JOHNNY ANGEL
- by, Dave Hershorin (editor National Champs)Johnny Angel and the Swinging Demons genuinely represent an era of American classical music (jazz) that has passed. But the sounds that come from Johnnys bandstand when he swings out are anything but stuck in time. Johnny and his top-flight New Orleans cats have a progressive sound that is still being shaped. Ergo, this is not a revival band, but a working group of serious musicians who know theyve started something much bigger than its component parts.Whereas many bigger names have already made it, the hunger of the Swinging Demons means they follow their fearless leader wherever he takes them from his own bag of favorites to big-band standards to personally penned classics, Johnny is still making his sound and proving his artistic vision nightly. Anyone who saw Duke in the 20s (Washingtonians) or Goodmans incarnations in the 30s knows that special time when a genuine sound is about to explode. You can feel Angel and his Demons undeniably dynamic freshness in every song; they cause feet to tap and heads to turn wherever they play.New York supplies the roots for Johnny, but New Orleans gives his sound a caramelized backbeat sweeter than local molasses. Johnny doesnt just cover songs he embraces them, making each melody his own. The way Johnny sings truly redefines the music from this by-gone era as he and his mates expand the ever-growing definition of swing. With the way Johnny makes his audience part of the show - via his big band dance lessons and Sinatra-esque schmoozing patrons always clamor for more. Just Johnnys fashion sense and pompadour make you take notice, but it is his command of the entire offering that keeps you glued to his every note. Hey, this guy who used to do hair for Bobby DeNiro and other top stars must do pretty good if he can ditch his day job to become one of the best bandleaders/singers that the Big Easy has ever known...and he does...Here are a few of the accolades Johnny and his band(s) have received:
OFFBEAT MAGAZINE Entertainer of the Year 1998Newcomer of the Year 1998MUSICIANS ATLAS Band of the Year (South region) - 2000And these are just some of the amazing gigs where Johnny has performed:
DISNEY WORLD Orlando, FL
ISLE OF CAPRI Shreveport, LA
CASINO MAGIC Bay St. Louis, MS
THE GRAND - Biloxi, MS
BALLYS - New Orleans, LA
TREASURE CHEST - New Orleans, LA
D-DAY MUSEUM - New Orleans, LA
MEDAL OF HONOR Ceremony - Houston, TX
HILTON HOTEL - New York, NY
BOOTLEGGERS BISTRO - Las Vegas, NV
Democratic and Republican Party Events - Washington, D.C.BBC-TV for Sickle Cell Anemia Benefit - London, ENG
OGLOBAL TV - Sao Paulo, BrazilOpened for THE STRAY CATS - Sao Paulo, Brazil
Opened for JERRY LEE LEWIS @ HOB - New Orleans, LABroadcast on BRAZILIAN NATIONAL RADIOBroadcast on WWOZ-FM Radio 90.7 in NEW ORLEANS, LAAnd a few of Johnnys other choice accomplishments:Cameo appearance with Burt Reynolds in film TEMPTED
(with Julie LaShae)
Appeared with Jamie Fox (who won an Oscar for his role) in the film RAY
Appeared in the CBS Mini-series ELVIS
Bandleader and Studio Producer for the film THE RISING PLACEJohnnys original song, IN HIS ARMS, used in CBC-TV show
LE MADAME CONSUL
Writer and Producer of the live musical theater; CLUB DEUCE
permission is granted to reuse this BIO.
