moments notice
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moments notice

North Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

North Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Band Jazz R&B

Calendar

Music

Press


"BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION 2011"

"We were extremely fortunate to have Moments Notice perform during the inaugural Springs Preserve Black History Month Festival in February 2010. Although we had many performers that day, Moments Notice stood out due to their beautiful performance, professionalism and connection with the audience. Having them play at our festival brought the style and class we needed to distinguish this event from all the rest. We can't wait to have them perform again this year!"

Nicole Lise
Springs Preserve Black History Month Festival

- Springs Preserve


Discography

CRAZY 8'S "LAW AND ORDER"
MOMENTS NOTICE
CLARENCE ROGERS

Photos

Bio

Joseph E. Johnson Jr.{Jammin Joe} Born in Akron Ohio, but raised in Southern California (Compton, Watts, and San Bernardino). Jammin Joe’s first instruments were the Trumpet and the Trombone, he eventually settled on the Saxophone because it allowed him more freedom of expression. The foundation of his musical training and development was rooted in his parents garage in San Bernardino, Ca where he, along with his brother Steve who played the (Sousaphone) spent countless hours and days with there father Joe Sr. experimenting with endless chordal harmonies. Needless to say, the experimentation helped develop Jammin Joe into one of the most skilled improvisers you’ll find anywhere. Although his style of play is uniquely his own.....for those of you who want comparisons JamminJoe has been compared to accomplished saxophonist such as: Grover Washington Jr., Gerald Albright, King Curtis, Stanley Turrentine, Boots Randolph, Kenny G., and Lester “Prez” Young, the latter of which Jammin Joe played the saxophone part in a play about Billie Holiday. Jammin Joe was exposed to Blues, Jazz, Funk, and R&B by the combined influences of his first cousin Clifford Moon, and his mother Carolyn Campbell-Johnson who threw away several of his fathers jazz records by legendary artist like—Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughn, Joe Williams, and Richard “Grooves” Holmes just to name a few. Jammin Joe quickly retrieved these records from the trash and absorbed all that he could. Later he would practice his scales to classical recordings to further develop his smooth playing style. During the early 80’s while a student at Oregon State Univ JamminJoe was denied membership in the OSU Jazz band because as the then band director said to him "your mind is made up about how you want to play", subsequently during the summer of 1984 Jammin Joe would join his first band, A racial and non-racial "punk rock" influenced ska reggae band called the Crazy 8’s that was looking for a black saxophonist to complete there "two tone"(black and white members) line-up. During his time as the bands first manager and the only black manager of a rock and roll group in Portland, Ore at that time. he convinced the members of the band to record an album and found an investor in his then NBA All-Star brother Steve Johnson, and a world class producer in Marlon Mclain of the groundbreaking 70's music act "Pleasure". With the help of his then girlfriend who worked at the "Oregonian" newspaer, JamminJoe convinced the band to pay nationally syndicated "Oregonian newspaper" political cartoonist Jack Ohman to provide the eye-catching artwork for there first and most popular album, (LAW AND ORDER) which included JamminJoe's two songs "Jump Rock" and "I'm Ok Your'e Ok". The band went on to become the most popular band in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the top favorites on national college radio.They frequently out charted A-list acts such as Prince and Michael Jackson on college radio. In 1985 JamminJoe eventually garnered the band national exposure when he managed to get them on the nationally syndicated TV show “Star Search”, this came about despite the bands initial objection towards the opportunity; because they thought the show was to "CHEESY".The Crazy 8's were the first band to ever renegotiate a "Star Search" contract thanks to JamminJoe's understanding of contracts and the legal muscle and expertise of attorney JR Barnes (one of the founding members of AFTRA). During this same period the Crazy 8's lightning rod like attention from the music industry continued to catapult there popularity until they exploded on the national music scene with articles in TV guide (FEB 23- March1, 1985), Billboard and Rolling Stone magazine, the latter of which described the Crazy 8's as a band to "watch in the future". JamminJoe has had the pleasure to share the stage with numerous national and international Stars,including but not limited to: Art Blakeley, Kenny Loggins, The Clash, Toots and the Maytals, Pleasure, The Neville Bros., Eddies Harris, Kenny G., John Lee Hooker, The English Beat, Bernard Purdy, Curtis Salgado, Leroy Vinegar, Burning Spear, Romeo Void, Mel Brown, Joe Pass. The Crazy 8's were unfortunately wiped off the popular music radar due in part to the total exclusion of the African American fan base, locally and nationally, continuing intellectual property rights issues, and more importantly the sudden explosion of a new musical sound in the Pacific Northwest called "Grunge" led by Kirk Cobain leader of the band called "Nirvana". JamminJoe moved on to make educational videos and become an Internationally award winning videographer for the Portland Public Schools first Teen Parent Program, he also was part of the Independent News Corp "Grass Roots New" led by the indomitable Lanita Duke, He had two long running Cable TV shows in Portland, Ore; his own and another one with international Blues recording artist