July 20, 2010

A big and lovely article on The Burns Unit and our record "Side Show" is in today's Herald (Scotland).

June 22, 2010

The Burns Unit record - Side Show - is being printed as I type (on the other side of the ocean, no less). I'll write more about this shortly; suffice to say, having been in hibernation for over one year, our collective appetites are mighty. The official release date for Side Show is August 2nd, 2010 in the UK through Proper Distribution.

May 10, 2010

Tomorrow, in addition to being my dear father's birthday, is the official release date for the new Kirsten Jones CD, "The Mad Mile".  I played piano, organ and accordion on this album back in November 2008, with the well-spectacled Gary Louris at the producer's chair.  It's a really, really strong album, and I'm honoured to have been a part of it.  Jim Cuddy sings a duet; Oh Susanna sings some harmonies; it's beautifully textured and clearly presented.  Check it out on ye olde itunes store...


April 12, 2010

A fluttering flurry of activity these days:

I got to open for Jesse Winchester - he of moving-Neko-Case-to-shed-a-lonesome-tear-on -the-Elvis-Costello TV show fame. Andy Maize came down and sang "Home To You" (a song he, my wife and I wrote together). Jesse was a proper southern gentleman, and full of good humour. 

The 3rd-annual spring recital for students at the MJ music studio was a terrific afternoon. For the first time, we held the recital at Hugh's Room. 40 students played - on piano, guitar, accordion, melodica, and glockenspiel; several sang their hearts out.  140 people came to cheer them on: it was such an inspiring time, for the students, yes, but for me especially.

Plans are in the works for the release of the long-awaited Burns Unit recording. We will releasing the record in conjunction with performing at the legendary Cambridge Folk Festival in Cambridge, England at the end of July (yes, that Cambridge, you fans of the small Southern Ontario town).

February 22, 2010

So, the second-coming of the Gentlemen Collars is set: what a band it'll be, with my old friends Dave Clark and Lewis Melville rejoining the fray; new friends Anne Lindsay (who's been off playing violin with Blue Rodeo) and bassist Charlie James will be aboard for our first band gig on March 2nd. 

The Burns Unit are finalizing are plans for the release of our debut recording, and finalizing some dates in the UK. Very, very exciting, and hushy, hush for now.

I've been getting quite a kick out of learning Rolling Stones songs, since taking over Kevin Hearn's keyboard duties with "HOT ROCK": a Toronto supergroup of sorts, holding down a Tuesday night residency at the Dakota in Toronto.  Ron Sexsmith always drops in to sing "Ruby Tuesday" - one of my all-time favourites...

December 7, 2009

Weeks are passing like hours these days.

It's been an intense year, with so much to report.

For now, cutting through it all, has been the beginning of the festive season. My wife, daughter and baby boy bundled ourselves up for our definitive urban/coureur des bois December moment: buying our Christmas tree from a similarly bundled man we visit once a year on Roncesvalles Avenue in Toronto.

The Muppets/John Denver Christmas has been our soundtrack over the past few days, and our daughter, who is 3, has memorized up Ms. Piggy's fantastic "5 gooolll-den riiiii-nnnnggs" line in 'The 12 Days of Christmas'.

Somehow, in these tiny moments, everything else fades to the background, and life feels like a perfect date that you can't take your eyes off of.

October 18, 2009

In the midst of many exciting Skydiggers shows, I've just confirmed a special solo house concert in Winnipeg (my old home away from home):  Sunday, November 15. 

The show will be hosted by a long-time MJ supporter Jeff Robson, and will be an opportunity to debut several new songs, as well as perform songs I've co-written with Skydiggers and The Burns Unit, as well as older favourites from "Curious Heart". 

Email:  jeff@tellthebandtogohome.com to reserve a seat.  Seating is limited to about 40.  The show comes on the heels of a 2-night Skydiggers residency at the fantastic West End Cultural Centre, so it'll be a full-on Manitoba love-in weekend to usher in the winter. 

September 16, 2009

Finally - the 'links' section has been updated.

August 11, 2009

I'm back from the City of Champions: Edmonton, Alberta.

The Edmonton Folk Festival was a joyous, massive and almost flawlessly-organized event, 20,000 people strong.

Skydiggers played one my favourite sets ever on Saturday afternoon.  The crowd was up for a few sing-a-longs ("Penny More" and "Hello Beautiful Life"), some clap-a-longs ("Shimmy Up Those Words"), arm-flail-a-longs ("Everybody Wants"), and seemed on our side from the moment we took the stage.  Thank you for that good people on the hill.  

Had dinner with Loudon Wainwright, who was encouraged that I still "liked my wife".  "That's 95% of it", he grinned; "that, and not screwing up!"

