bio Reviews... "Dallas Johnson's new CD 'Anything Can Happen' is a standout release and already a staple of our radio shows. Her voice is amazing. Need proof? One listen to "Sunshine" and you will be thoroughly convinced." "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" Radio Show WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield Connecticut www.upperroomwithjoekelley.com and www.wvof.org __________________________________________________________________ Rick Mason, City Pages "Dallas Johnson's most potent weapon is her supple voice, which is equally capable of moon-June-spoon love songs, quirky jazzboisms, sassy blues, and soulful workouts. Nimble, with a surprising reservoir of power, that voice can worm its way through a forest of nuance as well as soar with gospel fire...Johnson proves to be a diverting and versatile songwriter too. 'Anything' roams from the shimmering soul-jazz of 'Sunshine' to the cool, Rickie Lee Jones-like 'Daydreamin'." _______________________________________________________________________ Andrea Canter, www.jazzpolice.com Skip to the bottom of this page to see the review in its entirety. "Regardless of the song, Johnson’s forte is storytelling through voice and lyrics in the tradition of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell, but with a sound that oozes soul and folk with occasional nods to Billie Holiday...Dallas’ broad repertoire as singer and songwriter has universal appeal...Read the bio of Twin Cities singer/songwriter Dallas Johnson and you might remember a time when the wandering poet/troubadour was the romanticized image of the 60s. But it is 2006, and Dallas incorporates some 21st century technology and musical savvy to bring a fresh coating to an infectious blend of soul, R&B, blues, folk, and swing on her second recording, Anything Can Happen. Yet, like the great songwriters of the 60s and 70s (Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell), Johnson’s lyrics address timeless themes, particularly love and peace...Anything Can Happen lives up to its title, defying classification while encompassing jazz, soul, R&B, blues, folk-rock, even tinges of gospel...The opening track, “Sunshine,” first recorded by Jevetta Steele...has the flow of urban bustle and summery heat, the Combining vocal verses and spoken word, the track showcases Dallas Johnson as the poet, and one with plenty of soul in both vocal and spoken voice. “I’m Happy Again” swings hard with just Dallas and Boney’s acoustic piano. Like a page from the Great American Songbook with a 21st century twist, it conjures the spirit of a song from Billie Holiday’s playlist." _________________________________________________________ www.allaboutjazz.com Johnson puts considerable thought into the lyrics for her songs, which she interprets with clarity. Pop, folk and R&B influences abound. _________________________________________________________ Dan Barreiro, KFAN Radio Selfishly, I'd absolutely love to hear Dallas Johnson do an entire CD of 70s soul songs (she knows what one I am especially still waiting for). That's because it happens to be my favorite style of music. Then again, I'd love hear her do an entire collection of jazz standards. Or would it be some good old hard-hitting smoky blues? To me, that's the beauty of this woman's voice: It is so easy to imagine her working in any of several of my favorite genres and pulling it off with authenticity and craftsmanship. She can soar and soothe, sometimes within the same song. She knows when to bring it on, and when less is more. I do not pretend to be a music expert. But I do have over a thousand records and CDs and I know what sounds sweet, and authentic, to my ears. This woman is the real deal. Her voice is rich and sassy and authoritative. I've said this for years: It astounds me that Dallas has not been discovered nationally. All it proves is that the music game is as much a crapshoot as several others, because she blows away many singers I hear nationally on a regular basis. Her other strength should be over-estimated: She knows how to surround herself with quality musicians who enrich her own work. I still regularly play her music on my radio show, and take it from a fellow who is known around these parts as a confirmed cynic: It never gets old to my ears. _______________________________________________________ Mike Brannon: http://www.jazzreview.com "Dallas Johnson, a new vocal talent on the horizon, has released "Move A Mountain". Well supported by a talented, accomplished cast of sidemen, including the late Mark Ledford (Pat Metheny Group), Estaire Godinez (Prince, George Benson), Mike Scott, (Prince, Janet Jackson), Tommy Elm (Prince) and Dave Barry (kd lang), she navigates everything from urban groove to neo-bossas and bluesy ballads. Atmospheric, introspective and far ranging, Dallas' voice shines with mellifluous soul on the material aptly driven by gospel backup vocals. Check out "One Day Before Long" and "The Shadow" for choice Chaka Khan influenced treatments and cool funk guitar. "Like a Fountain" evokes bluesy visions of Cassandra Wilson with its open African percussion treatment while "Letting Go", "Throw it Away" and the closer, Jobim's "Desifinado" takes the listener into a Brazilian dream. All in all, a really very worthy sonic journey." _________________________________________________________ Peter Scholtes, Complicated Fun – City Pages “Adventurous as she is cool, dallas sings circles around vocals in any musical circle.” “Anything Can Happen” at the Dakota With Dallas Johnson, April 27th Contributed by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor “I live for music. It’s the best thing in my life.” –Dallas Johnson (at age 12) Read the bio of Twin Cities singer/songwriter Dallas Johnson and you might remember a time when the wandering poet/troubadour was the romanticized image of the 60s. But it is 2006, and Dallas incorporates some 21st century technology and musical savvy to bring a fresh coating to an infectious blend of soul, R&B, blues, folk, and swing on her second recording, Anything Can Happen. Yet, like the great songwriters of the 60s and 70s (Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell), Johnson’s lyrics address timeless themes, particularly love and peace, both of which will be celebrated at the CD Release Party at the Dakota on Thursday, April 27th. Meet Dallas Johnson Dallas Johnson grew up in the heartland, in Pembina, ND (“population 500”), and was singing and writing songs from childhood. “I wrote my first song at 12… a 3-chord blues/rock song about a train bringin’ my baby back home.” She performed in a new wave band and won state music awards for classical vocal solos in high school. In college she studied classical music but also played acoustic/folk guitar. For a while she lives in Minneapolis, playing with Caribbean and African bands (she sings in a variety of African languages) before taking the plunge and moving to New York City, where she remained for 8 years. At first she played with a women’s trio, holding open mic sessions and later backing touring musicians. Within two years she was performing solo around the Big Apple, even played steel drums with Freedom Steel in Brooklyn’s Labor Day Parade. Back in Minneapolis, Dallas continued on her eclectic journey through world music, connecting with R&B and reggae groups which led to her work with J.D. Steele who encouraged her to record and produce her first CD, Move a Mountain. New opportunities followed, including her own band, a duo with bassist Art Haynes (“Bing Cherry”), a gig with the reggae/blues/Cajun band the Reggaelators, and collaboration with the duo Keston and Westdal on the tune “Feel Your Heart.” Things changed for Dallas in November 2004 when long-time friend and music mentor Mark Ledford (trumpeter, vocalist associated with Pat Metheny), died of heart disease at age 44. Quitting her day job, Dallas decided to devote herself to her music fulltime. J.D. Steele appeared again, this time seeking a new song for sister Jevetta’s forthcoming CD, and connecting Dallas to local keyboardist/composer Cleveland Boney. “My Heart” became Jevetta’s title track, “Sunshine” the opening track, and the Johnson/Boney collaboration was off and running. And running so well that Dallas and Cleveland began work on songs for a new recording, Anything Can Happen. “Cleveland is an exceptional talent and has increased my ‘game’ monumentally,” she says. “As soon as I have a little idea, he’s playing along and asking me for the next line… Cleveland’s creativity flows like water, so it’s a cinch to just dive in and go. Meeting him has truly changed my life. I’ve written more in the past year than my entire life put together.” Anything Can Happen! Compared to her first recording project which took place over two years, the new CD had a more auspicious evolution. Says Dallas, “My first CD, ‘Move a Mountain,’ was such an undertaking, during which I developed a sound, learned production techniques and, most importantly, learned to stay focused on the outcome despite a series of uncanny obstacles. ‘Anything Can Happen’ came together so naturally and is a celebration of how things fall into place when we’re on the right track.” Part of that “right track” was her partnership with Cleveland Boney, beyond his contributions as co-composer. “Cleve did a fantastic job of leading the initial tracking sessions. I was blessed to mentor with Darrel Diaz just before mixing and producing the tracks...a serendipitous opportunity that significantly impacted the final result.” The final result is an collection of 10 original songs (all written by Dallas Johnson, with Cleveland Boney composing the music on seven of the tracks) that covers the gamut of Johnson’s eclectic influences and interests (which she cites as including Donny Hathaway, Rickie Lee Jones, Donald Fagan, Cole Porter, Gershwin, Miles Davis, John Lennon, Richard Thompson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Roseanne Cash). Thus Anything Can Happen lives up to its title, defying classification while encompassing jazz, soul, R&B, blues, folk-rock, even tinges of gospel. In addition to Boney, who adds keyboards, percussion, and even some vocals to his talents as composer/arranger, the list of supporting musicians includes Twin Cities’ finest—Dave Karr on reeds, Dean Magraw and Soli Hughes on various guitars, Chris Smith