Jay Klein was recently honored to participate in a
"Quiet Callings" performance and
contemplative service with
Fred Johnson (Frejon). As Fred chanted and played his instruments, Jay played percussion and created ArtThread
images that were projected on large screens on the stage at the Octagon Arts Center in Clearwater, Florida.
"It was a full sensory experience of our collective
spirits," said Jay. "As Fred did his chanting, I was able to play freely with our online art-making tool
Splash. Fred and I came together in a visual and aural jam!"
Fred Johnson is a world-renowned performer and his opening for both Aretha Franklin
and Dr. Deepak Chopra points to his versatility as an artist. An
acclaimed jazz musician and singer, Fred has recorded and toured
worldwide with jazz legends Chick Corea, George Benson,
David Sanborn, B. B. King, Ramsey Lewis, Patti LaBelle, Herbie Mann, and
the great Miles Davis.
His presentations on the healing power of music have caught the
attention of internationally recognized holistic health practitioners.
Mentored by masters of the African oral and percussion legacy, Fred has
been hailed as one of the true guardians of an oral tradition
transplanted and nurtured to create a fusion of cultural heritage that
is uniquely American and inherently African.
"The images Jay created came on organically as part of the Quiet
Callings experience," said Fred. "It was great to share this experience
with ArtThread. We are all working toward the same thing - shared creativity and peace!"
Fred works on multicultural
community arts projects as well as weaving his beautiful sound
sculptures and sacred sound healing energy into international
conferences in Israel, Puerto Rico, Sardinia and other parts of the
world.
Jay Klein is ArtThread's founder and CEO, and he is also a well-known drummer and composer.