Bashiri Johnson
You dig a deep groove, I know that. Ergo, you’re a fan of Bashiri Johnson, right? Since 1986, when he was tapped to add percussion tracks to Madonna’s “Holiday,” Bashiri, who grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, has been on the top of every producer’s list. I’ve known Bash for over 20 years and have been fortunate enough to have his talent on a number of my own recordings. We caught up by phone the other day.
Gary Eskow: “Bash, for those who aren’t familiar with your background, could you sketch in a few details of your early training as a musician?”
Bashiri Johnson: “I grew up in Bed-Stuy and was bused to a school in Bay Ridge. That experience turned out to be quite beneficial to me in terms of my musical development. It was a nice, bi-cultural way to learn. In my neighborhood I’d hear Sly and James Brown, and over in Bay Ridge I was exposed to The Who, Hendrix, and the Beatles.”
GE: “What instruments did you initially learn to play?”
BJ: “I played some flute and recorder in school, took some piano lessons as well, but I really got serious when I took up the conga drums.”
GE: “What players influenced you early on?”
BJ: “As far as drumming, Max Roach and Tony Williams. I met Tony once and it was great! On the percussion side, Ralph MacDonald and Olatunji were big influences. I had two important mentors, Big Black and Mtume.”
GE: “Your work with Madonna led to a break out period for you. Could you tell us a bit about this time in your career?”
BJ: “After “Holiday” I played at the first Live Aid concert in 1986. In short order I worked on Luther Vandross’ first album, Never Too Much, and Whitney Houston’s first, You Give Good Love. Word got out about this young percussionist, and the calls started to come in.”
GE: “What’s the most essential aspect of the groove?”
BJ: “Your connection to yourself, I’d say. To be able to express yourself through an instrument- any instrument- you have to have that.”
GE: “What’s the biggest mistake that project studio producers make with regard to drums and percussion?”
BJ: “Not checking in with someone who does this stuff every day. Loops and sample libraries are great; I’ve made some of them myself – “Ethno Techno,” “Liquid Grooves,” “Endangered Sounds & Rhythms.” But you can’t simply rely on loops- you need a second opinion from someone who has an expertise in that field if you want to end up with percussion parts that are perfectly tailord to a song. If I’m producing a track in my studio I may have an idea for a guitar part. I’ll put something down on a keyboard but I’ll always look for a player to flesh it out. Everyone needs a second opinion, and I think that’s especially true in the area of rhythm.”
GE: “You’ve worked in many of the major studios and have had your own project studio for years. What’s your take on the state of the industry, and where does the majority of your work come from these days?”
BJ: “Most of my work takes place right here in my own room. People will send me files over the internet, or drop off DVD’s and drives. I’m still working in studios around town as well. In fact, I just finished working on Ja Rule’s new record up at Daddy’s House, Diddy’s room in midtown Manhattan. I get calls from producers who work in Avatar and other studios, and lots of private facilities as well.
“I think there’s still room for growth in the large room environment. The challenge for them is to show value to the corporate interests that control the business. We all know how inexpensive it is to make a record using someone who builds a beat on a drum machine and have a few tracks added on top of it, then release the record as an mp3 file. There’s nothing wrong with that. The music business should be a mix of everything; the mad scientist should be able to crank out fine work at a computer, but there should also be room for Phil Ramone to produce a large orchestral track in a big room.”
GE: “What are you tracking to these days in your studio?”
BJ: “I’m running ProTools 8 and will soon upgrade to 9. I still use a Yamaha O2R as a front end. We’ve got lots of great mics and we record everything through a Neve 1073 mic-pre that I love. I’ve got lots of midi gear here, and everything other than percussion and vocals I engineer myself. When I need an engineer I like to call on Darren Moore, Carlos “Storm” Martinez, or Sheldon Goode.”
GE: “Bash, I know you were working with Michael Jackson at the time of his death. What can you tell us about him, and that moment in your career?”
BJ: “Looking back on that bubble moment, it almost seems out of time and space for me. When I look at the film This Is It, and the pictures I took during rehearsals, it’s like a dream. I was working with one of the kindest, gentlest, and most talented artists I’ve ever come across. Michael was the most humble guy I’ve ever seen, thankful to everyone he came across; the rigger, the fire department, the dancers, band, the lighting director, you name it, he made sure they all knew they were appreciated.
“When he got on stage and went to work, that was the highest standard of excellence I’ve ever been around. He made you rise above your normal level, and if you didn’t Michael would notice and mention it to the individual, or share them with the musical director or choreographer. He made his opinions known in a loving way. You’d make your adjustments and try to measure up to his standards.”
GE: “People looking to add your talents to their tracks can reach you through your website. What advice can you give to midi composers who are trying to develop their skills in the percussion area?”
BJ: “Do some research. Wade through YouTube and iTunes and use these sources to study the masters of percussion. Don’t settle for the four or five percussion samples that happen to be in the box you’re using. Discover the sounds that are right for the particular piece you’re working on.”
GE: “And stay in touch with yourself, right?”
BJ: “Right!”
