|
David MacKenzie (violin) and Josh Johnston (piano) are Irish musicians who take the swing jazz of Stephan Grappelli as a starting point but also incorporate elements of blues, latin & classical music to create a diverse mix of standards and original compositions.
From Dublin, David is a classically trained violinist whose career has seen him hold orchestral posts in England, Wales, Holland and Ireland. He is currently section leader of the second violins in the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and has given many solo recitals and performances. He composes prolifically, writing much of his & Josh's repertoire, and also composes for theatre and film, various productions recently receiving debuts in the United States and Ireland.
From Dun Laoghaire, Josh studied Popular Music in the University of Salford, graduating as a pianist, band leader and composer. He is a well-known as being a versatile performer throughout the music industry, being pianist in the band of Birr singer/songwriter Roesy as well as having appeared on stage and record with Kila, Declan ORourke, Noelie McDonnell, Irish tenor Karl Scully and many others. He is also the resident organist at the Unitarian Church in Dublin.
David & Josh hail from quite different musical backgrounds but have been playing jazz together for the past three years. Having performed live together since early 2002, they took time off in 2004 to record their debut CD, A Minor Happiness in the RTE radio studios in Donnybrook. The album perfectly reflects the contrasting styles and dynamics within the duos repertoire; from blues to ballads, swing to Latin. Seven of the tracks are Davids original compositions and the sheer quality of these tunes is testament to a composing talent waiting to be noticed.
They returned to the concert stage in October 2004 to promote the CD with a 9-date tour. 2005 was also successful with tours in May, August, and October. The duo are currently taking bookings for 2008 and 2009.
Their 2nd CD was recorded during 2006 and 2007 and was released in June 2008 under the title Notes Home. The top 3 tracks on the player are featured on the album, alongside 10 other original compositions. Joining David & Josh on the CD are Stephen McFarlane (electric guitar), Andrew Czibi (double bass) and Robbie Harris (percussion).
You can buy the first CD here.
|
