Endorsements

"When the Fun Center Chordsmen of Mansfield, Ohio needs a new and different song, we go to our friend and arranger, Joe Johnson. Over the past few years Joe has arranged, at our request, several of the songs that are now in our repertoire.

"For our 2008 patriotic show we needed an arrangement of "Taps", so we turned to Joe. In 2010 we needed "California Dreamin", with the Mamas & Papas touch. Again, we turned to Joe. For our 2012 "Old Blue Eyes - Frank Sinatra" show, we had difficulty deciding which of the many Sinatra hit songs we should use. We sent Joe a list of the ones we liked, and he made the final selection and put together our "Frankie's Favorites" medley, including "That Old Black Magic", "I've Got You under My Skin", and "Fly Me to the Moon", a delightful medley that the chorus loves to sing and our audiences love to hear. He also wrote for us a fantastic arrangement of "It Was a Very Good Year", with four solo parts backed up by the chorus. On our 2012 show, the songs that Joe had arranged for us were the ones that drew the most compliments from the audience.

"Whenever our chorus needs a new song with snap and pizzazz, or a smooth ballad, Joe continues to be the guy we look to. He has never disappointed us. Keep up the great work, Joe!"

"With vision and passion, Joe Johnson has been lighting up the barbershop world with his creative arrangements. Catchy tunes rich in character and full of opportunities for any ensemble to carry a unique style into their shows or contest performances - that's what you'll find at House of Joseph Music!"

"Joe is simply amazing! His arrangements are fresh and surprising because he spent 30 years as a jazz man before falling in love with our genre. Whether it’s for contest or show, quartet or chorus, Joe gets it! He has taken some of my original works and made them into better songs, and his 8-part arrangements for mixed ensemble were such a big hit on our last Christmas show that we’re opening with them again this year! Now, if I only had a quartet!"

Kenny Hatton - Bluegrass Student Union / New Horizon Chorus

"Joe is a great arranger, truly a genius! His 'Waltz For Debby' has turned into one of the best tracks on our new CD!"

Tom Metzger - Bass, Realtime

"Joe’s arrangements are some of the most musically creative and innovative I’ve ever seen. His robust musical background gives him a unique approach to barbershop arranging, and I predict that he will soon become one of the most sought-after arrangers in the business. Do yourself a favor, and check out what everyone will soon be talking about."

"Joe Johnson is certainly one of the finest arrangers to enter the barbershop scene in quite a while. His work demonstrates an excellent understanding of barbershop music in both the contest style and the wider venue of show material. His ideas are refreshing, clever, and interesting. I would gladly recommend him to any accomplished quartet or chorus as an excellent source for commissioned work."

"It is surely the dream of every quartet man to find that ‘special arranger’ who can capture the very essence of his group. Joe is that arranger for 12th Street Rag. His charts allow us to express, musically, our inner emotions and thoughts, which helps us to define who we are as a foursome. When we found Joe, we felt like the luckiest quartet in the society. Why is Joe such a treasure? We can communicate to him our ideas on a musical theme and, within a very short time; we have a masterfully arranged gem that's as much fun to sing as it is to hear. Thanks Joe, for being a big part of the 12th Street Rag family!"

"I heartily encourage quartets and choruses to use Joe Johnson's arrangements. Why? One reason is that his Big Band and Dixieland background, as well as his innate sense of orchestration, make his arrangements musical works of art. You can FEEL the song evolving as it guides you into your performance. Easy or difficult charts just jump off the page (if you pay attention to what Joe gives you) as you explore adding your own style to his musical roadmap. You just don't have to work that hard to make them come to life! The other reason is that Joe is a true gentleman; a really nice guy ... and it shows in his music! Thanks for sharing your time and talents, Joe. Barbershopping is a better place because of you and your music."

Raymond Schwarzkopf - Music Judge, Coach, Director, Quartet Guy, Admitted Computer Geek

"Joe is one of the newest stars in the arranging field. He brings a fresh approach to the barbershop style and will soon make his mark on the songs we hear in contest and on stage."

"I've had the pleasure and the privilege of consulting with Joe Johnson on several of his arrangements. He seems to have a knack of discovering old songs which need to be preserved, and able to separate the wheat (good stuff) from the chaff (junk). Then, he applies an innate skill set to arrange the best ones without obscuring the song ... a practice which some of us arrangers sometimes forget. He is a true 'preserver of the style'."

"We have had the privilege of singing a number of Joe's charts and we can truly say that he is one of the brightest spots on the arranging scene today. His charts are fresh, creative, and full of interesting twists that any audience will enjoy. What's more, you'll love the challenge of singing them! Your quartet or chorus will surely want to give a 'JJ Original' a try. We have enjoyed our relationship with Joe, and we look forward to singing many more of his charts in the future."

"Looking for a new arrangement? Well, you can stop your search right here. Joe Johnson is the man! His arrangements are exciting, innovative, and fun to sing. Joe is also great to work with, turning out excellent arrangements in a timely manner. You can't go wrong with a Joe Johnson song :-)"