Author: Adam Johnston

jazz-ish

~ Adam Johnston

We’re getting ready for something big.

But first: Grand America Lobby Lounge this Friday night 9/20/2024, 7:00 – 10:00PM. If you’re in the big city, drop by and get a snack and a drink and say hello. It’s a nice place and we really love the vibe there.

Then, we have a private gig next week and then a few other things …

Including: We’re playing at the Egyptian Theater on Monday, October 7th (free, all ages) as part of the Excellence in the Community Concert Series. We co-headline and get to take the big stage in the beautiful space for a 1-hour set. We’ll remind you and blast out the promotional materials.

But the reason I’m bringing this up now is because in the previews of materials coming out we’re characterized as “jazz.” And that’s fine in most cases as we’re trying to describe how we fit in, especially since in this case we’re side-by-side with a bluegrass band (so fun!!) and it’s great to know what the range might be for your Monday evening.

And yet I start to worry. People who are really aficionados of jazz would scoff at a lot of what we do. Sure, we’ll play Gershwin regularly. But also Dua Lipa. I feel like we might be misrepresenting ourselves to the people expecting Coltrane.

That’s not the worst of it, though: What if you hear “jazz” and you think Coltrane and bebop and you’re turned away by these things and never tune in to us? What if, heaven forbid, you don’t realize that it’s not all dissonant, not all that serious, not long bass solos — Tim refuses.

In fact, I wish we were represented as “jazz-ish.” That feels better, more accurate, appropriately whimsical. Of course, those running gigs at Grand America? That’s when we have to promote ourselves as “jazz.” That gets us in the door and under the big chandelier. So far they haven’t kicked us out.

Anyway, we’ll keep playing around the fringes of jazz as well as blues and funk and soul and everything else. (Caryn just sent us an idea to try out a Taylor Swift piece. You might have heard of her? We think we can swing it.)

It’s been a minute since we wrapped up a summer lineup with our amphitheater gig for Davis Arts. It looked like this:

party band

~ Adam Johnston

Maybe you missed it, but according to the Standard Examiner’s “Best of Northern Utah 2024” guide, yours truly is clearly making its way into the hearts of residents from Bountiful to Brigham.

Third place! Either a bronze medal or the worst of the three bands people could think of …

You could have this bronze medal band playing for you at your own event or party, too! We imagine some of our friends are headed to the Ogden Nature Center Wildwoods Bash tonight, where a show of ours will be up for live auction. Bid often and bid high — all the proceeds go to ONS! Take a look at not only our contribution, but others, many of which you can bid on online! (To bid on us, you need to be there in person.)

Looking forward to seeing you in your backyard, on a stage, or within a favorite lounge. We’ll be back out on the town in a couple weeks.

So. Much. Fun.

~ Adam Johnston

Remember that time we played at the Kenley Amphitheater and had such a good time with a couple hundred friends, new and old? It was last weekend, the final show of the Sunday concert series hosted by Davis Arts Council, and we already miss it and are looking forward to a chance to play there again. .

Thanks to all who came out, and especially thanks to the Davis Arts Council for supporting the entire series and our performance.

Here’s a few photos from our scrapbook of the evening. (Maybe some videos will follow so we can keep living in the moment until our fall gigs start ramping up.)

Pre show photo in the green room.
In the groove on stage.
Caryn steps aside to listen.
Post-show selfie.

big event

~ Adam Johnston

We’ve rehearsed, narrowed the setlist, worked through transitions between songs and established a tight 60-minute set for Davis Arts Council Sunday Concert Series at the Kenley Amphitheater in Layton, the very last one of the season. Come cheer us on and we’ll play just as long as they’ll let us. Sunday, 25 August 2024, 7:00PM; free, all ages.

Besides being an amphitheater with a stage and a big sound system and a green room and all that, the thing that we really love about a gig like this is that it’s a “listening” show. We love playing lounges and parties and bars and all that, but this is a show where everyone is facing forward with nothing to pay attention to except us. So we’ll make it worth your time. Bring a friend or two or three, and come say hi after. We’re so grateful to get to play and have you there.

Rehearsal on the patio, Adam doing whatever it is that he’s doing and the rest of the band playing music.

Kenley Amphitheater preps

~ Adam Johnston

We haven’t made too much of a big deal about this, but we’ve been really really excited about our return to the Kenley Amphitheater since we signed the contract back in the spring. We get to play there again, 60 minutes of uninterrupted, all ages, free music on Sunday, August 25 from 7:00 – 8:00p.

So. So. Excited. We have the setlist with fun new stuff and playful transitions sprinkled in. Adam gets to play the big piano, Matt gets his own drum riser, and Tim’s bass gets pumped through the mains. Cheer as the Diva walks out onto the stage while the band backs her up — it will make her evening and set the mood for the whole show.

More to come as we get even closer!

Here we are on Tim’s patio after the lightning storm passed, rocking the suburbs.