Jack Johnson (musician)

Biography

Beginnings in surfing

Wire of the surfer pioneer Jeff Johnson, they is quite naturally that it is initiated with the Surf as of the 5 years age, benefitting from a favourable environment since it lives then very close to Haleiwa vague famous of the North Shore of Oahu to Hawaii. Naturally gifted, it surfing the very dreaded one and fatal wave of Banzaï Pipeline as of its 10 years and end up obtaining a contract with the mark Quiksilver. A professional path then seems to be profiled when it reaches the finale of the Pipe Masters whereas it is only 17 years old becoming thus the youngest surfer to have never reached such a level of the competition. Two weeks later, it is unfortunately caught up with by the danger of this same wave when its head runs up against the reef violently.

Change of prospects

This wound will lead it to reflect on its future which it considers from now on otherwise than as surfer pro. He moves in California to study there the cinema at the university of Santa Barbara where he meets that which will become his wife, Kim. Although practitioner the Guitare for his 14 years, it has been only at this period that it starts to be really invested in the music by writing his first songs. With its group, The soil , it goes until playing in first part of Dave Matthews Band in 1995. His/her new friends like its recordings already of which Ben Harper. Whereas its musical notoriety does not cease extending, it leaves graduate the university and starts by being invested in its first film, Thicker Than Water, in collaboration with the brothers Malloy. The film which gathers the elite of world surfing is adulated by criticism and is rewarded by Surfer Magazine. It signs itself of it the band sound. It is during the turning of this film that it meets G. Coils for which it will write a song Rodeo Clowns for his album Philadelphonic , which will be the first extract.

Musical blossoming

In 2000, he marries his Kim partner before devoting himself two years later to its first album solo Brushfire Fairytales encouraged by Ben Harper (which accompanies it besides on Flake ) and his producer. Brushfire Fairytales will become Disque of platinum one year later. At this time there, it launches out in making of a new film in co-operation with his friend, the eightfold world champion of surfing Kelly Slater. From their work will rise September Sessions, a film illustrating the free surfing, far from the testing show of the World Championship Tour. It takes part once more in the band its of film whereas its second album One and one leaves in the vats. One and one , produced by the legendary producer of the Beastie Boys Mario Caldato Jr., will run out to more than one million specimen though being perceived like less innovative than the precedent. The year which follows will see being born a first child from his union with Kim, Moe. Leave then In Between Dreams (2005) and Sing-a-song & lullabies (from which celebrates it Upside down is extracted) which makes the original soundtrack of cartoon film Georges small the curious. Success is more than ever to go.

Style and influences

In his music, one can easily perceive the influence of Ben Harper although he also asserts influences of the Beatles, of Neil Young, Cat Stevens, Jimi Hendrix or Bob Marley. Its very cast and spontaneous style, its voice suave and environment intimist and refreshing that his pieces release knew to conquer well a public beyond the medium of the Surf, of which it draws nevertheless a great part of inspiration.

Discography

Participation in compilation Rhythms Del Mundo (meets between the musicians Cuba ins of the Buena Vista Social Club and of the pop artists/rock'n'roll, with the profit of an association of assistance to the victims of natural disasters): Recovery of Better Together

External bonds

Official site
the French-speaking Web site
Site of French fans
122 concerts of Jack Johnson available on Archive.org (formats: flac, ogg, mp3)
Myspace Page of Jack Johnson

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