Salem

Salem music is an amalgamation of funk, hip-hop, jazz, and Afro-Cuban idioms. Infused with diverse lyrical content, the songs have a unifying socially-conscious theme. Salem not only represents the musical voice and diverse perspectives of composer, Todd Anders Johnson, but also integrates active pursuits in the processes of social change. Salem compositions locate evocative issues within inspiring rhythmic and melodic contexts. Salem performances are an elevating and soulful experience.

Salem has been working with Kim Schneider, Warren Miller's video and music editor, with new mergings of Salem music and epic Warren Miller ski and snowboard footage. The Salem studio track, Harvest, toured the nation with Warren Miller's new film, Playground, and the song will be featured in the Winter X 12 CD compilation produced by Bulletproof Entertainment. Salem music was featured in Warren Miller's ski and snowboard film, "OFF THE GRID". Todd has been featured in Modern Drummer magazine in the "On the Move" column in the November issue of 2006. Todd is an Ayotte Drums endorsed artist and Salem is delighted to be sponsored by Lib-Tech, the world premier snowboard and ski manufacturer and by Chugach Powder Guides, Alaska's prestigious heli and snowcat guiding company as seen in TGR and Warren Miller films. Nantucket's Triple Eight Distillers, a micro-distillery that is distributed throughout the east coast, also sponsors the group on East coast tours.

Salem has performed nationally alongside acts such as De La Soul, The Meters (PBS), Stanton Moore and Will Bernard, Hells Belles, Mama's Cookin, Tab Benoit, Rebirth Brass Band, The Motet, Steve Earle and Zilla. Salem 2008 festival dates include the Winter X12 Games, the Jeep King of the Mountain World Championships in Sun Valley, the Suzuki US Freeskiing Open at Copper, the Subaru US Freeskiing Open in Jackson, the US Snowboarding Open in Girdwood, Alaska and the Breckenridge Spring Massive Festival. National festivals include the Rukus in the Rafters in Crested Butte, Nedfest in Nederland, the Seattle Folklife Festival on the Mother Jones stage, Anchorage's Live After Five Series, the Girdwood Forest Fair and the Southeast Alaska State Fair.

In September 2007, Todd travelled to Washington DC to meetings with Bono's organization, One Coalition, Jubilee Coalition, Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth regarding the international promotion of the Salem song Saragua. Todd composed Saragua around the poem titled "Saragua"written by Ken Saro-Wiwa. The song features performances by Salem, Nigeria's Bola Abimbola joining Todd on vocals, Ghana's Mohammad Alidu and Guinea's, Fara Tolno joining Todd's drumming on djembe, dun dun, talking drum and bell. Ken Saro Wiwa's lyrics personalize the social struggle of the Ogoni people living within challenging conditions from oil exploitation in Nigeria's Niger River Delta and resultant environmental and human rights abuses. Please stay in touch regarding the studio release of Saragua with these organizations soon. Jubilee Coalition is releasing an educational DVD featuring the Salem song, Saragua, in early 2008.

Interviews and reviews about Salem have been featured on PLUM TV in Nantucket and Telluride, Colorado Music Buzz Magazine, The Summit Daily News, Telluride Daily Watch, Grand County News, Denver Post, Nantucket's Independent and the Inquirer and Mirror, Boston Universitys Daily Free Press, The Phoenix in Portland, ME, The Anchorage Free Press, Homer News, Fairbanks Daily News Miner, Juneau Empire, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Lewiston Tribune, and the Northwest Jazz Chronicle. Salem music has been played on radio stations nationwide and the group has had radio interviews and live performances in Boulder, Telluride, Boston, Nantucket, Burlington, Seattle, Idaho, Homer, Anchorage, Girdwood, Fairbanks, Seward, Haines, and Juneau.