Jeff Johnston

I'm an experienced performer who understands that flexibility is the key in any performance or recording situation. I have no problem with adapting to any situation, no matter how last minute, and have become used to the standard "hurry up and wait" that so often is a part of the performance life. In other words I'll go with the flow how ever you need me to without muss or fuss.

Originally from Miami, Florida, I began studying guitar at age 7 (guitar). I studied music composition and classical guitar at Florida State University for several years until my freelance playing career became so successful that I left school to play professionally all around Florida. I’ve performed with blues legend Bo Diddley, popular ‘50s groups The Platters & The Coasters, jazz legends Randy Brecker, Red Rodney, Ira Sullivan & Marcus Roberts, pop icons Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills & Nash) & Bonnie Raitt and more bands that I could ever count. I also spent 3 years with “The Mighty Big Blues Band” voted one of the top 10 club bands in America 1992 by the New York Times and recording an album entitled “Almost Live & Sometimes in Color”. In 1997 I moved to Japan, where I performed professionally with many club bands including an extremely popular Tokyo soul band called “Bumpadelic”. During this time I produced/wrote/recorded a series of mostly original children’s songs and two music video collections for the company, ECC Foreign Language Institute (a large English conversation school chain), on which I played all the instruments and did all the vocals myself. Also, while in Japan, I was a regular on the Fuji satellite network TV show "Go, Go, Eigo" playing variety of comical characters. I also did voice acting for Sony Dreamcast video games and Sky Perfect TV commercials for their Premier League soccer programs. Since moving to Portland in April 2015 I’ve performed on various instruments with the Portland Civic Orchestra, Portland Wind Symphony, Hillsboro Symphony, for Nike at the Olympic trials, for the U of Oregon at their football recruitment banquets, at WineUp on Williams as well as dozens of other events. I also recently graduated from the National University of Natural medicine with a doctorate degree in East Asian medicine.

No special equipment or facilities needed.