pick technique, seamless phrasing, and lyrical delivery make things flow gracefully from start to finish. The title of Johnston’s tune “Pat and Wes" offers a clue ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

People Music

Random Act Records
2011

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Is It You?

HighNote Records
2005

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Homage

Verve Records
2000

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