Tales from the Jazz Side with Vashon Johnson episode #21 Tales from the Jazzside

This episode of  Tales will be coming from bassist and composer Vashon Johnson.



I must admit that it has been a long time since I last aired the show. I recorded this podcast over five years ago and never got around to launching it. But we are back now and ready to hit the road and get some great interviews from some incredibly talented musicians and artisans. happy that my first show for this “come back” is with my “little brother”, Vashon Johnson.



I’m excited to have as my guest on this episode of tales not only a friend from way back in the day, but someone I feel is like a younger brother. I met Vashon Johnson through my husband Travis Shook when they both were playing with Betty Carter. Since then his career has blossomed and his musical journey has taken him into territory that is definitely not considered jazz. As always and for all of the guests on this show, I have the utmost respect and admiration for this young man’s talent and determination. When an artist explores their love and passion for their craft, so much so that they begin to explore all the possibilities the creative course has to offer and then some, that’s when I know that the exploration itself is the evolution of the performance.



So much has transpired in his career over the years and our interview was a wonderful way for me to catch up to the happenings in his life. I am very proud and thankful that he took time out to do the show. I have only one regret and that is I should have used the power cord when recording the show because the battery ran down and we lost a bit of the show, only a tiny bit though. What does that mean? It means that I will have him again on the show and we can get his parting words of wisdom.



About Vashon Johnson



Crediting significant influences in his life, his list is topped by his parents and Mr. Weber, his grade school band director. Regarding his artistry, it’s bassists like Byron Miller, Darryl Jones, Angus Thomas and Tom Barney among his motivators and mentors.



The BeginningAt a very early age, Vashon Johnson discovered his profound love of music. By seven years old he began taking formal training in classical piano and continued over a span of eight years. His musical prowess developed quickly and steadily. At 10 years old, Vashon was a trombone player by position in his grade school band, but he was a bass player at heart. He literally pleaded with the band director for a spot as a bassist. After some rapid-fire progress, shortly after entering Gwendolyn Brooks Junior High School in Chicago, he was selected as a member of its award-winning jazz ensemble. Vashon continued to hone his craft throughout high school, excelling in music performance and theory. He was the recipient of many “Outstanding Performer” awards and played in numerous all-state music ensembles.



Vashon and BettyShortly after graduating from high school Vashon connected with one of his friends who had a gig with the legendary Jazz Singer Betty Carter. Betty had a reputation for graciously affording young artists an opportunity to prove they had the chops for live performance. With a spirit reminiscent of his plea to the band director a few years prior, Vashon vigorously petitioned Betty for his chance on stage with her. Evidently, this impressed Betty, as she called him up from the audience to play in her showcase, saying “Honey you gotta speak up if you want to be a star!” Afterward, she extended him an invitation to join her band (the youngest of them all) on a European tour. All in all, it turned into a fascinating two-year excursion, for which Vashon credits a significant amount of his musical maturity. “It was a life-changing experience in many ways. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was evolving into what I call a “complete musician”. He ca