Surfer turned Filmmaker and Singer/Songwriter, Jack Johnson is truly a renaissance man

Born in Hawaii, Jack is the son of Jeff Johnson, a champion surfer. Therefore, surfing was a way of life and Jack soon became a champ himself. Jack was actually the youngest man ever invited to compete in the Pipe Masters which is a top surfing competition. Just for fun, during his surfing days, Jack would strum on his guitar and shoot his friends with his video cameras. Soon after that, his hobbies led him to California where Jack decided to follow his dream of being a film maker. It was during his acclaimed film "Thicker than Water" that he realized his new calling was that of a singer/songwriter.

Released in February of 2000, Jack's debut CD, Brushfire Fairytales, was produced by J.P. Plunier, who also produces Ben Harper. In fact, Ben Harper appears on the song "Flake" playing Slide Guitar. The influences of Harper, as well as G Love can be heard on the CD. The CD features 13 songs, all written by Jack Johnson. Jack plays acoustic guitar and even piano on one track. Adam Topol handles the drums and percussion while Merlo (yes, just Merlo) is on bass. While the tone of the disc is soft, folky and calming, each song is a bit different. The lyrics are amazing and Jack's soft voice does not overpower the music. And with the occasional appearance of bongos, the album makes you want to get up and groove, and just kick back and chill, all at the same time.

The song "Bubble Toes" was released as the first single. It starts off slow and relaxing, then the beat picks up and suddenly you find yourself bobbing your head to the rhythm. "His dreams are like commercials and her dreams are picture perfect and our dreams are so related even though they're often underestimated" is a favorite line and a perfect example of Jack's poetic lyrics that are full of meaning. "Posters" is a fan favorite and there is talk about it being released as a single. The song describes how people are not happy with themselves because they will never be as thin or as beautiful or as perfect as the model or actor they envy. In other words, they will never look like the "Posters on the Wall."

"Mudfootball" is an upbeat song about memories from your teenage years and how you thought things would always remain the same. "The News" is a slower song that points out the terrible things you see on the news. One line, "Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die?" is very self explanatory. The CD ends with "It's All Understood" which is a relaxing song that makes you think, "It's all understood, so don't even question, if you know what I mean."

Every other song on the CD is equally as good. This is one CD that you can listen to without having to press skip. In fact, you will probably be singing the songs in your head long after you listen. If you are a fan of Ben Harper, G Love, Nick Drake, Dave Matthews Band, or you just love finding amazing new artists, I suggest you go out and buy this CD as soon as possible.