Phillip Johnston

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Phillip Johnston
Born (1955-01-22) January 22, 1955 (age 68)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres Avant-garde jazz, classical, film
Occupation(s)Musician, Composer, Educator, Author
Instrument(s)Soprano, Alto & Tenor Saxophone
Years active1973-present
Labels
Website phillipjohnston.com

Phillip Johnston (born January 22, 1955) is an American saxophonist, composer, and author. [1] He came to prominence in the 1980s as co-founder of The Microscopic Septet and went on to write extensively for films, particularly new scores for classic silent films from the early 20th Century.

Contents

Biography

Phillip Johnston was born in Chicago, Illinois on January 22, 1955, and raised in the New York City area. [2]

During the 1970s he met and formed relationships with some of his earliest musical associates (John Zorn, Joel Forrester, David Hofstra, Eugene Chadbourne), and moved often between San Francisco and New York City. In 1980 he settled in New York, and soon formed his first ongoing music groups, The Public Servants (with vocalist Shelley Hirsch) and The Microscopic Septet (with pianist Joel Forrester). [3]

Throughout the 80s and 90s and early 2000s, he worked as a leader (The Microscopic Septet, Big Trouble, Transparent Quartet), co-leader and sideperson (Mikel Rouse, Kitty Brazelton, Bobby Radcliff, Rachelle Garniez, Guy Klucevsek, Walter Thompson, Keely Garfield, & Nora York), and began a parallel career in composition for film, theatre, dance and the concert hall. He has a particular interest in contemporary scores for silent film. [4]

In 2005, he moved with his wife, Australian playwright Hilary Bell, and their two children to Sydney, Australia. From that time, he has continued to live and perform in Sydney, but travels regularly to New York and Europe to perform, collaborate and record. His collaborators in Australia have included Lloyd Swanton, Chris Abrahams, Alister Spence, Sandy Evans, Paul Cutlan, Peter Dasent, Matt McMahon, Jex Saarelaht, James Greening, Tim Rollinson and many others. He led or co-led the groups The Greasy Chicken Orchestra, Phillip Johnston & The Coolerators, SNAP, & Tight Corners, and performed at festivals and venues nationally.

Major works

Collaborations

Discography

As leader

As co-leader

The Microscopic Septet (with Joel Forrester)

As a composer or arranger only

Filmography

Silent filmography

Books and other publications

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References

Further reading