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    Columbus Makes Art Presents Saxophonist Daniel Johnson-Brewer


    Daniel Johnson-Brewer, Saxophonist

    “I have fun making music with the incredible people I’m surrounded by”

    — Daniel Johnson-Brewer, Saxophonist

    Daniel Johnson-Brewer is a saxophonist performing regularly around Columbus. We caught up with him to chat about his work.

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    Bruce: How did you discover your art form?
    Daniel: When I first started playing Saxophone in fifth grade, I immediately fell in love with the music. As I progressed, I really started to consider making a career as a musician, especially in high school. I enjoy being able to express myself in front of crowds and create music with other fantastic people.

    Bruce: Who are some of your greatest inspirations?
    Daniel: Charlie “Bird” Parker was probably the first saxophonist I really dived into. But besides him, my other inspirations are Cannonball Adderley, Phil Woods, John Coltrane, Sonny Stitt, Jackie McLean, Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Harry Carney, Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson just to name a few.

    Bruce: What’s your personal process for rehearsal and performance?
    Daniel: I’ve always been a believer in practicing how you’re going to perform. I always try to have a plan of what I’m going to rehearse with a band and try to have a schedule to hold myself accountable so I make sure I hit everything that needs to be worked on. When rehearsing, I always try to play just as good as I would during a performance so that way I feel ready for the gig. When the performance comes around, I just try to have fun making music with the incredible people I’m surrounded by.

    Bruce: What’s on your current playlist?
    Daniel: A lot! Currently I’m listening to Lingus and Grown Folks by Snarky Puppy, Stranger Heads Prevail by Thank You Scientist, Happy People by Kenny Garrett, Strasbourg/St Denis by Roy Hargrove and Ms Garvey, Ms Garvey by Jason Marshall, to name a few.

    Bruce: What do you do to relax or unwind?
    Daniel: Well most obviously, I listen to music. But I also love to spend time with friends and do all sorts of things; especially going to coffee shops! I also like to read different types of books and make art whether it’s painting or just doodling in a notebook.

    Saxophonist Daniel Johnson-Brewer

    Bruce: What are some of your favorite Columbus spots?
    Daniel: Some of my favorite restaurants in Columbus are probably Iron Grill and Pizza House. Both have really great food and are some of my first choices when picking a place to go out to eat. A few music venues and places that have music regularly that I like are Park Street Tavern, Dick’s Den, Natalie’s in Grandview, Ginger Rabbit and Zaftig. I also really love going by Antrim Park, especially since it’s close to where I live and is really nice to walk around.

    Bruce: What’s your favorite thing about the Columbus art scene right now?
    Daniel: Currently, I love how diverse the art scene is in Columbus. There’s so many different things to see and hear that it feels like a never ending fountain of creativity. In the music scene, there also seems to be so many things happening and it seems that every night there is something going on around town. My only regret is that I wish I could see them all!

    Columbus Makes Art Presents is a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council – supporting and advancing the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. The column is a project of the Art Makes Columbus campaign, telling the inspiring stories of the people and organizations who create Columbus art. Learn more about local artists, organizations, public art and events at ColumbusMakesArt.com.

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    Bruce Halliburton
    Bruce Halliburtonhttps://www.atribeforjazz.org/
    Bruce Halliburton is director of client relations and engagement for A Tribe for Jazz.
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