I got to play 3 workshops on Sunday afternoon.  The first was started with a power outage to our stage - I walked to the front of the stage, along with Andy and Josh of the Skydiggers, and we launched into an acoustic version of "Elizabeth Josephine", with yours truly on the accordion. I turned around and Ron Macey (our bassist) was playing intently on an upright bass he had been passed by the other bassist on stage. 

The second was sitting in with my friend Lynn Miles.  We were flanked by two impressive singer-songwriters  - Kimmie Rhodes from Austin, Texas, and Niamh Parson (pronounced 'neeve') from Dublin, Ireland.  I got to pull out nearly every honky-tonk parlour lick I didn't realize I knew. 

The last is etched in my mind, still. Alex Cuba - a magnificantly coiffed guitarist/singer (who tended to his impressive afro with a comb just before we played) led the workshop into daring and lengthy jams with an abandon I've only ever witnessed from my friend Dave Clark (with whom I happily reunited for a workshop at the Hillside festival in July, but that's another blog, I suppose).  You can watch a bit of the madness here.

For those who know the Skydiggers, you may be both surprised and amused to imagine each of us dancing, for four bars each, in response to Alex's wild, bluesy riffs.  I divided the audience into two, and had them try to keep a reverse clave beat (baaa-baaa-BAA-BAA-BAA) while we all jammed and giggled. 

All of that goodness, even after a very late night the night before, hanging out with Joel Plaskett and Chris "Old Man" Luedecke for several hours in Chris' hotel room.  We played songs and connected the dots from Ferris Bueller to Nick Lowe (the insight: it's all about growing older, and things getting better). Amazingly, Joel found the energy the next morning to write a song on his way to the festival, and play it at his 11 a.m. workshop. 

You can watch it on youtube here. Like so much of what Joel does, it's fantastic. 

Yes, I'm the Michael mentioned in the first verse.

July 6, 2009

My baby grand piano has found a new, temporary home.

I inherited the piano years ago from my grandfather, George Bishop.  He taught me how to improvise on that piano, and no family trip to my grandparents' home in Etobicoke, Ontario was complete without some post-dinner musicalings from Grandpa. 

I've never had the space to accommodate it, and my long-suffering parents have kindly stored it all these years. 

The fine folks at Hugh's Room - one of the finest live music venues in North America - have offered to house the piano until.  So, later this week, the baby grand will be onstage at Hugh's, set to be played not only by yours truly, but by the many talented folks that have turned Hugh's into a real destination for so many touring acts. 

June 24, 2009

I've just started up a Twitter page for the mighty Burns Unit.  Our debut recording is well on its way.  I'm awfully excited.  Visit our Twitter page here.

May 31, 2009

We made it.

Skydiggers just finished a six-night-stand at the venerable Dakota Tavern in Toronto.  What a treat!  Thanks to friends, both old and new, who made it down. 

You can listen to our May 29th interview and performances (three of 'em) with Jian Ghomeshi on CBC's Q podcast right here.

April 22, 2009

I'm back from a week-long adventure in Scotland; this time, one day in Glasgow to finish some singing and synth (yes, synth!) parts for the mighty Burns Unit recording, then, four days in Crail (staying with Kenny) and Anstruther (playing with the Burns Unit and others) taking part in the 6th edition of Homegame.

About 1000 people congregate for Homegame - a festival organized by my dear friend and host Kenny Anderson (King Creosote) and his pal Johnny Lynch (The Pictish Trail).

It's unlike any festival I've ever seen or played at, andd was amongst the most festive of musical events I've ever experienced.

The venues ranged from a school gymnasium to a fisheries museum to a 2nd-floor tearoom that seats about 35.

I ate the 'best haddock and chips in the UK' (and truly, it was like no other battered fish I've ever had anywhere...it actually melted in my mouth).

Karine Polwart and I started singing in that tiny tearoom for a singing workshop (every song involved an element of audience participation), with fresh scones and pots of tea abound! No sooner had we launched into "This Little Light Of Mine" than I heard another voice chiming in - Kenny! - from outta nowhere. Cue in Emma Pollock a few songs later; we were all smiles, and it was 30 minutes of tangible magic.

I sat in with Karine for her solo set, singing harmonies I didn't know I knew to her beautiful songs.

KT Tunstall invited me to sit in on her 'secret show' (held, again, in the tearoom); I played and sang in front of an old upright piano stationed at one end of the room, while she strummed and sang at the other end.

I played a solo set to an audience of cross-legged scenesters - thankfully, they were totally game for the call & response chorus of "Travellin' Light". Karine and Emma joined me for "Hello Beautiful Life" (rehearsed on the beach, a cappella, about 10 minutes before we played); Paul McLaughlin, my long-suffering Glasgwegian host, joined K & E for a moving version of "I Do"; I opened the set debuting a new song, "When I Was a Thief", that Kenny, Karine and I wrote on a sun-drenched day in Crail last year.

