User:Emmarain27/sandbox/Dax Johnson

Dax Johnson (March 29 1975-November 23 2005) was a neo-classical pianist based in Spokane, WA. Dax's first CD, Merciful Dwelling, was released in 1998. During his life he released 3 other CD's. Beauty of Human Error was released after his death through the efforts of his father, Tom Johnson, through collecting all recordings he could find that included his voice. Dax was known for his emotive compositions, in the album covers always explained the direct correlation from a time in his life, or a feeling that he had and expressed through a particular song. Much of his music was written from his experience with his own manic depressive episodes, and his struggle with addiction.

Early life

Dax was drawn to the piano, and music in general, at a very young age. He began playing when he was 13. The self taught musician has only ever taken one piano lesson in his life, his grandmother tried to teach him to read music, but he refused. He never wanted to learn from someone, he wanted to teach himself. Dax began writing his own songs when he was 15, at the same age he was diagnosed with manic depressive disorder. For him, playing was a kind of relief from his disorder, expressing himself musically was a type of therapy. Drugs and alcohol found him at a young age. He began drinking at age 16 and quickly progressed in his drug usage until he began doing heroin at 17. The complexity of his emotions has been the main influence in his music from the beginning.

Music Career

Dax started his music career as a street performer when he was 20, lugging around an upright piano to play for tips. Quickly he began to play in local coffee shops, restaurants, and malls. He performed in several states along the west coast and into Arizona. Throughout his career he mostly played in Spokane, WA. At places like the Met, The Bowery, and other venues around Spokane. Dax developed tactics to create more of an original sound, what he called his fourth pedal was a tool to mute the strings, creating a dulled sound when the piano keys were struck. He would also pluck the strings of the grand piano. On stage, Dax liked to have two grand pianos that he would reach across to play both of them at the same time. He would have assistants come on stage to hold down his muting tool at some points in his song. Dax started a multimedia performance with Marcus Bausch, a local Spokane cubist artist. Marcus would live paint as Dax performed on stage, this was performed at the Met. He performed in small venues with other pianists such as David Nevue. Dax released 4 CD's during his life; Merciful Dwelling, (1998), Christmas (2000), The Random and the Purpose (2002), Levity (2004). He kept an audience by performing, traveling, and through interviews with local news channels and papers. His music was described as "music based on raw emotion". Dax told of his struggle with manic depression, and drug addiction. Much of his music was influenced by the difficulty of living and coping with these struggles. His music career involves many breaks from performing as he was in and out of rehabs. During his, what he called, "Up" times, he could maintain sobriety and become more creatively involved.

Dax's entire music career, he never knew how to read music. Everything he composed was straight from memory. He often heard music in his head, and could compose full songs while away from the piano. His father (Tom Johnson) shared a story at his memorial:

"Musically that boy was scary...it just flowed out of him. I remember one time when he came home after he had just served two weeks in jail. For some failure to appear on a failure to appear on some traffic thing... He walked downstairs and he started playing a song I recognized that I didn't recognize the song. 'Is that new?' I said, 'Its beautiful'. And it was. 'When did you write that?' He said, 'I wrote it when I was in jail'. I said, 'DJ you were in a jail with a piano?' He said 'No, I just thought it out'. My son had written a beautiful, complex song in his head. And was able to sit down and pluck in out on the first try. I'm pretty sure that qualifies you as gifted."

His Death

Dax Johnson died in the UCLA Hospital in Los Angeles, CA. After being sustained on a ventilator with no brain activity in an emergency room, he ended up passing away. He had overdosed on heroin on November 23, 2005.

Discography:

Merciful Dwelling (1998)

Christmas (2000)

The Random and the Purpose (2002)

Levity (2004)

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