JOHNNY HIGH-HAT

Johnny High-Hat has done a few things in his time: played in bluegrass, country, and swing bands, mandolin orchestras and a circus pit band; written and directed plays; studied at Bertolt Brecht's Berliner Ensemble in East Berlin; and co-founded and run the acclaimed Fern Street Circus for many years in San Diego’s Golden Hill neighborhood.

Now, after 30 years playing mandolin and bass as a sideman, High-Hat has stepped out on his own to create music which reflects his diverse experiences. He accompanies himself on mandolin, tenor banjo, mandocello, and musical saw, singing standards and little-know gems of Texas swing and vintage country. He approaches music with a circus director’s sensibility, combining rich musical traditions with street-level performance and variety show into a musical whole.

High Hat (stage name for John Highkin) has a new CD, Heart of a Clown, which features the nationally acclaimed roots band The Wiyos on four tracks – adding further musical depth and character and contemporary arrangements into a compelling and a timeless tone.

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