There are many words which could be used to describe Gail Jhonson and her music, but perhaps the best adjective is the word elegant. Her new CD Pearls, is aptly named, for like the beautiful pearl necklace that is strung about her neck or the pearl earrings which adorn her ears, on the cover of this album, each of her songs, is just as exquisite. In my recent conversation with Jhonson (and yes that is the correct spelling of her surname), she was relaxed, thoughtful in her responses to this writer’s questions, and even though she was on the other end of the phone, at her home in Los Angeles, her warmth and inner beauty shone through.

 

It was therefore appropriate that as our conversation began and Jhonson and I talked about her current CD, that she said, “I call it one of my gems. I call all of the songs my gems, but with this record, I wanted to step it up from the last CD. I wanted to showcase some of the ideas that I had. I got some help from other artists, such as James Lloyd who wrote three of the songs with me. Other musicians bring out the best in you as an artist. You can’t do everything, well you can, but I think it is the interaction with other people that brings out the best in you.”

 

It stretches the imagination, to think about Gail Jhonson needing others to help bring out the best in her, for the classically trained pianist, who grew up in Philadelphia, and later received a degree in composition from Boston’s Berklee College of Music, has a string of accomplishments, which would be the envy of many within the music industry. She has for the past seventeen years served as the music director, vocalist and keyboardist for smooth jazz guitarist Norman Brown, including his summer tours, known as Summer Storm 1, 2, 3 and 4. The tours have included artists such as, Jeff Lorber, Peabo Bryson, Marion Meadows, Patti Austin, Najee, Chante Moore and Paul Taylor. Jhonson has shared the stage with Bobby Womack, Vanessa Williams, Pink, Bobby Lyle, Sheila E. Mindi Abair, Dave Koz, and numerous other high profile artists.  Gail Jhonson is an accomplished teacher and has authored the book Funk Keyboards. Her new CD Pearls is her sophomore solo effort, and follows the success of her 2004 release, Keep The Music Playing, which was fueled by the singles, “Heaven,” and “Just For Kicks.”

 

Even though Jhonson has lived in Los Angeles for many years, she remains a proud Philadelphian. Her pride in her cultural heritage comes through as she discusses her second track, “My Soldier,” which was penned with James Lloyd. “He is a Philadelphia native as well, and it was nice to work with him. I felt that he had the spirit of the sounds of Philadelphia that we grew up with. I wanted some of that flavor in the music. There are several Philadelphians (in the music industry) who live in California, and particularly in Los Angeles, but I don’t get to interact with them, so getting to work with James was really good.” 

 

“I named the song, “My Solider,” because it has a haunting feeling to it. With James’ writing, the melodies are good and they are simple. Sometimes the melodies are a little busy, but I was able to take some of that busyness and spread it out so that it doesn’t overwhelm you. I wanted to dedicate something to the soldiers and that song has a lonely feeling to it. I wanted to identify with what the soldiers must be going through, with being in a foreign land, sometimes being lonely and sometimes not having anything to say. I think that the music conveys that,” says Jhonson.

 

Pearls reunites Jhonson with Norman Brown, who plays on the last track, “Soleh.” She says, “I didn’t realize until two years ago how long we had been together. We have been working together for so long and during that time, he has grown and I have grown. Norman Brown is a fantastic musician. “Soleh,” was on my first CD, Keep The Music Playing, but it was remixed for this record. The song is so good and now that I am getting all of this exposure with NuGroove Music, I didn’t want that song to get lost. It is kind of like a bonus track.”