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Lucien Johnson is a New Zealand saxophonist, composer and band leader from Wellington. He studied jazz at the New Zealand School Of Music, and earned his Master's degree in composition from New Zealand School Of Music, studying under John Psathas. In 2015, as a recipient of Victoria University's Doctoral Scholarship, Johnson started working on his Ph.D. at NZSM, focusing on Ethiopian jazz of the 1960–70s and 70s and the notion of hybridity among contemporary composers and musicians in engaging with music from other cultures. Lucien combines his doctorate research with duties of an artist teacher at the New Zealand School of Music, reading courses on jazz saxophone and improvisation.
Johnson has been writing solo music for piano, orchestral and chamber works, as well as making experimental and improvised music with some of New Zealand's and European leading players, and composing for film, television, dance, theatre and installations. Inspired by Lucien Johnson's cabaret show The Night's Plutonian Shore, famous New Zealand director Geoff Murphy made a film Tales of Mystery and Imagination (2009), commissioning the composer to write a soundtrack.
From 2003 to 2009, Lucien Johnson lived in Paris, where he formed a trio with US free jazz veteran Alan Silva on bass and Makoto Sato on drums. His composition To the Sea for piano was premiered by Jeffrey Grice at New Zealand School Of Music in Paris, and eventually performed on tour across Europe and New Zealand. Johnson toured India with a circus ensemble [url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/963278]Clowns Sans Frontières[/url].
After returning to New Zealand in 2009, Johnson organized a few projects, such as an Afrofuturist ensemble Shogun Orchestra, and The Troubles, which released an album on New Zealand School Of Music and headlined the 2014 Edinburgh Jazz Festival. For four years, Lucien Johnson had been touring extensively with a popular reggae band The Black Seeds. He participated in three world tours with them, and gave over 200 concerts in the USA, Canada, Europe and across Australasia, including appearances at major European festivals: New Zealand School Of Music, New Zealand School Of Music, and New Zealand School Of Music. Some of Johnson's recent projects include an acoustic jazz sextet [a=Lucien Johnson + 5], which is planning to release their debut album on Japanese label New Zealand School Of Music in 2017.
Lucien Johnson is one of the co-founders of New Zealand School Of Music, and had been collaborating with many bands on the label, including Lord Echo (touring Japan and China together), and The Yoots.
As a session musician, Johnson had played and recorded with Hollie Smith, Jonathan Crayford, Barre Phillips, Lol Coxhill, Damo Suzuki, Alda Rezende, and The Phoenix Foundation.
2024
Deluge Records (3)
LP, Album, Ltd
2024
Deluge Records (3)
6xFile, MP3, Album, 320
2020
Deluge Records (3)
LP, Album, Ltd
2016
2014
Improvising Beings
CD, Album, Ltd
2023
Wonderful Noise Productions, Soundway
LP, Comp, Ltd
2022
Aunty Records
8xFile, MP3, Album, 320
2020
Aunty Records
4xFile, MP3, EP, 320
2019
Tikidub Productions
4xFile, MP3, Single, 320
2018
2017
Keen For A Nudge
LP, Album
2017
2016
Improvising Beings
File, FLAC, Album
2015
Not On Label (The Phoenix Foundation Self-released)
File, MP3, 320
2015
Wonderful Noise Productions
CD, Album, RE
2013
Economy Records (2)
CD, Album
2013
2013
2012
Rattle Records
CD, Album
2011
Economy Records (2)
7"
2011
Economy Records (2)
CD, Album
2011
2010
2010
2010
2009
Wild Bill Ricketts
CD, Album
2004
Yellow Eye Music
CD
2004
Yellow Eye Music
CD, Comp
2000
ENMS
CD, Album
2013
Wonderful Noise Productions
12", EP
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson
Lucien Johnson