Live Concert: Barry Johnson & Heather Broderick

Solo instrumentalists navigate a free and rambling road through an imaginative, oneiric wilderness. So much expressed without singing/words, a direct power line to the psyche, open for interpretation and brimming with melancholy, joy, and somber reflection. The annals of solo guitar music, much like solo piano, can tap into these almost subliminal lines of communication. The new album/debut LP from Los Angeles by way of Michigan guitarist/flautist/songwriter Barry Archie Johnson sings out as a startling and gorgeous new voice in guitar centered landscapes.

Barry’s playing has the depth and patience of Segovia, Will Ackerman, Roy Montgomery, and Mary Halvorson but not only does he have his own voice, something alone which is almost intangibly improbable in the world of guitar music, he has a method of composition that defies easy emotional assignment. For instance, "Half Smile," the third track on the album could be a distant lament or an aching cry of gratitude. We aren’t quite sure. He is also adept at unexpected melodic turns shifting in and out of uncommon time signatures. It could be an intimate waltz here, and odd time dance there, a bit of percussive depth, waves of purposeful notes with overtones ringing out into the echo. If anything, the songs on "Fortune’s Mirror" almost mirror a baroque or Romantic era suite, keys and modalities and tension and instrumentation all carefully folding and unfolding together like branches.

As unique and holistic as Barry’s guitar playing is, there are deeper elements to his craft that emerge early in the record and escort us through the journey. He is a gifted flutist and he summons the same kind of beauty and mystery through the classical wind instrument as he does the steel strings. It first emerges on "Half Smile," a mysterious series of call and response interludes. His flute comes back in similar fashion on "Lumbering Through," again in a harmonized symmetry floating underneath the guitar’s introspective leading voice.

—William Tyler 

Ticket price: $10 (in person event only)

Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.

Please Note: The PRS Lecture Room is only accessible via stairs. PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.

ACCESSIBILITY

PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.

Please note this particular event is being held in a space that is not wheelchair accessible.

REFUND POLICIES

All sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events, except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test.

In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event

PARKING

Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east) and back lot (entry from first alley way, off Griffith Park Blvd. from intersection with Los Feliz Blvd.), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and on Los Feliz Blvd (after 7pm). We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and to please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.

PRS EVENT POLICIES

• We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
• Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
• We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
• Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
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• We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
• PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.
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• Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.

Event Venue

Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States