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Hi Shaun, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
Very well! Back on the road with the Big Band Experience AND the vocal group Tonic Sol-fa. Each night you’ll find me crying or levitating. I did not realize how much I miss live performance!
Can you talk to us more about your latest single “Multiplied by Two”?
“Multiplied by Two” is the 4th pre-release from my upcoming EP, Made For Her and probably the closest thing to straight up jazz that I’ve written. I had hoped to pen a tune as an homage to the Andrew Sisters and/or Bing Crosby for awhile (look them up) and this melody/these lyrics seemed to fit my intention. I employed a wonderful vocalist from Nashville, Abigail Flowers, to help in this endeavor as well as some of the top instrumentalists from the touring arm of the Big Band Experience – Aaron Moe and David Stanoch. I love the simplicity and straightforward lyric and cannot wait to see how this is received by live audiences!
Did any event in particular inspire you to write this song?
Yes. I got married a few short years ago and was inspired to write a happy-go-lucky song that spoke to the support and partnership I’ve found in the mystery of that relationship. The lyrics speak to the idea of bumping into proverbial sharks and still swimming. It’s easier, I think, to tackle such obstacles with two. And the idea that I’d be ever after a world made bigger – when that world is multiplied – gave me a starting point for this tune.
How was the filming process and experience behind the video?
I tend to be a very private individual. And that went out the window with this video. My wife, Mary, filmed and edited the concept, and it features my three daughters! We shot the video on a morning in Sioux Falls, SD, in the midst of tour stops. I KNOW I will look back on this video as a beautiful snapshot of a life, and I love that this piece of me is shared.
The single comes off your new album Made For Her – what’s the story behind the title?
In the pandemic I got to collaborate with my favorite musicians and producers from across the world. I wrote this album, a holiday EP that will be released in November, and an additional concept album for 2022. When I compiled the early big band tracks, jazz singles, lullabies, country-tinged works and the rest, I realized that each was rooted in a common theme – that every single song – no matter how different – was inspired by an influential woman/women in my life. “Losing You” was inspired by my sister, “All Because of You” was inspired by my wife, “Sing Me Anything” was inspired by a women’s choir I visited and so on. “Made for Her’ just made sense.
How was the recording and writing process?
I got to work with so many amazing musicians that I normally would not have the privilege of working with as everyone was not touring, not immersed in their regular activities. Though I didn’t love recording most of my parts by myself in a studio in Minneapolis, I adored the fact that I included strings from Germany, background vocalists from LA, producers from Nashville, etc., all working separately – but in tandem – to keep creating and to keep moving forward in spite of the challenges.
Too, I’d never had so much time to write! Typically, I tour around 150 dates a year and writing becomes, sadly, a bit of an afterthought. To write each morning was a privilege that I’ll miss.
Where did you find the inspiration for the songs and lyrics?
Every songwriter is different. For me, I tend to hear a thousand melodies. Voice Memos on my iPhone is constantly full. I’m inspired by other songs – be it a chord change, a turn of phrase or even a type of beat. I’m inspired by what someone says to me on a plane or after a show. I feel like I’m always listening. Lyrics, on the other hand, are much more difficult. I think I’ve ruined many lovely melodies by being too “on the nose,” too cheesy. When I can pair a melody with words that don’t get in the way, when I can sing said song with just a guitar or even a cappella, and I get a visceral reaction from the listener, then I think I’ve created something worthy.
What else is happening next in Shaun Johnson + Big Band Experience’s world?
Our first album, Capitol, want top 5 on the Billboard Jazz Chart upon its release in 2019. So first off, I’ll be working (and crossing my fingers) to repeat this in the next few weeks. We then start to tour behind the Made for Her album – hitting 17 states before we start a small Midwestern holiday tour in December. I’m releasing online masterclasses in early 2022 – as well as a subscription box for fans – and hoping to finish another album by March! Independent musicians are never done. Wish me luck!