Kenny, Emma and I squeezed into a BBC van and sang "All of this In Writing" (I've included the youtube clip on my website) amidst much grinning and smiles from a dozen or so curious folk who heard us through the van's open windows.

The Burns Unit set was the initial focal point of my trip - it's so rare for us to see one another - and this was only our 2nd official performance ever. Sushil K Dade (Future Pilot AKA), our bassist, developed a severe case of sciatica, leaving him immobile and unable to do the gig. With about 24 hours to go before we caught the train from Glasgow to Leuchars (try saying that name with the thickest Scottish accent you can muster, and you still won't be close to how it's said), Mr. Dave McGowan (of Teenage Fanclub) stepped forward, and managed to learn our songs better than we knew them. Poor Kim Edgar's voice gave out about mid-set, just as our maverick MC Soom T had to leave the stage to catch a train to her next gig. Despite all of those bits of ? ? ?, we had a grand ol' time playing. By the end of our set, I was in the audience, locking arms with anyone willing to dance.

I was introduced to the joy that is the Fisher & Donaldson fudge donut (in my naivety, I almost passed on trying it altogether, until Kenny insisted I try it). Eating it made me feel like a giddy teenager - would you believe that my first band, Us and Wilbur, used to make midnight runs after gigs to donut shops, order a dozen, and sit in those plastic swivel-back chairs, celebrating the show we'd just played? Ah, to be 18 again.

The final scene of the festival: an overflowing rush of musicians storming the stage for KC's final song during the final set of Homegame. His lines "if you want this/you can have this/just let me know now" went around in a loop - various players and singers swapped off lines and instruments. I ventured on stage to play Kenny's massive black accordion, and ended up step-dancing and singing off mic with KT, everyone in a sweaty, jubliant state.

How much can happen in such little time!

I'm back home in Toronto now. The Burns Unit album is now all recorded (it's being mixed in Glasgow over the next month); Skydiggers just got offered an opening slot for the Tragically Hip in the summer (three cheers for North Bay!!!); Andy Maize and I will soon be posting and releasing new music we've recorded as a duo.

March 14, 2009

CBC's "Canada Live" broadcast a live set last night by Scott McCord and the Bonafide Truth, recorded in December 2008 at the Silver Dollar in Toronto. I got to sit in with his fantastic band for the evening, recorded on the very same stage Elizabeth Shue sang the blues on in "Adventures In Babysitting". 

I co-wrote the tunes with Scott, and produced his new album, "Blues For Sunshine", which he will officially release in June.

You can listen to the show on the cbc website, right here.

February 25, 2009

I was thrilled to discover that Suzie Vinnick's fine recording, "Happy Here", is nominated for a 2009 Juno Award in the category of "Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Solo".

Not only did I get to play on her album (a full-on day of piano, organ, accordion and background vocals in Guelph, my university town, with producer Stephen Fearing at the helm), but I co-wrote two of the songs: "Back On My Feet" (with Suzie and Josh Finlayson) and "I'm Still Looking For You" (with Suzie, Josh and Stephen).

I spent my 20s mocking the Junos. 

Remember 2003! Shania Twain hosts the awards. performs a song AND wins a few Junos to boot.

Remember 2000! The Moffats host the show! Really!?

Now that I'm in my 30s, and with far less time on my hands to be so petty and cynical, I'm delighted about Suzie's nomination, and will dutifully tune in, even though I know full well the 'roots' categories are awarded in 'a ceremony held earlier in the week'.

I've heard a rumour that folks who play on records by Juno winners can actually buy a Juno for themselves.  I suppose I'd have to buy one then, or would I? Buying a trophy? Hmmm....

What a very Canadian hypothetical scenario. Somehow, it gets me to thinking about Monty Hall and Let's Make A Deal, or this old Corky and the Juice Pigs comedy sketch I've just rediscovered...

Two Canadian gameshow announcers meet on the street

Hi Bob, how are you?

Just fine Bill. But I see you have put on a little weight, ever since you got your brand new MCDONALDLAND COUPONS!

Available at McDonald's franchises across Canada. But I've seen you cruising down the street...in your BRAND NEW COAT!

Yes! It's a beautiful down-filled coat from Sears, Bill. Good against all the ravages of the winter weather. But again, that is nothing...compared to WHERE YOU'RE GOING!

BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN HAMILTON! I'll be spending seven days and two sensuous nights at the beautiful Hamilton Motor Inn, overlooking absolutely nothing.

Bring your own lunch and dinner, Bill.

