Music:
Member Since: 2/3/2005
Band Website: CLICK 4 JOELS WEBSITE" CLICK 4 JOELS WEBSITE
Band Members:
Joel T
Johnson
Bass
Vocals
Percussion
Influences:
Dave Weckl, Ani DeFranco, Jeff Buckley, Igor Stravinski, The Blue Nile, The White Stripes, Primus, Rachmaninoff, Yes, Tony Levin, Jeff Buckley, Pat Methany, Eric Johnson, Roscoe Beck, Genesis, God Damn Electric Bill, James Taylor, Robert Johnson, The Tower of Power, XTC, Jim Schreck, Stewart Copeland, Junior Brown, Coltrane, The Chameleons, The Bomb Squad, Stevie Wonder, Elliot Smith, Iona, Steve Gadd, Tears for Fears, Miles, Radio Head, Ricky Lee Jones, The Ramones, Ry Cooder, Steve Miller, Thomas Dolby, U.K., Willie Dixon, Alan Holdsworth, Danny Gatton, The Dixie Dregs, Parliament, Hans Zimmer, Paul Simon, Adrian Belew, Joe Jackson, George Sessum, Cat Power, Animatronics, Annie Wells, Rush, The Chameleons, David Gray, Merle Haggert, Robben Ford, Keb Mo, John, Paul George and Ringo, David Torn, Michael Hedges, David Gilmore, Jimi, Beth Orton, Tal Wilkenfeld, Kings X, Jaco, Bootsy, Mingus, and Victor. ELP, Bill Clements, Tibetan Monks, Talking Heads, Ralph Stanely, Depeche Mode, The Sugar Cubes, Miche' and the Anglos, Bobby McFerrin, The Postal Service, Danny Elfman, Thomas Newman, King Crimson, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters, Elizabeth Cotten, Pete Townsend, SRV... -Oh wait till I get started.
Sounds Like: The idea of "solo bass" conjures up the image of a "bass solo"; cool but awkward and graciously brief. Certainly not what you'd want to listen to for a whole eveining.
Joel's approach, or series of approaches, takes the bass down a new and unique avenue. He strikes the strings with a hybrid of a Pete Townsend-attack and Victor Wooten-multi-fingered, flamenco making the bass, at times, a clanking roaring juggnaut, at others a sweet delta prayer.
His percussive, harmonic and melodic playing turns the bass into an orchestra. A rich baritone voice crones and wails his own roots narratives and blues laments over a driving and intense bass guitar machine.
Add to this innovative Rock-Americana Johnson's ability to create and manipulate live loops of bass percussion and vocals and at times his performance can sound like a back-country rave.
Record Label: WINDpOWER
Type of Label: None
