Straight out of Boulder, Colorado, The Johnny O. Band brings its compelling blend of funk, soul, rock and high energy blues to the national music scene. With the much anticipated release of their third CD, Time For The Turnaround, the band demonstrates its ability to craft fresh, original tunes that push the boundaries of the Blues, crossing over to a sound that makes their style accessible to a wide ranging and mainstream audience. By blending powerful lyrics with sweet vocal harmonies and combining diverse influences such as jazz and New Orleans-style street rhythms, Time For The Turnaround presents a unique and dynamic sound that grabs hold of the listener and never lets go.
John Ohnmacht: Guitar and Vocals
John Ohnmacht was born in Aspen and has been entertaining Colorado fans for the past 20 years. His former band, Band du Jour, toured nationally and internationally for six years. Band du Jour released a CD called Feel The Sun and enjoyed huge popularity in Boulder, Colorado, selling out the nationally renowned Fox Theatre consistently for over three years. When Band du Jour broke up, John split to Mexico for three months. While in Mexico he heard of a blues band in his hometown of Carbondale, Colorado that needed a guitarist. So, he returned to the States and took up position fronting the 12: BarFlies. The 12:BarFlies were a well established bar band that had played extensively around the Roaring Fork valley in the mountains of Colorado. After a year of playing with the 12: BarFlies, John felt it was time to take his experience back to Boulder and start his own group. The Johnny O. Band released its first self-titled CD in the fall of 1997. It featured the band's most popular music and included five Johnny O. Band originals. The CD was well received and sold well over two thousand copies, most of which were sold at the band's live performances. John wrote, arranged and produced the bands second CD, River In the Sky, which was released in the fall of 2000. This release is now in its third printing. John also wrote, arranged and produced the bands latest CD, Time For The Turnaround.
Marion Edwards: Drums and Vocals
Marion Edwards started his drumming and singing career back in 1965. At that time he recorded for RCA and toured as Little Marion and the Heartbeats. From 1977 to 1987 Marion lived in New Orleans, Louisiana. During this period he polished his skills on the drums and backed up some of the great artists in the New Orleans music scene including Gatemouth Brown, Irma Thomas, Harry Connick Jr and Johnny Adams. During this time he also did some studio work with Allen Toussaint, one of New Orleans' most prolific songwriters. In 1987 Marion relocated to Colorado and started touring nationally and internationally with a group he co-founded called Diana and the Big Time. In the last several years Marion has backed up some great blues men who have come through the Denver area. Marion has drummed for Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Guitar Shorty and Son Seals among others. "I feel extremely fortunate to be working with Marion. It's great to play with a guy who has so much on stage experience." J.O.
Ian Anderson: Bass and Vocals
Ian Anderson hails from Kingston, Jamaica and just recently joined Ohnmacht and Edwards as part of The Johnny O. Band trio. He has toured internationally with a number of prominent Reggae acts, but his bass playing style is not limited to that genre. He excels at blues and funk and brings a great flavor to Johnny O’s original works. “I’m very pleased with the way Ian has progressed in the band. His playing is really starting to gel with my vision of how the band should sound” J.O.
Johnny O. on stage with Waylon Thibodeaux in Redstone, CO 7-3-06
Voice Of The Wetlands Band Redstone, CO 7-3-06 with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Tab Benoit (on drums), Johnny Sansone, Anders Osborne playing guitar - with Johnny O. sittin' in on guitar.
