“Johnston explores the limits of his instrument with a hankering for originality…running away and never looking back.”
– San Francisco Bay Guardian,
“Pick of the Week”
With an affinity for music that defies easy categorization, Canada-born, Bay Area-based trumpeter/composer Darren Johnston works within jazz, purely improvised music, music of the Balkans, Jamaica (as a regular member of Groundation), contemporary classical, and more.
He has worked with a broad and diverse collection of artists such as ROVA Saxophone Quartet, Marshal Allen, Ches Smith, Dayna Stephens, Marcus Shelby, Carmen Staaf, Michael Formanek, Larry Ochs, Anais Mitchell, Michael Attias, Dave Rempis, Slavic Soul Party!, Myra Melford, Fred Frith, Allison Miller, Geof Bradfield, Anna Webber, Jon Irabagon, Pete Escovedo, Buddy Miles, SF Sound Ensemble, Hamid Drake, and many more.
Photo by Julie Caine
Upcoming Shows
Sat, April 18, 7:30pm
Marcus Shelby Sextet presents the music of Charles Mingus
Darren Johnston (trumpet)
Tony Peebles (alto)
Danny Lubin- Laden (trombone)
Greg Jacobs (piano)
Jemal Ramirez (drums)
Advance tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marcus-shelby-group-presents-the-music-of-charles-mingus-tickets-1983696927911?aff=oddtdtcreator
$34.92
The Sound Room, 3022 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611
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Fri, April 24, 7:00pm
David Michalak Quartet
(improvised music)
Bruce Ackley - saxophone
Ben Davis - cello
Darren Johnston - trumpet
David Michalak - lap steel, skatchbox
$20 suggested donation
Medicine For Nightmares, 3036 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
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Sat, April 25, 7:30pm
Darren Johnston’s Cyclic Break
New music for an all-new band!
Danny Lubin-Laden - trombone
Liberty Ellman - guitar
Mat Munz - bass
Tim Bulkley - drums
Darren Johnston - trumpet, voice, compositions
$20
Bird and Beckett, 653 Chenery Street, San Francisco, CA 94131
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