Album Notes

Darren Johnston has been living and playing music in the San Francisco Bay area for five years. He originally hails from Ontario Canada where he was born in 1972. As a sideman he has played a broad cross-section of musical styles, from early jazz and jump-blues bands like Jellyroll, Swing Session, and Lavay Smith to experimental new music artists such as Fred Frith, the ROVA saxophone quartet's large ensemble project - ROVATE, and Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra. He has played small group jazz with local legends like Herbie Lewis and large ensemble jazz with local staples like the Jazz at Pearl's Contemporary Music Orchestra and the Marcus Shelby Orchestra. Outside of jazz and improvised music, Darren has played blues with Buddy Miles, soul with the O'Jays, salsa with Tito Nieves, reggae, South African hi-life, European classical, hip-hop and a variety of hybrids as well.
As a bandleader, Darren currently runs the United Brassworkers Front, The Empty Chamber Ensemble, and the Darren Johnston Trio.
The UBF, originally was a four brass plus drum set ensemble featuring two trumpets, trombone and tuba. In the two years since its' inception the band has grown to include an acoustic bass, electric guitar, and a trombonebass trumpettuba player. They have played in various San Francisco jazz clubs such as Bruno's and the Black Cat as well as at the El Rio Film Festival where they performed Darren's original score live to the 1926 silent Russian film By the Law. For last years' Cinco de Mayo show, Darren also orchestrated a collaboration with this ensemble plus accordion, two percussionists and a laptop musician, featuring a piece for laptop and audience as well as some traditional Mexican songs. The UBF typically plays original material but does work in some surprising covers, such as the late 60's Angolan protest song Birin Birin by the great Angolan songwriter Carlos Vierra Diaz.
To book or contact the United Brassworkers Front please e-mail Darren at darrenjohnston5000@Yahoo!.com or call him at (415) 552-3243.