Johnson

Thattil Antony Johnson (26 March 1953 – 18 August 2011), popularly known as Johnson Master, was an Indian film score composer and music director. Regarded as one of the finest composers in the industry, he was noted for his lyrical and expressive melodies together with simple but rich tonal compositions of thematic music. Johnson is a recipient of National Film Awards twice and Kerala State Film Awards five times. He has composed music for more than 300 Malayalam films, the most by any composer except for G. Devarajan. He was the first music director from Malayalam cinema to be honoured with the National film Awards.He composed music for some of the most important motion pictures of Malayalam cinema, including Koodevide, Namukku Paarkkan Munthiri Thoppukal, Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam, Vadakkunokkiyantram, Perumthachan, Njan Gandharvan, Ponthan Mada, and Bhoothakkannadi.

Early life

Johnson was born in Nellikkunnu near Trichur (Thrissur) in the state of Travancore-Cochin (now part of Kerala), on 26 March 1953. His father, the late Thattil Antony, was a bank employee. His secondary education was at St. Thomas School in Thope, Trichur. Johnson was a singer in the choir of Nellikkunnu St. Sebastian's Church. He used to sing in youth festivals and musical shows and joined the orchestra team of some local troupes and played harmonium in many concerts. He also used to sing in female voice in ganamelas (a stage show where film songs are sung by amateur or professional artists).

Within a few years, the club became one of the most sought after musical troupes in Kerala, and had more than fifty members. This club used to give accompaniment music to playback singers Jayachandran and Madhuri in their musical shows. It was Jayachandran who introduced Johnson to G. Devarajan, one of the most prolific composers of South Indian cinema then. Devarajan literally adopted Johnson and brought him to Chennai in 1974. Johnson bought an accordion, during this period, from R. K. Shekhar (A. R. Rahman's father), and began assisting Devarajan in filmscoring and composing.

Non-cinematic outputs

Johnson has released four non-film albums. His first album Sneha Deepika was released in 1989 on Tharangini audios. It had nine Christian devotional songs – "Aathma Swaroopa", "Unni Yesu Pirannu", "Manninum Poovinum", "Thumbapoo Polulla", "Bhoomikku Pulakam", "Manassakumengil", "Kulir Choodum", "Arthungal Innoru" and "Vidarnna Punchiri". The featured artists were K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra and Sujatha. His second album Onathappan, a collaboration with M. G. Radhakrishnan and Berny-Ignatius, consisted of nine festival songs. The track "Mundon Paadam" was composed by Johnson, sung by M. G. Sreekumar and had lyrics penned by Bichu Thirumala. His third album Nannipoorvam Johnson, consisted of twelve tracks – "Chandanakkavilinnu", "Panineeru Peyyum", "Vasundhare", "Virunnu Vanna", "Prapanjam Sundaram", "Enthe Nee Varathe", "Nilasandhyayil", "Veruthe Onnu", "Ponnazhikkuttu", "Pranayappirave", "Kalindhi", and an introductory speech by Sreenivasan. The lyricists were R. K. Damodaran, Gireesh Puthenchery, Kaithapram, Bichu Thirumala, M. D. Rajendran, K. Jayakumar, S. Ramesan Nair and Poovachal Khader and the songs were rendered by K. J. Yesudas, P. Jayachandran, K. S. Chithra, M. G. Sreekumar, Aparna Rajeev, Dr. Rashmi Madhu and Johnson himself. In 2009, he released his second Christian devotional album entitled Parishudhan. It had eleven tracks – "Vazhiyum Sathyavum Nee Thanne (Vijay Yesudas), "Mullukal Kuthi" (Chithra), "Ariyathe Polum" (G. Venugopal), "Neethimanayavane" (Sujatha), "Traditional song" (Louis), "Mazhayum Veyilum" (Rimi Tomy), "Oru Viral Sparshathal (Sudheep), "Loka Palaka" (Chithra), Neethanthamam (Vijay Yesudas), and "Kannukalil Theliyum" (Manjari).

Music style and impact

His skilful integration of textual rhythm of the lyrics together with rich tonal arrangement, redefined songwriting in Malayalam cinema, since the late 1980s. In his film scores, Johnson combines native South Indian melodic patterns with the harmonic structure of classical music and this has attained an expressive form of narration through film score. He composed for about 300 films, making him the second most composed music director in Malayalam, after his guru G. Devarajan. Though he has obtained no formal training in classical music, he was able to incorporate the beauty of Carnatic ragas in his songs. Most of his songs were composed on Kalyani raga.

Johnson's favourite male singer was K. J. Yesudas, who has recorded many songs for him, while S. Janaki and K. S. Chithra were his favourite female singers. Chithra had some of her most noted songs with Johnson.

Johnson is fondly called Johnson Master (Johnson Mashu) by Malayalee audiences. Even his contemporaries and competitors refer him with the tag 'Master' ('mash' in Malayalam).

His background scoring style has a cult following. His scores from Thoovanathumbikal, Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal, Manichitrathazhu, Thaniyavarthanam, Chitram, Bharatham, Aparan, Kireedam, Sukrutham are considered to be amongst the best.

