Brent-Anthony Johnson is an in-demand session and touring bassist, producer, clinician, and author who has exercised his positive attitude, musical knowledge and exceptional playing ability for the sole purpose of experiencing music on the deepest level possible since 1970 when he heard a song that is one of his all-time favorite songs to this day (which he declines to name). As a life-long student of music, "BAJ" has studied under artists such as Michael Fitzmaurice, Kirwan Brown, Kai Eckhardt, Kim Stone and Jimmy Haslip. He served as an adjunct professor of Musical Performance at Naropa University as well as the University of Colorado and has been an active clinician since 1988. He has taught privately since 1979. Now, Brent is currently composing his first solo-written album since releasing the co-led offering, "Sleep Drum" in 2002. BAJ has contributed lessons, interviews, product and media reviews for Bass Musician Magazine, Bass Frontiers Magazine, Global Bass Magazine, and Bassics Magazine. The Brent Anthony Johnson YouTube channel offers free online bass lessons and his books, The BASSIST and The Worship Team, are available at Amazon.com. Brent’s Endorsements include Vinciguerra Custom Shop, Levy's Leathers Ltd., Radial Engineering, Status Graphite Basses, iGig, Gruv Gear, and AccuGroove.
music is my faith, hope, and love! music gives me the tools to function, and the focus and discipline to positively contribute to my world.
hmmm... finding a musical partnership. play as many sessions and contribute to as many recording projects as humanely possible.
end prejudices and racism. end the love of money, and the devastation that it has caused.
there are too many to mention: eleanor rigby, turn down day, she's not there, farther on, part of the plan, crackerbox palace, coyote... so many motown, beatles, and zombies songs then there's weather report, jaco, rush, brecker bros, nik kershaw...
sixun, sakesho, japan, weather report, joni mitchell, nik kershaw, jonatha brooke, miles davis, herbie hancock
the visceral and cerebral aspect of turning sounds into art.
this is what I was made to do. there is joy in being yourself.
hmmm... I'm just playing music.
being a musician in the early 21st century requires diversity of concept. as for myself, when gigs aren't available... focus on teaching, writing, and/or sessions. being an online instructor has made me available to potential students that I might, otherwise, never meet. the same can be said for being able to "fly-in" tracks virtually anywhere in the world. understanding technology (beyond your music gear) has grown far more important in the past couple decades.
so far... so good! ?
musical ignorance (in my geographic area) and the lack of viable venues in the US.
this local scene is, mostly, cover bands. there is also a lot of unnecessary politics here, unfortunately. hence, there isn't much to support.
make strong connections, do interviews and make videos and recordings to share across social media. many of today's artists are too afraid of criticism, or what unimportant oeopke think of them in general. learn to "be" - soneone will dig it!
sixun, kneebody, bisonwar, sakesho