Bashiri Johnson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bashiri Johnson
Background information
Born	(1955-05-12) May 12, 1955 (age 70) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres	World, soul, pop, jazz, R&B, rock
Occupation(s)	Percussionist, songwriter, producer, programmer, composer, vocalist, educator
Instruments	Percussion
Years active	1971–present
Labels	Life in Rhythm Media, BBE Music
Associated acts	Michael Jackson, Cirque du Soleil, Roots 'N Rhythm, Whitney Houston, Steve Winwood, Madonna, Sting, Village People

Bashiri Johnson (born May 12, 1955) is a famous American musician who plays percussion instruments. A percussionist is someone who plays instruments by hitting, shaking, or scraping them, like drums, cymbals, and tambourines.

Bashiri is one of the most recorded percussionists in the world. This means his music is on thousands of songs, commercials, movies, and even video games. He has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Madonna, and Sting.

Early Life and Musical Start

Bashiri Johnson grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1960s. His love for percussion started when he was very young. His mom said that even in preschool, he would drum on desks and furniture so much that he would sometimes disrupt the class!

As a teenager, he was inspired by the popular music of the time. He listened to artists like Sly and the Family Stone, Jimi Hendrix, and James Brown. He also learned from famous percussionists like Tito Puente and Ralph McDonald.

To become a better musician, Bashiri took lessons at special music schools like Jazzmobile and the Dance Theater of Harlem. He also had a mentor, a musician named Mtume, who taught him for three years. From Mtume, Bashiri learned not just how to play percussion, but also how the music business works. This training helped him get his first job playing on the song "Watcha Gonna Do With My Lovin'" by Stephanie Mills, which became a huge hit.

A Career Full of Hits

Johnson performing at a concert.

After his first success, Bashiri's career took off in the 1970s and 1980s. He played on hit records for superstars like Madonna and Luther Vandross. For 20 years, he was the percussionist in Whitney Houston's band. He was also chosen to be in Michael Jackson's band for the "This Is It" concerts.

Bashiri has performed at some very important events. He played for Nelson Mandela, a famous leader from South Africa. He has also performed at the White House for the President of the United States.

Today, Bashiri is still very busy. He has toured with the famous circus group Cirque du Soleil. He also has his own production company and a recording studio in Brooklyn called "The Lab-Brooklyn." At his studio, he has recorded music for many other great artists. He also teaches young people about music through workshops and classes.

Music and Film Appearances

Albums

• Art 'n' Rhythm (2007)
• Soul Liberation (2007)
• Musical Aesop (2009)
• Musical Alphabet (2009)
• Musical Multiplication (2010)

Movie Soundtracks

Bashiri's percussion can be heard in many movies, including:

• This Is It
• Get Him to the Greek
• The Hoax
• Hitch
• Mission Impossible
• The Score
• Godzilla
• The Mask
• Last Holiday
• ... and The City 2

He has also appeared on screen in these films:

• This Is It (2009)
• Get Him to the Greek
• Whitney Houston: Concert for South Africa

Awards and Recognition

Bashiri Johnson is highly respected in the music world. Readers of Drum! Magazine have nominated him for awards, including:

• 2010 Percussionist of the Year
• 2011 World Percussionist

In 2011, a poll in Modern Drummer magazine voted him one of the top five percussionists in the world.

Music Products for Others

Bashiri has created collections of his percussion sounds, called "percussion libraries." Other musicians and producers can use these sounds in their own songs. Some of his popular libraries include:

• "Bitz & Piecez" Volume 1 and 2
• Supreme Beats
• Ethno Techno

He also made an educational video called "The Rhythmic Construction of Dance, Pop, R&B, and Hip-Hop" to teach others about creating rhythms.