Ed Johnston graduated from Birmingham
Conservatoire in 2003, gaining a BMus(Hons) degree in Jazz.
He has played numerous prestigious
gigs with various ensembles in recent years, most recently at the 2005 Cheltenham
International Jazz Festival with both Sid Peacocks Surge and Steve
Tromans’ Howl Band both of which received great reviews.
In December 2004 he performed with
two world-renowned players on the free jazz scene, John Edwards and Mark
Sanders, who normally play with the likes of Evan Parker. He has also played
with Chris Bowden and his Slightly Askew quintet, The Hans
Koller Jazz Ensemble at Shinos Jazz Club in London, performed with Steve
Tromans Howl band at the CBSO Centre for a Birmingham Jazz
commission and with Chris Mapps Sugar Beats band supporting 4Hero.
Ed performed with Sid Peacocks Surge
at Bangor Festival of New Music in Ireland and Birmingham Jazz gig at
the CBSO Centre and in 2003 he performed at Cheltenham International
Jazz Festival with the Alcyona Mick Quintet. His talents have seen
him perform at Montreux Jazz Festival two years running with the Walsall
Jazz Orchestra.
Ed runs two bands, the Munro
Baggers and The Fela-Ship. The Munro Baggers is a sextet
playing original material by myself and other members of the band. The Fela-Ship
is an eight-piece Afro-Funk band inspired by the music of Fela Kuti. The bands
have performed at the Camden Centre in London, The Medicine Bar
and at the Shambala Festival.
As a teacher and workshop-leader Ed
has been involved in many large-scale projects including:
- Several junk and funk workshops which may last for three
days culminating in a performance at the end with music that the kids have
composed themselves.
- A musical setting of Robert Owen’s
life in the Musicate project New Harmony: Part 2 in New Lanark, Scotland
involving 300 children.
- a cross generational project with
Sound it Out community music group at castle vale School putting music to the
silent film Nosferatu, as well as a three day project composing and performing
music with junk instruments.
- teaching the New Groove Ensemble
at Bishop Challoner School, Kings Heath for one
year
Ed has benefited from five years
private tuition experience teaching clarinet/saxophone, teaching at Broadway
School in Aston (2003/4) and currently at the Midlands Arts Centre.
He has run jazz workshops and jam sessions at the Midlands Arts Centre
and Birmingham Conservatoire alongside other organisations who provide
training for both adults and children of varying abilities. Recently, Ed has
taught alongside respected African jazz percussionist Olalekan Babalola at the MAC
Jazz Weekend.