February 7, 2009

In anticipation of Skydiggers' show next Saturday night (Valentine's Day) at Massey Hall, Tandem news has written an article about the band here.

from the article (by Kerry Doole): 

"The lineup now features drummer, Noel Webb and another talented young songsmith and keyboardist, Michael Johnston...Johnston’s input helps account for the musical diversity of City Of Sirens."

January 27, 2009

I've just returned to Toronto from an inspiring, focused and hilarious time in Scotland.

The Burns Unit (a new Scottish-Canadian supergroup I'm 1/8 of) made our debut at the legendary ABC1 club in Glasgow, and played to a near sell-out crowd of 1100 people.  The Sunday Herald gave the show a **** review and wrote "all eight [members] were palpably buzzed and relishing the occasion, a collective energy that was richly apparent, too, in the songs they’ve written together. From raucous guitar rock to Jacques Brel-esque torch songs to bittersweet country-folk, they drew on a dizzyingly wide spectrum of influences, yet with a sharpness of focus throughout." 

Visit our myspace site (myspace.com/theburnsunitband) for all of the reviews and updates.

STV - a Glasgow broadcaster - took footage of one of our rehearsals - and posted it here in all of its fuzzy glory.

We took a day off after the show, then headed straight for the recording studio for six days. We recorded the basic tracks for some 17 songs, and snuck in a few brand-new songs written only a few days earlier.

My sweet send-off was a gig accompanying Karine Polwart for "Auld Lang Syne" - a gig celebrating Robert Burns at another sold-out gig, this time at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.  BBC broadcast the show live on both television and radio, and the two songs we did are up on youtube.  Our version of "This Little Light of Mine" - featuring myself, Karine, Emily Smith, Karen Matheson (Capercaille) and Eddi Reader was good, good fun, even more so because it all came together backstage during the intermission. 

You can watch the performances here and here.

December 26, 2008

Boxing Day sale at zunior.com.

Pick up Michael's album, "Curious Heart", for only $4.44 today only.

December 10, 2008

Three years ago, I decided to move back to Toronto, almost a decade after I first left.

So much has happened since, and fate has continued to tip the scales in my favour.

O regret! How I don't miss thee!

My general happiness has been accompanied with the realization of what a commodity time truly is. We all have less time than we'd like, in some form or another. I'm grateful, therefore, to be involved with people, ideas, and projects that I believe in.

So, then, an update for you with all things musical:

Upcoming Skydiggers dates on the calendar: the band's annual Christmas shows at the Horseshoe (complete with special surprise guests), and, just announced, a date at Massey Hall in Toronto opening for the Jim Cuddy Band. My connection to Massey Hall began the first time I saw Bob Dylan (I was 16, he had 2 drummers; yes, it could've been better). I'm very thrilled to be playing there - and on Valentine's Day! - so please come and cheer.

I recently had the opportunity to work with one of my favourite American singers - Gary Louris of the Jayhawks - in the studio. Gary is producing a record for Toronto alt-country singer-songwriter Kirsten Jones, and they invited me out to play some piano, organ and accordion. He was a gentleman with a fine choice of spectacles.

I am preparing for my 3rd musical trip to Scotland. In January 2009, I will be reunited with Emma Pollock (formerly of the Delgados), Indo-Caledonian Pop Artist Future Pilot AKA, and virtuosic rapper MC Soom T from Glasgow, renowned folk singer Karine Polwart, elegant multi-instrumentalist Kim Edgar from Edinburgh, alt-folk royalty King Creosote from Fife, as well as drummer/producer and my fellow-Canuck Mattie Foulds.
We first came together in 2006 for a songwriting retreat, and have decided to form a proper band - The Burns Unit - have a proper gig to introduce ourselves at (the renown Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow), and make a proper recording while we're at it. Stay tuned for details. In the meantime, head on over to the Burns Unit on myspace, and listen to live recordings we made while on tour earlier this year.

The first two records I've ever produced are set for imminent release. Scott McCord's album, "Blues For Sunshine", will be officially released in 2009, but you can pick up a copy exclusively at his live shows. I'll be sitting in with Scott and his amazing band for a live CBC taping next weekend.
18-year-old Taylor Mitchell will be releasing her debut, "For Your Consideration", on February 25, 2009 @ Hugh's Room in Toronto. Expect yours truly, along with an all-star band, to back her up for the evening.

I've also booked a few solo shows for 2009, and look forward to recording the long-promised follow-up to my debut, "Curious Heart". I'm very fortunate to have more than enough songs, and a fabulous group of friends and players to call upon. Ah, but the when and the where and the how? We'll figure it out, and I'll keep you posted.

October 30, 2008

Today's Toronto Star has a wonderful story on the Skydiggers.

