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Ellen Johnson

Ellen Johnson enjoys expanding her talents in multiple formative areas as a vocalist, author, lyricist, songwriter, producer, educator, actor, poet, promoter, creative consultant, sound energy facilitator and entrepreneur. Her devotion to music and the arts span a forty year range that include a professional singing and acting career along with developing her own record label and educational division (Vocal Visions), video production and artist promotion company (Sound Visions Media), and creativity/sound energy consulting and workshops (Sound Creativity).

Ellen grew up listening to her mother sing and play piano laying the foundation for her passion for music. Her birthplace, Chicago, Illinois, is where this entrepreneurial spirit began her journey into the creative arts. At the age of sixteen she was chosen to attend the prestigious Northwestern University summer acting program, which inspired her to become an actress. It wasn’t until she turned nineteen that she began singing after being advised to take some lessons for future acting auditions.

 “Once I started singing it was like love at first sight and I knew I wanted to pursue both acting and singing as a career.” She has sung a variety of styles including folk, pop, blues, jazz, classical and musical theater repertoire. “My early influences were quite eclectic; Joni Mitchell, Betty Carter, Flora Purim, Ella Fitzgerald, Sheila Jordan, Bonnie Raitt, Barbara Streisand, Joan Sutherland, and avant-garde music. I was never satisfied listening to just one genre and I always liked inventive singers.” Ellen has kept acting an active part of her life through the years side by side with her singing career doing stage, film, TV, industrials, commercials, voice-overs and webisodes.

Ellen has performed, recorded and studied with many exceptional musicians including; Charles McPherson, Louie Bellson, Bobby McFerrin, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Don Braden, Willie Pickens, Roy McCurdy, Billy Drummond, Cameron Brown, Rick Helzer, John Clayton, Gene Aitken, Hugh Martin, Marni Nixon, and George Shirley. She has appeared nationally and internationally at many prestigious venues, past and present. Described by Jazz Journal InternationalMagazine as “superior jazz singing by an artist of the highest quality,” Ellen has four solo jazz recording projects: Form & formless, These Days, Chinchilla Serenade, and Too Good To Title.  These Days, called “one of the best albums to be heard from a no-nonsense jazz singer” (Downbeat) and a “sophisticated and successful album that raises the standard of modern jazz singing by at least one notch (All About Jazz), features a duet with legendary vocalist Sheila Jordan. In 2006 jazz journalist and producer, Arnaldo DeSouteiro, selected Johnson as one of the top three jazz vocalists of the year along with Dianne Reeves and Diana Krall. Ellen, known for her dedication to the vocal music of Charles Mingus, premiered Mingus and Beyond, in San Diego and as part of the Wahya Consort concert performance during the 2011 Ojai Music Festival activities.

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21
Album Review

Luiz Millan: Brazilian Match

Read "Brazilian Match" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Brazilian Match is a tour-de-force of classic and contemporary Brazilian music written by and featuring singer-songwriter Luiz Millan. Millan's fifth album is a leader is his first for Jazz Station Records and Brazilian jazz impresario Arnaldo DeSouteiro, whose storied history includes working with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Eumir Deodato, Dom Um Romão, João Donato, and other legends, and who called Millan “a composer's composer." “A great melodist who also happens to be a great poet, a fabulous storyteller; a ...

169
Live Review

Ellen Johnson Live At Enzo's Jazz, NYC

Read "Ellen Johnson Live At Enzo's Jazz, NYC" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


Ellen Johnson Enzo's Jazz, Jolly Hotel Madison Towers New York, New York October 19, 2007

Jazz singer/songwriter Ellen Johnson made a rare night club appearance in Manhattan coinciding with the release of her album These Days. Johnson is a transplanted Chicagoan who had lived in the San Diego area until 1999 when she relocated to the Los Angeles area. While in San Diego, the talented and versatile vocalist worked as a musician and educator, ...

114
Album Review

Ellen Johnson: These Days

Read "These Days" reviewed by Ernest Barteldes


Chicago-raised vocalist and educator Ellen Johnson emerges with a disc that explores her vast range and improvisational technique without attempting to sound pretentious, an all-too-common trait among jazz vocalists. This is evident throughout These Days, but most specifically on bassist Darek Oleszkiewicz' bossa nova-tinged “Inspiration, a wordless tune which features Brazilian percussionist Ana Gazzola on shakers and guitarist Larry Koonse; Johnson sings the melody with incredible softness, going even softer during the guitarist's accomplished solo for a unique backdrop.

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Album Review

Ellen Johnson: These Days

Read "These Days" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


Despite a terrific press reception to her work, jazz singer Ellen Johnson unfortunately is not the household word she should be. She has previously recorded two albums, Too Good To Title (1993) and Chinchilla Serenade (1997); These Days is her third.

Ellen Johnson, originally a Chicagoan, now lives and works in San Diego as an musician and educator. She teaches as part of the voice faculties of the University of San Diego and the Old Globe Theatre. Since ...

