Born in Englewood, New Jersey to a jazz drummer father and saxophonist mother, Daryl Johns has never stopped experimenting with instruments. At the age of 13, Johns finished in 3rd place at the world-famous Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition against instrumentalists 20-30 years older than him. Following his prestigious teenage years, Johns went to music college in New York, where he continued his obsessive study of jazz; however, he began to explore other forms of music when his hands became impaired from playing upright bass. Johns now has his own solo project, in addition to stints playing bass for Onyx Collective, Mac Demarco, and the Lemon Twigs.His new single, Gabriel, is out on Mac’s Record Label this week.
Daryl Johns
Published in Issue 21
Born in Englewood, New Jersey to a jazz drummer father and saxophonist mother, Daryl Johns has never stopped experimenting with instruments. At the age of 13, Johns finished in 3rd place at the world-famous Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition against instrumentalists 20-30 years older than him. Following his prestigious teenage years, Johns went to music college in New York, where he continued his obsessive study of jazz; however, he began to explore other forms of music when his hands became impaired from playing upright bass. Johns now has his own solo project, in addition to stints playing bass for Onyx Collective, Mac Demarco, and the Lemon Twigs. His new single, Gabriel, is out on Mac’s Record Label this week.
Photos by Claire Milbrath