"City of Sirens' most impressive quality is the noticeable shift away from guitar-based folk rock to almost symphonic art-rock arrangements, with the band's signature harmonies embedded into the textures and voicing of the keyboard parts. The songs are majestically melodic and richly structured, with lyrics that convey a kind of weary, wary optimism."

Read the full article here

October 15, 2008

The fine folks at CBC Radio 2 (the show "Canada Live"), have posted the Skydiggers 20th anniversary celebration concert - featuring Michael on keyboards and vocals - on their website. You can listen to all of the songs from the show right here.

The show was recorded in April 2008, and features two MJ co-writes - "Hello Beautiful Life" and "Till I Arrive".

September 2008

Boys Do Girls - a concept show that I came up with several years ago - is continuing under the artistic direction of Michael "A Man Called" Wrycraft. I organized the first show in January 2002 (really? really?? it's really been that long???) and had terrific (if not terrifying) fun playing the songs of Joni Mitchell.

Since then, I've covered Kate & Anna McGarrigle (Winnipeg, 2003), Lucinda Williams (Winnipeg, 2005) and Dolly Parton (Toronto, 2006).

I'm back this year, "doing" my fifth female songwriter, Sinéad O'Connor.

As with the other shows, choosing the right two songs to perform is totally daunting. Admittedly it was the video for "Nothing Compares 2U" that initially made me a fan of Sinéad(a song that Prince wrote for her, by the way, so I consider it off-limits to cover for this show). I have no concept of how popular or unpopular Ms. O'Connor is now (did anybody buy that reggae album she made?), but I'm realizing what a huge fan I am of the bulk of her work.

Shaved head or not, I'll be there giving it my all.

July 31, 2008

O summertime.

I recently returned from my first Toronto - Winnipeg and back drive in over a decade. The wilds of Northern Ontario seem even wilder than I remembered, and so very removed from city life in Toronto. I had forgotten about all of the little towns with wildly exotic names (Spanish AND Espanola within a few kilometres of one another...c'mon!). Ditto all of the maple-leaf logos on motel signs and the highway-side trading posts on First Nations land.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Back in Toronto, many happy musical adventures await in August. I'll be back in the studio, producing 17-year-old singer-songwriter Taylor Mitchell with a stellar band, including Lynn Miles.

I've also got my first Toronto show in many months. If you're in the area, I highly recommend you mark this date down: THURSDAY, AUGUST 14.

The show is a double-bill with a Scottish singer named Emily Smith. Emily and I first met in Austin, Texas, over two-and-a-half years ago. We wrote a song together, and when I returned to Scotland later that year, she saved me and my decaying second-hand accordion by lending me her top-notch squeezebox for a gig. She's from the Dumfries area in Scotland, a wee place that happens to be where my grandparents on the Johnston side emigrated from many moons ago. We'll both do a set, and plan on collaborating on a few songs together.

June 8, 2008

"City of Sirens" has just been released - the first Skydiggers album I've been a part of.  I co-wrote three songs on the recording:  "Hello Beautiful Life" (the opening track), "Until I Arrive" (with Andy Maize) and "Incurable" (with Josh Finlayson).  I'm very proud of how it turned out.  After months of pre-production, we had the good fortune of recording it at the Tragically Hip's home studio - 'The Bathhouse' - in Bath, Ontario.  To hear some tracks, check out the Skydiggers myspace page right here

May 24, 2008

"Hello Beautiful Life" - a song I co-wrote with Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson of the Skydiggers - is on this week's anti-hit list, compiled by John Sakamoto of the Toronto Star. "Hello Beautiful Life" is the first track on the Skydiggers' forthcoming album, "City of Sirens", my first recording with the legendary Canadian band.

Here's the review:

"While the verses to this affecting ballad have a hushed feel, perhaps similar to John Hiatt's "Have a Little Faith in Me," it's the quiet burst of the chorus that elevates this from solid album-opener to a standout that deserves to go directly into your iPod. While you're doing that, here are some words of wisdom to ponder: "Sometimes it's better not to know where the fatal blow comes from."

For the complete anti-hit list, click here.

