this piece was written in march 2009 after an interview with mark johnson, creator of playing for change, an amazing organization created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music
In the aftermath of one of the biggest campaigns for change, the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama, it seems as if the power of the message has begun to slip from so many. Inspiring speeches and rallies have been replaced by reality, and the meaning of hope and change may get lost amongst bills and the stimulus package. One man, however, refuses to let this happen. Mark Johnson, producer and co-director of Playing For Change: Peace Through Music, has created an organization that believes in the power of music to unify.
Playing for Change is a foundation based in Los Angeles that provides resources such as facilities, supplies, and educational programs to musicians and communities around the world. It was responsible for the Mehlo Arts Center in Johannesburg, South Africa and others in Nepal and India. To build awareness of the transformative power of music and to raise money for their efforts, Johnson created documentaries dedicated to connecting the world through music. These films can be ordered online, with the proceeds going towards the foundation.
Johnson’s message is driven by humanity, inspiration, and the desire to create a better world. The idea of Playing for Change was to unite all countries, races, gender, economics, religion, and politics through music.
The idea was born over a decade ago when Johnson, a Grammy award-winning producer, was traveling to his New York City recording studio and came upon a group of about 200 people huddled in the subway. He then saw that they were gathered around two monks painted head to toe in white, wearing robes, playing a nylon guitar and singing in a foreign language. The beauty of the music caused the people to pause and miss the train. Some were brought to tears. Sitting in sunny Los Angeles, Johnson explained, “I felt like there was this unity that existed between people that would otherwise run by each other and the music made it all happen. So when I finally got into the studio, it occurred to me that some of the best music I ever heard was on the way to the studio.”
Taking his equipment on the road, running on batteries, Johnson and his crew of five spent 10 years traveling around the world in dangerous and unfamiliar countries. But this director tru
ly believed in the cause, “The truth is, early on in the project, I started seeing that things like this feed themselves,” said Johnson. “So much of life is just showing up for something you believe in and it rewards you. I would hear such amazing music and meet such incredible people, that there was no way of giving up. It was never an option.”
Working with his brother Greg Johnson and executive producer David Bacon, Mark Johnson has devoted his life to united the world through music. Taking a decade to travel the world came easily as he brought his closest loved ones with him, his brother and best friends. Ever since graduating college, Johnson has been at work, producing critically acclaimed work.
The documentaries are certainly not the first attempt to tug at the world’s heartstrings and attempt to unite cultures; however, critics are saying this foundation is different. In an interview with Johnson, Bill Moyers, journalist, said, “The film has advanced into more of a movement. Playing For Change is truly one of the most powerful reminders that with inspiration and passion, not only can we bring the best out of our nations through music, but we can create the possible with a simple idea.”
Specifically, the films bring together soulful street musicians from around the world: blues singers in a waterlogged New Orleans, chamber groups in Moscow, or a South African choir. These musicians collaborate on songs familiar and new, in an effort to foster a fresh, greater understanding of our commonality. Johnson and his crew recorded tracks of such classics as “Stand By Me” and Bob Marley’s “One Love,” creating mixes in which the performers a
re all playing in unison, but in reality are worlds apart.
Despite the cultural differences and diverse ideologies, what prevailed was the love and passion of each artist and their power to move their listeners—an aspect of music too often forgotten on the college scene in Johnson’s eyes. To him, it seems that so many listeners have lost sight of what’s real in music. “There is no greater hope that I would have in the world [than for students to turn towards music with meaning],” said Johnson. “Because what people say in the music and its purpose will dictate how much people are affected by it. So if people aren’t singing about anything important, then they’re missing the opportunity that music offers them.”
One thing is for sure: each musician featured in Johnson’s documentaries had a story to tell, either songs of freedom or songs reflecting the unity of all people. Johnson added, “Music is the easiest way to connect one person’s heart to another. Language often divides people and so many different ways of finding our identity divide us—different religions, different economics, different politics. I think music is one way that gets us back to the heart of being part of the human race.”
