Bashiri Johnson

Origins Rhythms are like oceans. They have many sources. My rhythms come from the streets, from divine intervention, traditions, other musicians, the sky, everything, anything.   When I began playing, the world was my instrument. According to my mother, I started in pre-school, disrupting class by playing on desktops, chairs, toys and anything else I could find a groove on.   My home is Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn where I learned from the neighborhood "street school." But early on, I knew there was a whole world of music going on inside Bed-Stuy and out. I grew up in the 60's with Hendrix, Cream, James Brown, Trane, The Panthers, Angela, The Last Poets, Sly, Malcolm, and a guiding light from my parents that made me-Me.

Bashiri Johnson

Serious percussing began in high school with bands, formal study, grants and my three year tutorship in percussion and the music business with Mtume. Through Mtume, I performed in my first professional session on Stephanie Mills' "Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin'." I still have the gold record on my wall.

Growing up, I wanted to be Airto, Ralph McDonald, Big Black, Tito Puente, Bootsy, Olatunji and Tony Williams. When I wasn't in school, I would be in my room, playing along to the radio. After I learned the parts from my radio mentors, I created my own parts and patterns.

Today, I've had the opportunity to record with C&C Music Factory, Whitney Houston, Donald Fagen, Madonna and many other great artists.

As long as I'm playing, I am learning. I've grown up, yet I haven't changed. I will always be a student. I will always be inspired by incredible percussionists, by my roots in Africa, by the world around me.

Bashiri Johnson

A beat is like a footstep, it begins a journey. These tracks form a

library of first steps. They are beginnings. Create your own path.

Keep on walking and don't look back.

 

Hip-Hop began on the street. It's spontaneous expression. In Hip-

Hop, I hear Africa, I hear Bed-Stuy, I hear the voices of artists.

Hip-Hop tells you the truth and makes you dance-at the same time.

 

They say a drummer is never without a drum. A percussionist can

play on anything. But like any artist, my true instrument is myself.

My song is my soul. And when I play myself without interruption or

distraction, African is what comes out. I am attached to Africa, in

culture, in blood, in spirit. It is my source.

 

You don't need an interpreter to understand a groove. You don't

need to speak a people's language to dance to their drum. There is

a whole world out there making music. I listen, my mind open and

my ears ready.

Hear Bashiri Johnson on Supreme Beats from Spectrasonics and Ethno Techno from ILIO.