May 2008

I'm back from Scotland, off a tour which reunited eight strangers who first met 18 months ago in a mansion on the sea near Dumfries (Scotland). The cast was made up of myself, indie-goddess Emma Pollock, folk-queen Karine Polwart, underground-hero King Creosote, experimental popster Future Pilot AKA, beat-dropper MC Soom T, inspired-instrumentalist Kim Edgar and fellow-Canadian Mattie Foulds. We came together for two days of rehersals in Glasgow just before our eight-gig tour began, and in the wee hours we had, managed to dust off 17 original songs, all written by various combinations of folks during the week we spent together (December 2006). This time 'round, we had a drummer, which, as it so often does, changes everything. Emma brought an electric guitar, Future Pilot brought his drone machine, Karine dusted off her sruti box, and - WOW - we became a band. Night after night, I was blown away - not only by the quality of the songs, and by the overwhelmingly positive audience reactions, but by what a powerful collective beast we became. The highlights are really too many to list; perhaps the most telling one is that before the final gig, several of us fretted over scraps of paper trying to finish the lyrics to a brand-new song, fittingly titled "Beautiful Mistakes". We finished it - Emma, Karine and I cobbled verses together - and didn't even have time to run it over once in it's entirety. We decided to close the night with it, in the magnificant Aberdeen Music Hall (where, I was told, Willie Nelson had just played, and used the grand piano I would play this new song on). It was perfect.

We're all settling back into our 'normal' musical lives, but there is a wild enthusiasm held by many of the players to carry this project on further...recording...touring...over to Canada...more writing...just need a name and a genre first ("alt. campfire?")

April 2008

I don't know how to knit, and while, theoretically, I'd love to, I've accepted that knitting is off of my "skills I can possibly acquire before I'm middle-aged" list. I have the greatest of admiration for those adept folk who kindly spend unspoken hours knitting cozy sweaters, socks or scarves for their loved ones. In truth, however, the act of knitting so intimidates me, that I've never really tried to understand it. Perhaps then you can understand my delight/perplexedness at opening for one of North America's best-loved knitters, Stephanie McPhee-Perl at her recent book launch in Toronto. That's right, I (alongside Andy Maize) opened for a knitter. Over 300 folks came out for her book launch, and I'd estimate that over 90% of 'em knitted along to every note Andy and I crooned out. They did manage to applaud and cheer, and one woman even offered to knit Andy a new pair of socks, but the soundbyte that's etched in my brain is this: during one of our slow ballads, I held whole notes on the keyboard (think a long count of 'ooone-twooo-threeeee-fourrrr') and alongside the echoing ping of my chords was the mezzo-forte unison of hundreds of needles clacking together, providing a sort of post-percussion ambience to the tune. Stephanie - the headliner - is an all-star blogger - and her wee bit of footage she took of us drew close to 10,000 hits on youtube in a few days. Check it out here.

March 2008

Like many fans of good music (and it is all good, isn't it, except for the bad stuff!), I rejoiced when "Falling Slowly" won "Best Song" at this year's Grammy Awards. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's performance and speech were undeniably moving, and, for me, transcended the awards show altogether, and became something to celebrate. The song is from the film "Once", and was recommended to me my several music friends. I extend the recommendation to anyone stopping by here.

What else, you ask? Well, I had the honour of playing my first 'wrap party' for a film called "Splice" - a sci-fi thriller starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley. The film's director, Vincenzo Natali, is a big Skydiggers fan, and requested the band to help celebrate the final day of shooting. We played on set - a full-sized barn that was imported from rural Ontario for the movie - and how surreal it truly was to play for Monsieur Brody and Ms. Polley. Sarah (can I call her Sarah?) hit the dance floor for the first song, "Hello Beautiful Life". At one point I looked out to see Adrian (whom I was at least introduced to, and feel marginally more comfortable referring to on a first-name basis) snapping photos of us on his phone.

I'm very excited about sharing the stage with Andrew Cash, whose new album is a whispered piece of beauty. In addition to opening his CD release party (Toronto, Thursday, March 13), I'll be accompanying him on accordion, piano, and, if I can track one down, a glockenspiel. I've been working up some new songs to try out, and intend on debuting a few at the show.

February 2008

I'm looking outside my window over a brilliant scene of Canadian winter - yesterday was Toronto's biggest snowstorm of the year, and in many ways, today feels like the first day of winter.

News? Plenty, dear friends. January was a merry month of recording: an inspiring week with the Skydiggers, a day in Guelph with Suzie Vinnick, several days of mixing in town with Scott McCord. I also helped Tannis Slimmon usher in her lovely new record, playing in her backup band for two sold-out shows back in Guelph.

January 2008

2008?

It hardly seems possible.

A new calendar turns, and new musical adventures lie on the immediate horizon for yours truly.

I head into Scott Merritt's legendary Guelph studio to play keyboards for Suzie Vinnick's new long-player. I've co-written a few tunes for the project, and I look forward to working with Stephen Fearing (who's producing Suzie) for the first time.

Skydiggers will continue working on their record (this is the year it'll be released!). We enjoyed two sold-out Christmas shows at the Horseshoe in Toronto. Despite being in abysmal physical condition (c/o a 48-hour flu bug), I enjoyed myself tremendously. It was great to try out some new songs, including the opener for both nights - "Hello Beautiful Life" - a song I co-wrote with Andy Maize. Andy and I played that very song a week earlier for a concert celebrating the life of Robert Schumann, and it oughta be broadcast on CBC in the coming months.

