Johnny Calcagno

Johnny has been a part of the Seattle music community for over 20 years. In the 1980's he was a player and organizer in the early stages of the Seattle improvised music movement, appearing in and recording with bands that included Wally Shoup, Dennis Rea, Amy Denio, Jeff Greinke, Craig Flory and countless others. During this time he helped start the Seattle Improvised Music Festival, which just finished it's 17th year. In the late 1980's and 1990's he began working as a performance artist, directing and appearing in shows at Bumbershoot, On the Boards, and in the group Nous Sommes Des Enfants, with Robert Hinrix and Eveline Müller-Graf. He recorded an album of original material "Ecophony" with Robert Hinrix in 1991 and a solo recording of experimental music "Apostasy" in 1992.

With Hinrix, Zazou bassist Ms. Jessica, Sky Cries Mary vocalist Roderick Romero, Wolfgang Rain, Glenn Herlihy and John Hawkley, Johnny plays mandolin and guitar with the wacky Americana band Smokeshack Okiestra. Smokeshack got their start making music for films by former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic.

During the late 1990's Johnny got increasingly interested in traditional appalachian music and can now be found playing fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar and various local groups.