{"id":1736,"date":"2020-10-04T22:16:22","date_gmt":"2020-10-05T03:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=1736"},"modified":"2021-06-24T17:02:54","modified_gmt":"2021-06-24T22:02:54","slug":"josh-johnson-freedom-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/josh-johnson-freedom-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Josh Johnson&#8217;s &#8216;Freedom Exercise&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>One effective way to find new artists and music is through their works with others. A great example of this is Josh Johnson. While generally lacking the name recognition of some of his peers, the saxophonist has been at the forefront of some of the finest recordings to emerge over recent history, often those exploring novel sounds and methods of creation. In 2015, he played a central role on Jeff Parker\u2019s <em>New Breed<\/em> (International Anthem, 2015) and a half-decade later, its follow-up,<em> Suite for Max Brown<\/em> (International Anthem, 2020). In between, he kept busy, working with Marquis Hill (<em>Modern Flows Vol. 2<\/em> (Black Unlimited Music Group, 2018) and <em>Love Tape<\/em> (Black Unlimited Music Group, 2019)), and as part of Makaya McCraven\u2019s Los Angeles sextet on <em>Universal Beings<\/em> (International Anthem, 2018). <a href=\"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/shepherd-2019-list\/\">He was also on what this writer believes to be the best release of 2019.<\/a><strong> <\/strong>His performances on these, and others, have confirmed that Josh Johnson is a force to be reckoned with and an instrumentalist of the highest caliber. Given this background, it is surprising that <em>Freedom Exercise<\/em> (Northern Spy, 2020) is Josh Johnson\u2019s first as a leader. However, it is an album worth the wait, as it also confirms his strengths as a composer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"120\" style=\"position: relative; display: block; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/v=2\/album=1307492242\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A concept central to <em>Freedom Exercise<\/em> is that of layering disparate ideas and aesthetic qualities on top of each other to create new experiences. It begins with \u201cNerf Day,\u201d where a repetitive drum beat shuffles beneath distorted guitar. Gradually, a gentle and soothing alto sax tone enters the mix. For a brief while, it is reminiscent of the bandleader\u2019s work with Parker. But appearances can be deceiving. As the piece progresses, the surreal surroundings and tempos begin to shift chaotically, as if your music player\u2019s speed settings are malfunctioning. These sudden changes leave it unpredictable and intriguing, even upon repeat listening.<br><\/p>\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"120\" style=\"position: relative; display: block; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/v=2\/track=4066938026\/album=3189035354\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Electronics guide the start of \u201c856,\u201d where a frenetic synthesizer produces rapid tones, over which more serene ones emulate a string quartet. The effect generated makes it appear as though you are rapidly traveling towards a location, perhaps the next track\u2019s locale in an untamed frontier. \u201cWestern Ave\u201d may be named after major roads in both Chicago and Los Angeles, two cities important to Johnson. However, the music itself moves the listener away from urban metropolises and towards a wild west that never was. Aaron Steel\u2019s slowed-down afro-beat inspired rhythms, Anna Butterss\u2019 deep bassline, and Gregory Uhlmann\u2019s propulsive guitar riffs provide an imaginary scene in which Tony Allen and Fela Kuti don Stetsons and spurs to collaborate with Ennio Morricone on a Leone film. And, through it, Johnson\u2019s horn tells of a story of a grizzled figure who now lives in the desert because he feels the land will not harm him as some long lost love did years before.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"120\" style=\"position: relative; display: block; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/v=2\/track=2494270571\/album=3189035354\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBowed\u201d emphasizes space and silence as a solo sax pushes into a sparse environment of synthesized swirls in which the rhythm section provides a unifying focus. A distinguishable melody forms out of repetitive horn and guitar cycles, often giving a sharper edge to Johnson\u2019s generally dulcet tone. It also sets the stage for the blurring of lines between synthetic and organic sounds on \u201cEclipsing\u201d&#8217;s frequent weaving together of guitar, electronics, and saxophone to produce a singular sound. The mirroring of these instruments provides a reverberant echo-like quality even without the use of delayed effects. A similar concept recurs again at certain points on \u201cFalse Choice.\u201d This approach, and others like it throughout the album, ultimately emphasizes the malleability of both sound and composition. Electronics are not used as mere flourishes or touches but as equals to more traditional instrumentation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>True to its title, <em>Freedom Exercise <\/em>pushes the limits in which preset order and open expressiveness can not just coexist but interact. Josh Johnson&#8217;s debut as a leader is unrestricted by what came before, pushing itself into multiple different avenues. In the process, the album delightfully obfuscates divisions. It is near impossible to discern live band from studio mastery and the pre-composed from the improvised. It is a songwriting marvel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/northernspyrecs.com\/product\/freedom-exercise\/\">Josh Johnson&#8217;s &#8216;Freedom Exercise&#8217; will be available on Northern Spy Records on October 9, 2020. <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracklist: 1. Nerf Day; 2. 856; 3. Western Ave; 4. Bowed; 5. Eclipsing; 6. New July; 7. False Choice; 8. Punk; 9. Simple Song; 10. Return Recoil.<br><br>Personnel: Josh Johnson (saxophones, mellotron, Prophet 6, percussion, 856 for Zellersasn, Synth, MS-20, Wurlitzer, flute, bass clarinet, synth bass, sampler), Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), Anna Butterss (electric bass), Aaron Steele (drums, percussion).