Ellen Johnson

About Ellen Johnson

Ellen Johnson is a dynamic, multifaceted artist whose career spans over four decades in the music and performing arts. A consummate vocalist, author, lyricist, songwriter, producer, educator, actor, poet, promoter, creativity consultant, sound energy facilitator, and entrepreneur, Ellen has continually pushed creative boundaries and redefined artistic expression. Her unwavering devotion to music and the arts is evident not only in her diverse performance career but also in her visionary leadership across a range of creative enterprises.

Early Career

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Ellen’s passion for music was nurtured from an early age by her mother’s love for singing and piano playing. This early exposure laid the foundation for a lifelong dedication to the arts. At sixteen, Ellen was selected to attend the prestigious Northwestern University summer acting program—a formative experience that sparked her love for the performing arts. Initially focused on acting, she began vocal training at nineteen, quickly discovering that singing was equally transformative. Influenced by an eclectic mix of artists ranging from Joni Mitchell and Betty Carter to Ella Fitzgerald and avant-garde innovators, Ellen embraced a broad musical palette that continues to inform her work today.

As a Vocalist/Musician

Ellen Johnson’s musical journey is marked by extraordinary versatility and artistic excellence. She has performed, recorded, and studied with a veritable who's who of the jazz and music world, including David Sanborn, Charles McPherson, Mark Egan, Louie Bellson, Bobby McFerrin, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Don Braden, Willie Pickens, Roy McCurdy, Rick Helzer, John Clayton, Gene Aitken, Hugh Martin, Marni Nixon, and George Shirley.

Described by Jazz Journal International Magazine as delivering “superior jazz singing by an artist of the highest quality,” Ellen has released four solo jazz recording projects—Form & Formless, These Days, Chinchilla Serenade, and Too Good To Title. Her album These Days has been lauded as “one of the best albums to be heard from a no-nonsense jazz singer” (Downbeat) and praised as “a sophisticated and successful album that raises the standard of modern jazz singing” (All About Jazz), featuring a memorable duet with the legendary Sheila Jordan. She was featured as a guest soloist and lyricist on “In the Grove of the Jacarandas”—part of the Arnaldo DeSouteiro-2023 produced album Brazilian Match, alongside David Sanborn and Mark Egan, showcasing the music of Luiz Millan.

Ellen’s dedication to the art form extends beyond recordings. In 2006, jazz journalist Arnaldo DeSouteiro named her one of the top three jazz vocalists of the year alongside Dianne Reeves and Diana Krall. Her commitment to exploring vocal innovation is further exemplified by her deep engagement with the works of Charles Mingus, culminating in the premiere of Mingus and Beyond in San Diego and as part of the Wahya Consort performance during the 2011 Ojai Music Festival. Her extensive repertoire also includes celebrated performances of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts, where her renditions have drawn praise from critics and peers alike. Ellen’s versatility was further recognized when she earned a finalist position in the American Traditions Vocal Competition—performing jazz, musical theater, and classical selections before a panel of distinguished judges—and securing a scholarship to the AIMS (American Institute of Musical Studies) opera auditions program in Graz, Austria.

As an Author, Writer, and Publicist

Ellen has established herself as a leading voice in music journalism and public relations. Through her former company, Sound Visions Media, she has elevated the profiles of artists, authors, businesses, and non-profit organizations. As the jazz editor for Singer and Musician Magazine, Ellen has profiled luminaries such as Nancy Wilson, Jon Hendricks, Tierney Sutton, Alan Paul, and Andy Bey through insightful articles and interviews.

Her accomplishments as an author include the acclaimed biography Jazz Child: Portrait of Sheila Jordan (Bloomsbury Publishing), which received nominations for the Jazz Journalists Association Awards in 2015 and ranked #2 in the JazzTimes Readers Poll for best book. Her in-depth exploration of “The Vocal Music of Charles Mingus” appears in The Jazz Omnibus: 21st-Century Photos and Writings by members of the Jazz Journalists Association (Cymbal Press). Ellen is a frequent contributor to All About Jazz and other leading publications, and she is currently developing a new book on the emotional and physical effects of music —a project that underscores her commitment to understanding and articulating music’s transformative power.

As an Educator (For more complete information go to: www.vocalvisions.net )

Ellen’s passion for nurturing artistic talent is reflected in her extensive academic and teaching career. She holds a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the American Conservatory of Music. Further complementing her formal education, Ellen has pursued advanced studies in the music business, music therapy, and sound healing.

She has shared her expertise at renowned institutions, including the University of San Diego, the Old Globe Theatre’s MFA program, California Polytechnic University Pomona, and the California Jazz Conservatory. Ellen is a sought-after clinician and workshop leader, having delivered master classes at the University of Southern California and various other colleges. Her roles as a panelist, guest speaker, and keynote presenter at conferences hosted by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) have made her a respected mentor to aspiring artists.

As a Sound Healing Facilitator and Researcher

Long before the concept of music as therapy gained widespread recognition, Ellen was exploring the healing properties of sound. With more than forty years of dedicated research in sound healing and music medicine, she has studied with pioneering educators such as Elias Mohan, Fabien Mamam, Brant Secunda, Jonathan Goldman, Dr. John Beaulieu, John Stuart Reid, Zacciah Blackburn, and Dr. Jeffrey Thompson among many others. Building on her advanced training in Frequency Medicine, Sonic Science, and Cymatics, Ellen integrates the healing power of sound into her work. She has also pursued Integral Studies in Music Therapy and holds certifications in Expressive Arts Therapy and Creativity Coaching. Through her workshops on “Sound Creativity,” “Music That Heals and Inspires,” and “Using Vocal Improvisation to Encourage Creativity,” Ellen blends her extensive musical expertise with innovative therapeutic practices, helping individuals harness the transformative power of sound.

Professional Ventures and Accomplishments

Ellen’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident in her creation of several groundbreaking companies. She founded Vocal Visions, a record label and educational division responsible for innovative instructional materials such as The Vocal Warm Up, Vocal Builders, and You Sing Jazz. Additionally, she established Sound Visions Media, a video production and artist promotion company that has significantly enhanced the visibility of countless creative professionals as well as providing her skills to videos, films and documentary projects. 

As co-founder and president of the Jazz Vocal Coalition—the first national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting jazz singers—Ellen has been instrumental in providing promotion, education, support, and networking opportunities across the United States, with active chapters in Los Angeles, New York, and Minnesota. Her contributions extend to recording jingles, film scores, and collaborative projects with renowned songwriters, further highlighting her versatility and creative vision

A proud member of professional organizations such as the Jazz Journalists Association, BMI, the Voice Foundation, and the International Association for Music & Medicine, Ellen Johnson continues to lead and inspire in the worlds of music, education, and sound healing.