There is a special synergy that arises when family members create music. From the Allman Brothers to the Black Crows , the Isley Brothers to the Jackson Five, it seems as if common bloodlines produce uncommon music. The Vinny Johnson Band is no different. In an odd twist of fate, cousins Vinny Johnson, (/guitarist & vocals)/, and Steven Glaze, (/bass)/, had actually been playing together for a number of years before they realized that they were related, and have been playing together for over a decade ever since.

    Drummer Damien Gonzales joined the duo about five years ago, playing in a working band Sofa King,/ /where the trio discovered they had a special connection between them, almost as if they shared the same brain. While their backgrounds and musical styles varied, they shared a common sense of music and rare sense of /‘/playing for the song’./ /It was at this point that they realized the need to branch out and play their original compositions.

    In 2001, The Vinny Johnson Band released their first self produced CD titled The Summer Sessions, which contains six tracks of pure blues-rock bliss. While giving a nod to their obvious influences, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix, The Vinny Johnson Band pushed the envelope to encompass other styles from latin to celtic, funk and reggae. 

     Which is exactly what separates The Vinny Johnson Band from others in their genre, their constant experimentation with different styles of rhythms, while keeping it all rooted in the familiar sound of a blues-rock foundation. While a multitude of sounds are produced by the power trio, each song is unequivocally recognizable as theirs. A few great examples are Delilah Fear, the first song on The Summer Sessions which has become a fan favorite for its heavy celtic undertones, One Minute, a brilliant song in it’s own right with it’s smooth bossa rhythm, and River, a rowdy funk-rock rocker featuring Vinny’s blistering guitar work and vocals.

     With over 50 years of collective experience, each member of The VJB is a professional in the purest sense of the word. Damien Gonzales has played with local favorites Squeeze The Dog as well as Hippie Aggression, is an in demand session drummer and can also play a mean bass! Vinny Johnson has notched hundreds of live shows in his belt as well, which has allowed him to develop his craft over the past 15 years. And Steven Glaze also engineers and produces music at his studio as well as playing bass and guitar.

     The band is well aware of how tight they are live and in the studio, which happens to be the second thing most commented on at their shows. The first? The comment, “wow I love that song you played…” While The VJB have only been playing their originals for a few years, they have a strong loyal following that is growing with each show. I guess it just goes to show that common bloodlines really do produce uncommon music