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One effective way to find new artists and music is through their works with others. A great example of this is Josh Johnson. While generally lacking the name recognition of some of his peers, the saxophonist has been at the forefront of some of the finest recordings to emerge over recent history, often those exploring [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"iawp_total_views":200,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[1215,1213,29],"class_list":["post-1736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews","tag-aaron-steele","tag-gregory-uhlmann","tag-josh-johnson"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Josh-Johnson-Robbie-Jeffers1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/peRkRR-s0","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10291,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/etaivtet-wayout-jeff-parker\/","url_meta":{"origin":1736,"position":0},"title":"Outside the Academy: A Conversation with Jeff Parker on the ETA IVtet","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"March 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From a tour of Central Park to trek through the rainforest to a voyage to outer space, the power of art to transport its audience to a location is well-documented. Equally important, however, is the role a particular place plays in shaping music itself. Could the rhythmic ingenuity of jazz\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Interviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Interviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/interviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img_1430-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img_1430-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img_1430-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/img_1430-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2151,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/anthony-dean-harris-2020\/","url_meta":{"origin":1736,"position":1},"title":"Anthony Dean-Harris&#8217; Best &#8220;Jazz&#8221; Albums of 2020","author":"Anthony Dean-Harris","date":"December 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"[Editor\u2019s Note: We are honored to have Anthony Dean-Harris join us as a special contributor for this year\u2019s lists. Several of our staff have worked with Anthony on other projects in the past and greatly respect his insight and skills as both a writer and broadcaster. More information on Anthony\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Lists","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/lists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BeFunky-collage9.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BeFunky-collage9.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BeFunky-collage9.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/BeFunky-collage9.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11142,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-josh-lawrence-still-we-dream\/","url_meta":{"origin":1736,"position":2},"title":"Review: Josh Lawrence\u2019s \u2018Still We Dream\u2019","author":"Jim Hynes","date":"August 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Still We Dream (Posi-Tone, 2025) is trumpeter and composer Josh Lawrence\u2019s seventh release for the label that prides itself on revealing the \u201cNew Frontier of Jazz.\u201d With it, the four-time Grammy nominee and regular member of Orrin Evans\u2019 Captain Black Big Band delivers a rather unusual album for a trumpeter.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Album Reviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Album Reviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_0891.jpg?fit=750%2C499&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_0891.jpg?fit=750%2C499&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_0891.jpg?fit=750%2C499&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_0891.jpg?fit=750%2C499&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1998,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/shepherd-2019-list\/","url_meta":{"origin":1736,"position":3},"title":"Rob Shepherd\u2019s Favorite Jazz Albums of 2019","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"November 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"As the PostGenre Team is working on their list(s) of Favorites from 2020, here is a flashback to Rob Shepherd's 2019 list. This list originally appeared at Nextbop. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Perhaps the most interesting takeaway from 2019 is the number of artists adapting music from the past into something new. Many of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Lists","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/lists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage-4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage-4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage-4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage-4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8228,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/solo-josh-johnson\/","url_meta":{"origin":1736,"position":4},"title":"Solo? :  A Conversation with Josh Johnson on &#8216;Unusual Object&#8217;","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"April 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Certain\u00a0instruments seem destined for solo explorations. Perhaps the best example would be the piano, where a single artist can easily use one hand to accompany the other. Less stereotypical, yet no less significant, are the long run of solo saxophone recordings. Many horn players over the years have found that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Interviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Interviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/interviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/josh_johnson_by_robbie_jeffers_1_1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/josh_johnson_by_robbie_jeffers_1_1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/josh_johnson_by_robbie_jeffers_1_1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/josh_johnson_by_robbie_jeffers_1_1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6962,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/hearing-voices-george-lewis\/","url_meta":{"origin":1736,"position":5},"title":"Hearing Voices: A Conversation with George Lewis","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"October 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"While many organizations present contemporary classical music, the International Contemporary Ensemble has stood out since its founding twenty-two years ago. The Ensemble\u2019s success has come largely due to its stated goal of cultivating a musical ecosystem that honors diversity while focusing on equity, belonging, and cultural responsiveness. The organization\u2019s openness\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Interviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Interviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/interviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/original-B46D3891-8586-4781-842B-918E7E0C2C88.jpeg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/original-B46D3891-8586-4781-842B-918E7E0C2C88.jpeg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/original-B46D3891-8586-4781-842B-918E7E0C2C88.jpeg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/original-B46D3891-8586-4781-842B-918E7E0C2C88.jpeg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1736"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1736\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2852,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1736\/revisions\/2852"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}