and Tony Axtel alternating on bass, Wendell Henry on drums, Darryl Boudreaux on percussion, and a list of guests on various tracks—including guitarists Mike Scott and Sean Harkness, tone and kick drum specialist Toby Tobalyas Moore, bar sax man Brian Gallagher, and trombonist Matt Darling. Back-up vocals are provided throughout by J.D. Steele, Vivian Moore, Terence “T-Bone” Friersen, and Dallas’ nieces (“Keepin’ a Move On”), Devi Johnson Rasaili and Marley Johnson. Regardless of the song, Johnson’s forte is storytelling through voice and lyrics in the tradition of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell, but with a sound that oozes soul and folk with occasional nods to Billie Holiday. The opening track, “Sunshine,” first recorded by Jevetta Steele, recalls Johnson’s days living in New York, eating at a small jazz club with the “bass all over the place, while the saxophone’s moaning” – Dave Karr’s wailing tenor sax and Tony Axtell’s rambunctious bassline fit the lyric. Setting the tone for the rest of the recording, “Sunshine” has the flow of urban bustle and summery heat, the Combining vocal verses and spoken word, the track showcases Dallas Johnson as the poet, and one with plenty of soul in both vocal and spoken voice. “O’Malley” is Dallas’ tribute to friend Alice O’Malley. There’s a funky palette of sound here, from the whine of Magraw’s slide guitar, Boney’s Rhodes, Boudreaux’s magical percussion—a soul jazz groove uplifting the poet’s words. “Daydreamin’” sets off Dallas’ voice more than any other track, with the pared down instrumental of co-writer Sean Harkness’ guitar and some in-the-background percussion provided here by Boney. There’s a folk/jazz feel, a conversational ease and clarity, and I would not mind an entire album heading off in this direction with Sean and Dallas alone. In writing “We Can Do Better,” Dallas notes that “I used to live in an apartment building and often saw a sad woman in the window, lighting incense and candles and praying. Since I lived in a troubled neighborhood, I imagined she was praying for her son, caught up in the streets, like too many before him.” Background vocals give this track a more definitive R&B flavor; Boney plays acoustic piano while Dave Karr plays his “Karrophone” (which sounds like a modified flute). Picture a wistful melody and a dance floor… Any sense of melancholy is instantly dissolved with “Keepin’ a Move On,” introduced by a brief vocal from J.D. Steele and filled with soul/rap/hip-hop grooves, giving it a very hip, young sound—a sound furthered by the youthful backup voices of Dallas’ nieces. And youthful bassist (at 18) Chris Smith, one of the most remarkable young musicians in the Twin Cities, provides some very funky lines as he skips through the changes. It might have been tempting for Boney to play the Rhodes on this track but the use of the acoustic piano is a masterful choice, as keeps the music tethered to earth and gives the song a real swing. Dave Karr adds the melodica, which sounds a bit like a harmonica, again a perfect sound in this context. “I’m Happy Again” swings hard with just Dallas and Boney’s acoustic piano. Like a page from the Great American Songbook with a 21st century twist, it conjures the spirit of a song from Billie Holiday’s playlist. Using her voice as the main source of improvisation, this is the most “jazzed” track of the set. With “It Ain’t Easy,” we go from swing to funky blues, with a bit of gospel and soul sprinkled in. There’s a slick “wahwah” with Boney back on Rhodes, slide guitar antics from Dean Magraw, Boudreaux using all of his percussion arsenal including washboards, and the added attack of kick drum. Add in some brass notes from Matt Darling and Brian Gallagher—this one is the instrumental highlight of the album. Just in time, things take a soothing turn with “In Our Garden” (co-written by J.D. Steele), then back into a blues groove with R&B scents with “I Will Remember.” The set closes with “I Want Peace,” a modern hymn featuring Chris Smith’s resonating arco basslines, a short track that presents its message without overstatement, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” CD Celebration The CD Release Party at the Dakota (April 27th) will naturally be a showcase for the music of Anything Can Happen and the first opportunity for this band to perform on stage (Cleveland Boney, Soli Hughes, Chris Smith, and Wendell Henry, with Kahlil Queen on vocals). But Dallas has been busy with new songs and new projects, and the Dakota sets will also include “five covers we’ve never done (Donny Hathaway, Frankie Beverly & Maze, John Hiatt, Billie Holiday and Lizz Wright). Cleveland and I are singing a new duet/ballad and I’m writing a brand new song this week to add to our playlist.” Dallas Johnson’s broad repertoire as singer and songwriters has universal appeal, and “anything can happen” at this gig! “Before my nieces recorded, ‘Keepin’ a Move On’… I told them to imagine their hearts opening up wide while they sing because it helps open their listeners’ hearts so the message comes through. One hundred years from now, someone will hear the girls’ voices and know that everything’s gonna be okay.” –Dallas Johnson