Randy Barksdale Johnston (born December 5, 1956) is an American jazz guitarist.
Randy Johnston | |
---|---|
Birth name | Randy Barksdale Johnston |
Born | Detroit, Michigan | December 5, 1956
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument | Guitar |
Years active | 1981–present |
Labels | Muse, J Curve, HighNote |
Website | randyjohnston |
Career
editThe Beatles's performance on The Ed Sullivan Show inspired Johnston to start playing guitar in childhood.[1] He heard jazz for the first time on the album The Smithsonian Collection of Jazz and was influenced by guitarists Kenny Burrell and Grant Green.[1]
Johnston's family moved to Richmond, Virginia, when he was thirteen.[1][2] He was a member of rock bands that performed at parties and school dances.[1] In the late 1970s he attended the University of Miami, occasionally involved in jam sessions at a Unitarian Church with Ira Sullivan.[2] In the early 1980s he moved to New York City and worked with Warne Marsh, then as a sideman with Houston Person and Etta Jones.[1][2] Person produced his first album, Walk On, which was engineered by Rudy Van Gelder.[2] He has worked with Joey DeFrancesco, Lou Donaldson, Lee Konitz, and Lonnie Smith.[2]
Discography
edit- Walk On (Muse, 1992)
- Jubilation (Muse, 1994)
- In A-Chord (Muse, 1995)
- Somewhere in the Night (HighNote, 1997)
- Riding the Curve (J-Curve, 1998)
- Homage (J-Curve, 2000)
- Detour Ahead (HighNote, 2001)
- Hit & Run (HighNote, 2002)
- Is It You (HighNote, 2005)
- People Music (Random Act, 2011)
As sideman
editWith Houston Person
- The Party (Muse, 1991)
- Why Not! (Muse, 1991)
- Christmas with Houston Person and Friends (Muse, 1994)
- All Soul (HighNote, 2005)
- Moment to Moment (HighNote, 2010)
With others
- Joey DeFrancesco, The Champ (HighNote, 1999)
- Lou Donaldson, Relaxing at Sea (Chiaroscuro, 2000)
- Della Griffin, Travelin' Light (Muse, 1994)
- Della Griffin, I'll Get by (Muse, 1996)
- Etta Jones, Sugar (Muse, 1990)
- Etta Jones, Christmas with Etta Jones (Muse, 1990)
- Eddie Landsberg, Remembering Eddie Jefferson (Berghem, 2002)
- Johnny Lytle, Possum Grease (Muse, 1995)
- Jack McDuff, Another Real Good'un (Muse, 1990)
- Irene Reid, One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (Savant, 2002)
- Bria Skonberg, So Is the Day (Random Act, 2012)