Byron Johnson

Industry Renaissance man Byron M. Johnson loves pretty much everything about music. Harmonic structure, theory and composition, “mistakes” that sound perfect, just plain listening as a fan – it’s all just part of one deep-rooted connection. So, it’s only natural that he should channel that love into many diverse but related areas of the business. He’s a composer. He’s an engineer. He’s a producer. He’s a DJ.

Byron’s musical journey began at age 6 when he started studying guitar. Next he picked up the trumpet and soon piano followed. Attending Mannes Music School in New York, he absorbed the lessons taught by the school’s notable teachers. But (like most true artists) Byron’s real education came from performing, and church played a big role in his development. As his expertise on multiple instruments grew, so too did his adeptness at harnessing emotion into musical expression.

The calling was always in him and he dreamed about making a living in music. Now, whether he’s creating original material, turning the knobs, directing a project or dropping the beats, Byron brings unparalleled skill and unmitigated passion to his work.

With a massive personal collection and an urge to share, the fan in Byron was constantly making mix tapes. This naturally evolved into professional DJing in all its mediums: on the air for Radio NYC 91.5FM, at private events and in dozens of New York clubs. Influenced strongly by DJ Rich Medina’s genre-jumping style, Byron himself mixes a distinctive, seamless blend of underground beats, nu-jazz, Latin, Brazilian, house and hip-hop.

Building on the lessons he learned as a music student, Byron to continues to grow, absorbing new styles and techniques as he develops original work. His drive to create, and to help others do the same, compelled him to found Harmony Music Productions in 2005. There he acts as lead composer and music supervisor, managing a singular collective of writers, producers and musicians. The group’s work has been heard through TV ads, film and radio.

Behind the boards, Byron is fluent at translating musician’s concepts into sonic reality. Offering gentle, informed guidance during the process, he aims to deliver results that surpass clients’ highest expectations. Among his professional highlights was acting as the Assistant Sound Engineer on the Robert Glasper Project with Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West and Mos Def all on one stage!

He was first introduced to the world of music production by Grammy Award-winning producer Scott Jacoby (John Legend, Vanessa Hudgens). Since then, Byron approaches production with a balance of big-picture and detail-oriented attention. Among his highlights in producing have been working with Sony Latino and producing the album “The Dedication” for the Capoeira Foundation.

In all his endeavors, Byron M. Johnson’s eclectic body of work speaks volumes, and those volumes are music to the ears.