Bashiri Johnson

Bashiri Johnson is an American percussionist and production company owner, whose work has included performing additional percussion on Duran Duran's "Meet El Presidente" single in 1987.

Biography
New York based Bashiri learned drum and studio chops when he hung out with percussionist and producer Mtume in the 1970s. According to Bashiri's mother, he started in pre-school, disrupting class by playing on desktops and chairs. Serious percussion began in high school playing in bands, formal study, grants and a three year tutorship in percussion. Johnson's first professional session was on Stephanie Mills' "Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin'" in 1979.

His career was up and running after playing on gold records, such as Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much" and Madonna's "Holiday" during the 1980s. Producers began calling because they wanted to use the musician who worked on these hit records. He later worked with acts including Whitney Houston, Donald Fagen, Steve Winwood, George Michael, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin and Peter Wolf.

Johnson now has his own production company Bashman Productions and recording studio, The Lab Brooklyn. He has also completed a percussion sample library of loops and sounds called "Supreme Beats", available from Spectrasonics.

A selection of credits

 * Absolute: The Best of Scritti Politti - Scritti Politti (2011 - Percussion)
 * Psalms Alive with Rob Mathes - Rob Mathes (2011 - Percussion)
 * If on a Winter's Night... - Sting (2009 - Frame Drum, Percussion)
 * Lookin' Back - Bob Baldwin (2009 - Percussion)
 * Primavera - Raúl Di Blasio (2008 - Percussion)
 * American Gangster - Jay-Z (2007 - Percussion)
 * Hurt - Christina Aguilera (2006 - Percussion)
 * Collection - Cyndi Lauper (2004 - Conga)
 * Silver & Gold - Vanessa Williams (2004 - Percussion)
 * Best of Diana King - Diana King (2003 - Percussion)
 * Dangerously in Love - Beyoncé (2003 - Percussion)

Links

 * http://www.bashirijohnson.com/
 * http://albumcredits.com/Profile/54783