I look forward to finishing Scott McCord's album over the next few months - my first job as producer - with horns-a-plenty, some jaw-dropping backup vocals from Saidah Baba Talibah, and good, enduring songs, it's a project I'm very proud of being involved with.

December 19, 2007

True confession:  I've updated this page several times, but my ancient web-updater-program seems to regress (as we all do, occasionally) to old ways, leaving the May 24, 2007 entry as forever the most recent 'news'. 

This has truly been the most exciting, rewarding and challenging year of my life, both musically and personally.  I've connected with many new friends, and moved forward with new projects.  I felt a year-end summary would, at the very least, help me put the year into perspective, and give any interested folk a good sense of where I've been at. 

1)  Producing two singer-songwriters new to the game, both of whom I've been coaching in songwriting lessons.  I've ended up co-writing many tunes with both Taylor Mitchell - a Grade-12 student at an arts school in Toronto, and Scott McCord - a well-known actor.  I produced Taylor's 4-song EP at my home studio; Scott will release his full-length recording in 2008, with me as producer alongside engineer/mixer Don Kerr.

2) Skydiggers - I've been writing more songs with both Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson; a few may well appear on the new record (due out in Spring 2008 - in time to commemorate their 20th anniversary as a band)

3) Collaboration - In addition to writing with both Andy and Josh, and my good friend Dave Clark, I've co-written songs with new friends Cindy Church (Quartette), Saidah Baba Talibah (Jully Black), Stephen Fearing and Suzie Vinnick.  I've also performed and accompanied some of my favourite musicians:  Ruth Moody, David Francey, Brian MacMillan, Tannis Slimmon and The Centennial Secondary School Choir

4)  Session work - Look for my piano playing on forthcoming recordings by Joel Gibb (The Hidden Cameras), Suzie Vinnick and Chris Staig (Taxi Chain)

5) Teaching - In the midst of this merry mayhem, I'm currently teaching about 35 students - piano, accordion, singing, songwriting and recording.  The door is always open to new folks.  Don't hesitate to contact me if you're interested. 

6) Loudon Wainwright - I got to open both of Loudon's recent shows (December 2 & 3) in Toronto, and I must admit:  he was a true gentlemen.  He greeted me with a knowing smile.  "Mr. Johnston", he said, and shook my hand, after heroically making the first night through a old-school Canadian snowstorm in a rental car from Buffalo.  Even though I've never been the biggest fan, Loudon inspired me, and, bizarrely, led me to writing my first novelty song, called, appropriately, "Opening for Loudon Wainwright". 

Loudon Wainwright and Michael Johnston, Hugh's Room, December 3, 2007

May 24, 2007

The biggest news is the return of Michael's all-star band, "The Gentlemen Collars"!
Dave Clark, Maury Lafoy, Lewis Melville and Michael will take to the stage together for the first time in 18 months on Sunday, June 3 in Toronto.  MJ & The GCs will debut several new songs, and then accompany the Centennial Secondary School choir for the CD release party of "The Great Canadian Vocal Music Project".  Great, indeed; check out their version of Neil Young's "Living With War" here.

Michael is continuing to perform with the Skydiggers; one of his new songs, "A Little Love" (co-written with Paul McLaughlan of Glasgow and Jennifer Jackson of New York) is being played live with the band.  Michael is also writing with both Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson, as the 'Diggers prepare to record with the new lineup. 

Michael is also in the midst of his first job as producer, writing and recording with new blues/roots artist Scott McCord.

What else?  Ah yes, Michael just finished several new demos with Lewis Melville, and is preparing to record the follow-up to 2005's "Curious Heart", tentatively scheduled for release in early 2008.

For more news from 2007, please check out Michael's myspace blog here.

December 19, 2006

Michael has returned from an overwhelmingly successful and creatively inspiring week in Scotland at a mansion known as the House on the Shore.  He co-wrote 9 songs over 4 days with 7 different songwriters:  Chris Difford (Squeeze), BBC folk-queen Karine Polwart, Fence-records' King Creosote, Emma Pollock (the Delgados), Future Pilot AKA (the Soup Dragons), MC and rap-queen Soom T, and Edinburgh-folkie Kim Edgar. 

The week culminated in two very intimate concerts where many of the new songs were showcased.  There is already talk of a mini-tour in Scotland with the 'band' in 2007, and hints of future collaborative recordings.   

Several of the writers have written blogs about the Burnsong experience.  Read Karine Polwart's thoughts here, Emma Pollock's blog here, and King Creosote's hilarious commentary here.