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3

Recording

Ellen Johnson's Distinctive New Release "Form & Formless" Honors The Way Of Life

Ellen Johnson's Distinctive New Release "Form & Formless" Honors The Way Of Life

Source: Sound Visions Media

“So much of life, like music, is the art of listening and responding,” said west coast vocalist Ellen Johnson about her recording, Form & formless, released June 9, 2015 by Vocal Visions Records. So far the recording has received praise for it's unusual format based on what Johnson calls the “formless” way, taken from a poem by Lao Tzu referring to the way of life. Half of the recording was created from free improvisations she recorded with guitarist John Stowell ...

1

Recording

Ellen Johnson's Bold New Recording "Form & Formless" Explores Duality In Creative Improvisation

Ellen Johnson's Bold New Recording "Form & Formless" Explores Duality In Creative Improvisation

Source: Sound Visions Media

“So much of life, like music, is the art of listening and responding,” said west coast vocalist Ellen Johnson about her conceptual new recording, Form & formless, slated for release by Vocal Visions Records on June 9, 2015. Most singers are not comfortable with having to create a song on the spot, out of nothing, but not Johnson. She has made improvising a major part of her vocal expression studying avant- garde music, sitting in horn sections as the only ...

2

Book / Magazine

Jazz Child: A Portrait Of Sheila Jordan Biography By Ellen Johnson Released By Rowman And Littlefield

Jazz Child: A Portrait Of Sheila Jordan Biography By Ellen Johnson Released By Rowman And Littlefield

Source: Ellen Johnson

When Sheila Jordan dropped a nickel in the jukebox of a Detroit diner in the 1940s and heard “Now’s The Time” by Charlie Parker, she was instantly hooked—and so began a seventy-year jazz journey. With Jordan’s full cooperation, author Ellen Johnson documents the fascinating career of the 85-year-old NEA Jazz Master who stands today as one of the worlds most deeply respected jazz vocalists and educators. Jazz Child: A Portrait of Sheila Jordan published by Rowman and Littlefield is the ...

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Performance / Tour

Ellen Johnson Sings the Vocal Music of Charles Mingus in Concert

Ellen Johnson Sings the Vocal Music of Charles Mingus in Concert

Source: Sound Visions Media

Called “superior jazz singing by an artist of the highest quality" by Jazz Journal International, Ellen Johnson will be sharing her unique style and repertoire of jazz vocals joined by San Diego jazz artists, pianist Rick Helzer and bassist Rob Thorsen. The concert is scheduled for Thursday, October 15 with one show at 9:00 PM at Tango Del Rey located at 3567 Del Rey Street, San Diego. The admission price is $15 General and $10 for students with an ID. ...

97

Recording

A Unique Way to Honor Your Mother This Mother's Day

A Unique Way to Honor Your Mother This Mother's Day

Source: Sound Visions Media

"From A Mother's Heart" is a musical tribute featuring mostly original compositions written by the artists who perform them and each one is dedicated to their own mother. In an effort to be Eco-friendly and keep this project kind to “mother earth" the CD is available exclusively as a download through digital media sources like iTunes, CDBaby.com and Sound Visions Media. “We want this CD to honor our mothers and mother earth" spoke recording artist and producer Ellen Johnson, “so ...

Ellen Johnson's These Days is one of the best albums to be heard from a no- nonsense jazz singer in the past year; she and her recording are worthy of serious consideration for placement in the 2007 DownBeat Critics Poll”. -Frank-John Hadley, Longtime DownBeat writer, etc. "As "These Days" proceeds the soul of Ellen Johnson emerges, and she leaves no doubt about the wide range of her talents. In addition, the album reminds us of the fresh ideas, impressive technique and passion for the music that Ellen Johnson offers listeners. "These Days" is a true delight

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

Sacramento

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

M.M. Vocal Performance San Diego State University B.M. Vocal Performance American Conservatory of Music (Chicago, IL) Past experience: Professor and Instructor at the following schools - California Jazz Conservatory/Jazzschool, California Polytechnic University, University of San Diego, Southwestern College, Cerritos College Master classes and workshops: UCLA, USC. CSU Northridge, Bradley University, San Diego State University, NATS Conference, IAJE, Portland State University, CSU Long Beach, Presentations/Papers: 12th International Jazz Research Conference Graz -Jazz Voices, Institute for Jazz Research, University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz Published: Jazz Child: A Portrait of Sheila Jordan (Rowman & Littlefield) The Vocal Warm Up You Sing Jazz Vocal Builders Go to www.ellenjohnson.net for more information

Clinic/Workshop Information

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Brazilian Match

Jazz Station Records
2023

buy

Form & formless

Vocal Visions
2015

buy

These Days

Vocal Visions
2007

buy

These Days

Vocal Visions
2006

buy

Chinchilla Serenade

Vocal Visions
1997

buy

Too Good To Title

Time Music International Limited
1995

buy

Andar Descalço (Barefoot) feat. Randy Brecker

From: Brazilian Match
By Ellen Johnson

In the Grove of the Jacarandas

From: Brazilian Match
By Ellen Johnson

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