Unusual Object

Out Now on Northern Spy Records

ABOUT

Josh Johnson is a saxophonist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and Grammy Award-winning producer. His second solo album, Unusual Object, a striking work of futuristic jazz and modern composition, was released April 5, 2024 on Northern Spy Records. This spare work for processed saxophone and subtle samples shows Johnson further sharpening his unique compositional voice. Unusual Object, Johnson says, “is a development and documentation of a more personal world of sound. What’s it like for me to create the context for my sound, to frame it myself?”

His solo debut Freedom Exercise (Northern Spy) was featured in Rolling Stone’s Best Music of 2020 and Bandcamp’s Best Jazz Albums of 2020. Pitchfork called the record “excellent, daringly melodic” and PostGenre praised it as “a songwriting marvel”.

Johnson is a regular collaborator with some of contemporary music’s most innovative artists, including Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven, Nate Mercereau, Marquis Hill, and Kiefer. Parker’s widely-acclaimed 2022 record Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy features Johnson on saxophone and effects as part of the longstanding quartet. This is the most recent in a series of Parker’s records to highlight Johnson, with the latter also contributing saxophone and synths to 2016’s The New Breed and 2020’s Suite for Max Brown.

Between 2018 and 2022 Johnson held the role of Musical Director for soul singer Leon Bridges, with whom he also played keyboards and saxophone. During his time with Bridges, Johnson performed throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, with performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Glastonbury and the Sydney Opera House. Along with Nate Walcott (Bright Eyes), Johnson arranged 14 of Bridges’ songs for a performance with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, also contributing a choral arrangement and directing the concert.

Johnson produced and appears on Meshell Ndegeocello’s 2023 album 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘮𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 which was awarded the 2024 Grammy for Best Alternative Jazz Album. He can also be heard on wide-ranging records by artists such as Harry Styles, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Moonchild, Broken Bells, Miley Cyrus, Louis Cole and Carlos Niño, among others. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

MUSIC

FREEDOM EXERCISE

released October 9, 2020
on Northern Spy Records

Featuring:
Gregory Uhlmann
Anna Butterss
Aaron Steele

Produced by:
Josh Johnson
Paul Bryan

Photo by Robbie Jeffers
Designed by David Lee

Listen/Buy

DISCOGRAPHY

Josh Johnson

Freedom Exercise 2020
alto saxophone, synthesizers, samplers, wurlitzer, mellotron, flute, bass clarinet
Meshell Ndegeocello

The Omnichord Real Book 2023
producer, saxophone & effects, vocals
Tobi

Panic 2023
composer, saxophones & effects, flute
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson

Les Jardins Mystiques Vol.1 2023
alto saxophone, flute
Gregory Uhlmann

Again and Again 2023
alto saxophone & effects, keyboards, bass clarinet, flute
King Tuff

Smalltown Stardust 2023
piano
Carlos Niño

I'm Just Chillin' On Fire 2023
saxophone & effects
Miley Cyrus

Endless Summer Vacation 2023
alto saxophone
Jeff Parker ETA IVtet

Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy 2022
alto saxophone & pedals
Nate Mercereau

Sundays Expansion 2022
alto saxophone & effects, sampler,
Broken Bells

Into The Blue 2022
baritone saxophone
Jeremy Cunningham/Dustin Laurenzi/Paul Bryan

A Better Ghost 2022
alto saxophone & effects
Harry Styles

Harry’s House 2022
saxophone/sax synth & effects
Anna Butterss

Activities 2022
alto saxophone
Carlos Niño

Extra Presence 2022
alto saxophone, synthesizer
Moonchild

Starfruit 2022
alto saxophone
Ezra Furman

All Of Us Flames 2022
saxophones
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Return of the Dream Canteen 2022
alto saxophone
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Unlimited Love 2022
alto saxophone
Kiefer

When There’s Love Around 2021
alto saxophone
Jamire Williams

But Only After You Have Suffered 2021
synthesizer, mellotron, programming
Leon Bridges

Gold-Diggers Sound 2021
alto saxophone
Snaarj

Snaarj II 2021
alto saxophone, flute, composer, pump organ
Nate Mercereau

Sundays 2021
alto saxophone & effects, sampler
Lee Pardini

Homebodies 2021
alto saxophone
Melody Gardot

Sunset in the Blue (deluxe) 2021
alto saxophone
Chicago Underground Quartet

Good Days 2020
wurlitzer, piano, organ, synth bass
Jeff Parker

Suite for Max Brown 2020
alto saxophone, electric piano
Makaya McCraven

Universal Beings E&F Sides 2020
alto saxophone
Jeremy Cunningham

The Weather Up There 2020
synthesizers, wurlitzer, alto saxophone, bass clarinet, composer
Gregory Uhlmann

Neighborhood Watch 2020
synthesizers
Carlos Niño

Actual Presence 2020
synthesizer
St. Panther

These Days 2020
flute
Aditya Prakash Ensemble

Diaspora Kid 2020
alto saxophone
Joshua Crumbly

Rise 2020
alto saxophone
Marquis Hill

Love Tape 2019
alto saxophone
Louis Cole

Live Sesh and Xtra Songs 2019
alto saxophone
Nate Mercereau

Joy Techniques 2019
alto saxophone
Dexter Story

Bahir 2019
flute, alto saxophone
Mark de Clive-Lowe

Heritage II 2019
flute, alto saxophone & effects
Mark de Clive-Lowe

Heritage 2019
flute, alto saxophone & effects
Daniel Rotem & Josh Johnson

Sweet Stuff 2019
alto saxophone, arranger
Sara Gazarek

Thirsty Ghost 2019
horn orchestration, arranger alto saxophone
Makaya McCraven

Universal Beings 2018
alto saxophone
Dawes

Passwords 2018
alto saxophone
Marquis Hill

Modern Flows Vol 2 2018
alto saxophone
Anthony Fung

Flashpoint 2018
alto saxophone
Mark de Clive-Lowe

Live at the Blue Whale 2017
alto saxophone, flute, composer
Carlos Niño & Friends

Going Home 2017
alto saxophone, synthesizers, flute, clarinet, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone
Holophonor

Light Magnet 2017
alto saxophone, composer
Joshua White

13 Short Stories 2017
alto saxophone
Josh Nelson

The Sky Remains 2017
alto saxophone, flute, composer
Jonah Levine Collective

Attention Deficit 2017
alto saxophone
Mike Lebrun

Shades 2017
alto saxophone
Jeff Parker

The New Breed 2016
alto saxophone, wurlitzer, flute, mellotron, clarinet, rhodes
Mast

Love and War 2016
alto saxophone
Jeremy Cunningham

re: dawn (from far) 2016
alto saxophone, composer
Michael Buble

Nobody But Me 2016
alto saxophone
Holophonor

Holophonor 2014
alto saxophone, composer
Snaarj

Levels 2012
alto saxophone, composer