As always, check out Michael's myspace site for blog entries, and updated tales of adventure. 

MJ with Future Pilot AKA

MJ with Emma Pollock and King Creosote

all our feet on the beach outside "The House on the Shore"

October 6, 2006

Thanks to all those who have purchased a copy of "Curious Heart" since its release. The first run is now sold-out.  Michael just picked up a new order, and will be taking the freshly-wrapped records out on tour this fall.

First up - a week-long tour of rural Manitoba in October with drummer, collaborator and dear friend Dave Clark.  Michael and Dave will play six shows in seven days, perform several new songs, and will host workshops in local schools.  This tour is being generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Secondly, Michael has been invited to join the legendary Skydiggers for a Western tour in November.  Michael will accompany the band on piano, accordion and background vocals, as well as open each night of the tour. 

August 1, 2006

Michael is one of 8 songwriters to be invited to "Burnsong" - an annual songwriters 'songhouse' that takes place in Scotland.  Along with Karine Polwart and Chris Difford (Squeeze), Michael will spend 5 days in a beautiful home in the Scottish countryside, writing songs that will be showcased in two performances.  Check out more fabulous details here.

Michael also appears on three new recordings by fellow Canadians:  "Night Melts Chains" by Sam Larkin, "Theory of Your Life" by Ian North, and "None of these Things" by Cat Jahnke. 

Sam Larkin's record is brilliant, and is his first release in a decade.  MJ is featured on piano, accordion, organ and background vocals.  Produced by MJ-producer Don Kerr, the CD also features Oh Susanna and Ron Sexsmith. 

Ian North's album is getting great reviews, and features MJ on piano alongside old friend Bob Wiseman (Blue Rodeo) on accordion. 

Cat Jahnke's recording was recently featured on CBC's "Sounds Like Canada", and is making a buzz in Winnipeg, garnering favourable words from scenesters like filmmaker Guy Maddin. 

April 12, 2006

A glimpse of footage from MJ's performance in Austin (with Paul McLaughlin and others) can be seen here

It goes by quickly, so buckle up, and keep hitting that "play" button for more. 

Also, Michael sat in with the Skydiggers/Cash Brothers both nights at their recent sold-out shows at the legendary Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield, Quebec.  Michael opened both evenings, and was joined on a new song by guitarist Andrew Cash. 

A photo of the crew performing "I Will Give You Everything" is below.

March 7, 2006

Check out this review of MJ's recent set at the Gordon Lighfoot tribute in Toronto (from "The Live Music Report"):

"Michael Johnston, once described as the illegitimate son of Randy Newman and Burt Bacharach, performed the "End of All Time" in relatively straight fashion, but then all hell broke loose. Joined by Kurt Swinghammer, David Matheson & David Woodhead, he performed "Rainy Day People" in the middle of the crowd, a song which featured a toy piano with bunnies on it, a resonator ukulele, a melodica and another miniature stringed contraption. It was, uh, impressive."

Click here to read the full review. 

March 2, 2006

Michael's profile is now up on myspace.com.  Click here to see.

February 19, 2006

Michael is back from Texas - photos and a mini-travelogue are now on the blog.  The highlight? (Mexican food notwithstanding):

a weekend-long, songwriting session, featuring three writers from Scotland (Karine Polwart, Emily Smith, and Paul McLaughlin), and two from the U.S. (Jennifer Jackson and Liz Carlisle).  In a suite on the 26th floor of the Hilton, MJ wrote a tune with Emily ("House on the Hill") and one with Paul and Jennifer ("Best To Use Your Heart"). 

So great was the connection with the Scots that a trip o'erseas is already in the works. 

Next week is moving week for MJ, as he returns to Toronto after a four-year absence. 

January 25, 2006

January 19, 2006

Somehow, Michael's CD, "Curious Heart" was #357 on the most-played-CDs-by-folk-DJs-in-North-America list for 2005, ahead of new releases by K.D. Lang, Kate Rusby and The Blind Boys of Alabama.  Who knew? 

January 12, 2006

Michael is preparing for his first ever performances south of the border.  He will showcase on four consecutive evenings (February 10 - 13) at the North American Folk Alliance Conference at the Hilton in Austin, Texas. 

On Saturday, January 7th, CBC listeners in Ontario heard Michael's story about singing and playing with the fabulous 40-piece Centennial Secondary School choir.  MP3s and video from that evening in December will be posted shortly. 

January 5, 2006

Michael has been named "Tell The Band To Go Home" artist of the year!  "TTBTGH" is a weekly radio show in Winnipeg, MB, hosted and produced by Jeff Robson.  Listen online to this excellent program every Sunday afternoon between 2 - 4, right here.