This Sunday! Posted: May 6, 2009

Hello again everyone. I wanted to take a moment to let everyone know about a show that I've got coming up this weekend. Most of you know Jony Jatom, my good friend and bass player who moved out to San Diego with me from New York. Jony and I have been playing together for a long time, and continue to play together in many projects here in SD. Some of you may not know that Jony is also the bass player for Justin James. Well I wanted to let you all know that Jony and I have a new friend, and we're going to be playing with him a lot. His name is Elias Berlinger, and he's a fantastic young drummer from right here in San Diego. Elias will be playing with the Justin James band as well, but more importantly, he will be making his debut this Sunday with The Jesse Johnson Trio! We'll be playing an hour long set at Lestat's West in Normal Heights, and with some amazing support from local artists Lou Evans and Megan Combs. We will also be debuting some new music that night, so be sure to come check it out! I've got a lot of new shows posted, but I'd love to see you all at this show in particular. Come say hello, and maybe meet some new friends. For all of you folks under 21, this is definitely your show! Lestat's is a great all ages venue with good sound and a mellow atmosphere. I also want to let you all know in advance that I'll be performing on KUSI at 9:45 AM the morning of June 13th, so roll out of bed and flip on the TV! I hope you are all enjoying the gorgeous weather today, and I'll get back with you soon! Please don't hesitate to post responses and let me know what is going on in your world! Peace, Jesse

Another Winter Gone Posted: Apr 13, 2009

The older I get, the harder it becomes to wrap my mind around how fast the seasons pass. This weekend I visited my family in La Mesa and had the chance to remember what it feels like to be hot... I mean really hot. It made me stop and take notice of another passing season, which of course always leads me to the question, "What the hell have I accomplished in the last year?" I'll answer that question for myself gently by writing about what I'm going to accomplishing now, and what I will accomplish in the future instead... There is going to be a lot of music in my world in the coming months. Starting this month, I will not only be guitar player/musical handyman for local singer/songwriter Justin James, but will also be playing guitar for Astra Kelly, host of KPRI's Home Grown Hour, and avid supporter of local music in San Diego. I'll also be picking up shows on guitar and bass with other local bands this month, including "Rice Rockit" at the end of the month. Be sure to check for new show dates with both Justin, Astra, and the rest of the gang. We'll be in San Diego a lot more with all of our Mammoth Mountain gigs coming to a close for the season... just when I finally learn how to snowboard. Because we'll be around more often, the Jesse Johnson Trio is going to have a much stronger local presence. I hope that you all will come and check out what we are doing as we change and grow here in SD. I wish you all a happy spring! As you enter this new season don't forget to focus more on what you're going to do today than what you failed to do yesterday. Peace, Jesse

Come Out Tonight! Posted: Oct 18, 2008

Hey everybody. Happy Saturday... The time is coming on fast when we will be in the mountains for most of the winter with Justin James, but we'll be playing here in SD as much as possible before we go and possibly in between. For those of you looking for something to do on Saturday nights, including tonight, come on down to the Lafayette Hotel lobby bar in University Heights. I will be playing a duo show with guitar, bass and loops from 9:00 - 12:00 tonight, as well as Saturday 10/25 and Saturday 11/01. The Lafayette is an old hotel on the border of University Heights and North Park. The have a great outdoor area with a large pool and pool deck, and a mellow bar attached where we will be playing. They offer great drink prices and a relaxed atmosphere, with comfortable seating and heaters outdoors. The Hotel is on the corner of El Cajon Blvd and Louisiana St, San Diego 92216. I've been working hard on getting the new album started, and it's going to be a long journey from here, but I'm looking forward to sharing some new music with you all. Hope this finds you well, and don't forget to vote! Peace, Jesse

Winters on the Way! Posted: Sep 27, 2008

Hey Everyone. Most of you all know that I have left New York, and am Living in San Diego again. I brought Jony Jatom, my good friend and incredible bass player, with me from the NYC as well. We've been busy trying to get our lives together here in California, and trying to find our musical footing. We've been playing with a few different folks, some more regular than others, but are most excited about the new project, The Jesse Johnson Trio. We'll be touring around California for the Winter with another young artist living in SD, Justin James. We'll be touring as the Jesse Johnson Trio, while also playing as the backup band for Justin (kind of like the Heartbreakers and Bob Dylan). Justin is a recording artist for 10 Spot records, with US distribution on Universal. He is a growing force in the states, and his record, "Sun Drenched," is flying off the shelves by the thousands in Japan! Keep your eyes on the calendar for different JJ Trio shows, as well as Justin James shows. We'll be playing at Mammoth Mountain Resort for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and much more of the winter and spring. Anyone looking to come have a good time in the snow come on out. We'll be snowboarding all day and playing music in the evening. Also, be on the lookout for late night shows in the Mammoth Lakes village after the resort shows are done! Happy Fall Everyone. Peace, Jesse