leon todd johnson Releases Second Single "kei" From New Album wa kei sei jaku on Whited Sepulchre Records on 07.25.25

Leon Todd Johnson, di Indianapolis, sta registrando sotto il nome di Aeroporto Persone dal 2020. Sotto questo nome, il lavoro neoclassico coinvolgente di Johnson flirtò con le inflessioni jazz di Windham Hill / ECM, incorporando una profonda sensibilità melodica che funziona da riflesso nel suo lavoro registrato. Come suggerisce il nome, il lavoro di Airport People ha sfruttato i ricordi di Johnson di viaggiare in tutto il mondo con la sua famiglia, sostenendo il lavoro del suo nonno, leader dei diritti civili, in Africa - uno stato che ha descritto come "tra dove stiamo andando e dove eravamo, e non abbiamo molto da dire".

Il secondo disco di Johnson per Whited Sepulchre Records lo trova ancora una volta ispirato ai viaggi, ma come suggerisce il cambiamento di nome, il suo lavoro non è più definito dallo spazio tra un luogo e un altro. Invece, si concentra sul viaggiare verso l'esterno e trovare casa dentro di sé - sia filosoficamente che musicalmente.

Johnson has long been drawn to Ryuichi Sakamoto’s work. While writing songs for this record, he returned to several late-era Sakamoto pieces like Andata and various soundtracks for films, especially Minamata. With this music in mind and having begun a practice of Zen meditation, Johnson traveled to Japan for a long-awaited trip. Upon returning home, he began compiling these four songs when he heard an interview with Mine Somi Kubose about the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The interview was recorded in 1977 at the Buddhist Temple of Chicago by Chungmoo Choi and preserved in the Library of Congress; it was exactly what the album needed.

Le mattinate sono sempre state importanti nel lavoro di Johnson. From Nine Mornings - il suo precedente disco per Whited Sepulchre Records - ha compilato i suoi disegni musicali mattutini in canzoni completamente realizzate. Many listeners have described his work as quintessential morning music, accompanying their first cup of coffee or tea. Per questo ultimo record, Johnson riflette sui quattro principi della cerimonia del tè giapponese

• Wa (和): Harmony or unity
• Kei (敬): Respect or reverence
• Sei (清): Purity or cleanliness
• Jaku (寂): Tranquility or silence

In these principles, Johnson found an analog to the tracks he was recording. Each seemed to embody a principle as he listened back, weaving samples from the interview throughout.

The four tracks on wa kei sei jaku build on the lushness of From Nine Mornings. The peaceful piano melody of “wa” is met with some of the most expressive bass work Johnson has recorded—muted runs blend with strings to explore harmony. “Kei” builds into a serene crescendo with arpeggiated piano and violin counter-melodies, while “jaku”, as the name suggests, lets piano melodies hang in the air with just enough time to land.

Connecting to the theme more personally, Johnson incorporated field recordings of various tea house gardens from his trip to Japan, as well as sounds from his own morning tea ritual into the compositions. Percussive elements, roomy scrapes, and the tinkling of metal against china all capture his daily practice—one shared by fans who use his music to ease into their days. The album will be celebrated with a collaborative release from Cincinnati-based Wendigo Tea, who will offer a limited-edition blend inspired by the record.

Since recording wa kei sei jaku, Johnson has become a father. It’s not lost on him that amid the world-upending experience of first-time parenthood, he’s stepping away from a moniker and confidently imbuing these songs with his full self—as much as the self can ever be fully known.

Tracklist:

wa
kei
sei
jaku
wa (instrumental)
kei (instrumental)
sei (instrumental)
jaku (instrumental)