Russ Johnson & LD Levy, Wayfaring

media release: Presented by BlueStem Jazz. $20.  

Russ Johnson and LD Levy with opening act WAYFARING: Katie Ernst and James Falzone

WAYFARING

Taking its name from a beloved American folk song, Wayfaring is a duo project between bassist/vocalist Katie Ernst and clarinetist James Falzone. What began as a casual meeting between like-minded players has formed into a collective of unusual nuance and depth, drawing on source material from the jazz tradition, hymns, folk songs, and original compositions from Ernst and Falzone. Wayfaring was featured at the 2016 Hyde Park Jazz Festival in Chicago, the 2017 Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, and released their debut recording, I Move, You Move, in Fall 2017 on the Allos Documents label to much critical acclaim.

Wayfaring stands out by channeling ideas from American folk tradition or the church into music that extends well beyond the language of jazz. A stunning record.

Peter Margasak, The Chicago Reader

One of the most austerely beautiful recordings of the year sounds very much like a balm for troubled times. Elements of jazz, folk, pop, blues and other genres course through this work, but its the long-lined lyricism and pervasive warmth of the music-making that leave the deepest and most lasting impression.

Howard Reich, The Chicago Tribune

Website: http://allosmusica.org/projects#/wayfaring

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katieernstjazz/?hl=en

Music: https://allosdocuments.bandcamp.com/album/i-move-you-move

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i60n6JPargU

Russ Johnson and LD Levy

Trumpeter Russ Johnson is a recent Midwest transplant after spending 23 years as an important member of New York Citys jazz community. He has released 8 recordings as a leader or co-leader and performed on more than 100 recordings as a sideman. Russ has worked alongside many of the legendary figures in jazz including Lee Konitz, Steve Swallow, Bill Frisell, and Joe Lovano. In addition, he has recorded and/or performed with a long list of the most prominent musicians currently on the international jazz scene, including Myra Melford, Ken Vandermark, and Tony Malaby. Russ has performed in more than 40 countries across the globe.  His groups have recently performed at the Chicago, Winter Jazz Fest (NYC) Hyde Park, (Chicago) and Bergamo, (Italy) jazz festivals. He was also recognized as a Rising Star in the 2018 Down Beat Critics Poll.

Russ most recent recordings, Meeting Point (Relay Recordings) and Still Out To Lunch! (Enja Records) received 4 1/2 & 4 stars respectively from Down Beat Magazine and appeared on many Best Recordings of 2014/5 lists including Down Beat, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, NYC Jazz Record and Magnet magazine. He released a new recording by his Headlands Quartet in 2018.

Russ has also performed extensively as a contemporary classical trumpeter. Performances include: Chicago Symphony Orchestra Music Now Series with Myra Melford, Philip Glass The Bacchae (Shakespeare in the Park  Central Park NYC) Christian Marclay Festival (Whitney Museum NYC), James Tenney Retrospective (Whitney Museum NYC), Merce Cunningham/John Cage Oceans (Lincoln Center NYC), Kitchen House Blend (The Kitchen, NYC), MATA Festival (NYC), Tilt Brass Band, (with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company for their final performances at The Armory, NYC)

Russ commercial music credits include performances with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello, Kelly Clarkson, Debbie Harry, Lou Reed and Michael Buble.  He has appeared on dozens of TV commercials and performed as a featured soloist on the soundtracks for the films Little Fockers, Undefeated and Low Down.

Russ is also active as an educator/clinician, having taught at colleges and universities across the U.S. and Europe. He currently serves as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin Parkside where he won the university wide Stella Gray Teaching Excellence award in 2016 and the Creative Activity award in 2020.  Russ also currently serves as trumpet instructor at Carthage College and previously served as the jazz trumpet instructor at the University of Wisconsin  Madison.

L.D. Levy

flute/bass clarinet/alto saxophone.

self-taught/no-read.

protege of paul bley.

first recording duet with richard davis.

played with beaver harris and don pullen.

don cherry and ed blackwell.

all european activity,based out of utrecht,holland.

beyond music:

line therapist for early detection intensive autism program.

group facilitator/teen shelter.

tai chi instructor.

senior care/alzheimer patients.

make a wish wish granter.