April 5, 2003
Randy Johnston Jazz Guitar
Saturday, 5-7 PM

ELECTRIC BLUES MEETS BEBOP
WITH TONY LEONE ON DRUMS
AND TOM PEITRYCHA ON BASS

In conjunction with the
2003 Amazing Bronx River Flotilla Festival

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) is pleased to present a late afternoon of Jazz featuring the guitar styling of Randy Johnston.

Immediately after the Bronx River Festival all are welcome to come over to the Bronx River Art Center at 1087 East Tremont Ave. to chill out with some cool jazz and refreshments. A five-dollar suggested donation will be accepted at the door.

Johnston blends blues, bebop, up-tempo burners and ballads into a style and sound all his own. That sound, while bright and buoyant, carries with it an unmistakable warmth, as if he caressed each note before letting it fly. He can also dazzle with his speed of light single-note runs. He is after an emotional connection- direct and electric- with an audience. The key to this guitarist's appeal is how successfully he has blended various inspirations to create a fiery jazz/ blues style that reaches both head and heart. It is this convergence of sounds that has made Randy Johnston one of the hottest jazz guitarists both in the United States and abroad.

Johnston was born in the Midwest, and raised in Richmond, Virginia from the age of thirteen. Since arriving in New York in the late 70's, he has recorded six CD's as a frontman and nearly 30 as a sideman. His fluid playing style is featured with some of the finest upcoming as well as established modern jazz musicians. He has performed and recorded with such jazz notables as Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Houston Person, Etta Jones, Lionel Hampton and Joey DeFrancesco among others. Besides numerous concert and club dates throughout the East and Midwest, he has also been a professor of jazz guitar and conducts seminars throughout the U.S.

Johnston has established a musical base overseas, as well. He has made extensive tours of Central Europe including Spain, Germany, Holland and Italy, with numerous performances in England, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. His foreign listening audience of nearly 20 million people has been generated via broadcasts over Danish, Finnish, and Swedish National Radio.

Randy's music can be heard regularly on WBGO FM JAZZ 88. His latest CD, Homage is a tribute to all his favorite influences, from Montgomery to Martino, Hendrix to Cedar Walton, and even Frank Sinatra. This album opened to critical acclaim, as stated in a July 2000 Vintage Guitar Magazine: "It features everything about him that I like. His technique is incredible, he's as smart and technically brilliant as anyone, and he plays with the soul of a 100-year-old man . . . In all, this is one of my favorite jazz guitar albums of the year."

With his natural music ability, dedication, determination, Johnston has earned the nickname The Falcon. Jim Ladiana of 20th Century Guitar says of Johnston's style: "Gaining momentum and soaring high above them, he plummets, producing a jet stream of three octave passages of melodious current. His graceful flight and tasteful playing becomes more evident as he shows great respect for the masters nearby."

Mr. Johnston will be backed up by Tony Leone on drums, and Tom Peitrycha on bass. On this early spring evening the Trio will sooth their audience with original jazz compositions, material drawn from the great American songbook and new interpretations of the classic jazz repertoire.