Awards

Johnson won his first National Film Award for the Best Music Direction for the film Ponthan Mada (1994) and the very next year he won his second National film award for the Best Background score for the film Sukrutham (1995) He was the first Malayalee music composer to receive a National award in music category and is also the only Malayalee music director who received two national awards in music category. This film has one song Adimarunge ayyayya (അടിമരുങ്ങേ അയ്യയ്യാ) lyrics by O. N. V. Kurup and sung by K. S. Chithra and chorus composed by Johnson. This is a folk song. National film award committee noted that he brilliantly integrated western folk tunes into this song. The award was given for best music direction and background score of this film. He has received three Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director, for the films Ormakkayi (1982), Vadakkunokkiyantram and Mazhavil Kavadi (1989), and Angane Oru Avadhikkalathu (1999). He was awarded the Kerala State Film Award for Best Background Music for the films Sadayam (1992) and Sallapam (1996). He has thus received five Kerala State Film Awards in music category, an achievement he shares with Devarajan. He has received the Kerala Film Critics Awards four times, the most recent in 2008 for Gulmohar. In 2007, he won the Mathruboomi Award for Best Music Director for Photographer (2006). He won the Mullasserry Raju Music Award for the song "Enthe Kannanu Karuppu Niram", also from the same film. In addition, he has received numerous other awards and nominations including Devarajan Master Memorial Award and Raveendran Master Memorial Award.

Death Johnson died at his home in Chennai on 18 August 2011 at the age of 58, due to a massive heart attack. He was survived by his wife Rani Johnson, son Renn Johnson and daughter Shan Johnson. Renn Johnson died on 25 February 2012 in a motorbike accident in Chennai. Shan Johnson, a trained singer and musician, died of a cardiac arrest at her flat in Chennai on 5 February 2016. They are interred at the St Sebastian's church cemetery in Nellikunnu, Thrissur.

Partial discography

Original scores and soundtracks

Original scores The following lists out the films in which Johnson composed the background score but not songs.

Aakaashakottayile Sulthaan Aalorungi Arangorungi Aaraante Mulla Kochumulla Aaravam Aaryan Arabikkadal Abhimanyu Adimachangala Agnisharam Ambada Njaane Amaram Amrutham Arayannangalude Veedu Avidatheppole Ivideyum Bharatham Chamaram Chithram Chakravalam Chuvannappol Chithrathoonukal Dhanam Dheem Tharikidathom Ee Kaikalil Ekantham English Medium Ente Hridayathinte Udama Ente Kaanakkuyil Ithum Oru Jeevitham Iniyum Kurukshethram Kaanaakkinaavu Kaarunyam Kaaryam Nissaaram Kadathanadan Ambadi Kadaksham Kamaladalam Kazhukan Keli Kaikudanna Nilavu Kissan Kinnarippuzhayoram Kodumudikal Koodum Thedi Krishnapakshakkilikal Kudumbapuraanam Kunjaattakkilikal Maayamayooram Madhya Venal Manasiloru Manimuthu Manichithrathazhu Mankamma Mizhineerppoovukal Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu Mizhi Randilum Mounanombaram No. 1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North Nokketha Dhoorathu Kannum Nattu Nombarathi Poovu Nyayavidhi Orma Mathram Ottayal Pattaalam Oru Cheru punchiri Puzha Paadamudra Parinayam Pooram Post Box Number 27 Pradakshinam Raagam Thaanam Pallavi Shreeraagam Snehapoorvam Meera Sukrutham Susanna Soorya Gaayathri Thalavattam Thazhvaram Thakara Thaniyavarthanam Theekkaattu Thoovanathumbikal Uncle Bun Uthara Utharam Vadhu Doctoraanu Vaadakaveettile Athidhi Vandanam Valkannadi Vellanakalude Nadu Vedikkett Venkalam Vishnulokam

As Playback Singer + As Playback Singer Year Track Album Composer Lyricist Language 1982 Aasane Ponnasane Football Johnson Shyam Krishna Malayalam 1991 Aduppoodhum Naathu Nattaachu Rajamani Kalidasan Tamil 1992 Verumoru Moshtavaya Enne Cheppadividya S.P. Venkatesh K. Ayyappa Panicker Malayalam 1993 Paadippokaam Samagamam Johnson O.N.V. Kurup Malayalam 1993 Naadodi Koothadan Vaa Paamaram Johnson Bichu Thirumala Malayalam 1995 Aaraaro Aariraro Thovalappookkal Johnson Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri Malayalam 1998 Mookkilla Naakkilla Vismayam Johnson Raghunath Paleri Malayalam 2000 Himabinduvayi Susanna Johnson K. Jayakumar Malayalam 2004 Theekuruvi Kangalal Kaidhu Sei A. R. Rahman Thenmozhi Tamil 2006 Pulchaadi Photographer Johnson Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri Malayalam 2006 Ammaanam Chemmaanam Kisan Johnson Gireesh Puthenchery Malayalam 2008 Thaazhe Paadam Gulmohur Johnson O.N.V. Kurup Malayalam

Non-film albums + Independent Albums Year Album Lyricist Label 1987 Sabarigeetham Mankombu Gopalakrishnan, N. K. Ravendran, Muttom Gopinath RJ Series 1989 Sneha Deepika Tharangini Records 1992 Onathappam Bichu Thirumala Ranjini 2002 Nandipoorvam Johnson Tichus Audios 2009 Parishudhan O.N.V Kurup, Gireesh Puthenchery Zion Classics 2011 Rajavu Ezhunnallunnu Manorama Music

Notable songs In an interview with Malayala Manorama, Johnson listed the following 13 songs as his favourite songs. Koodevide 1988 Best Music Director Isabella, Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu 1992 Best Music Director Savidham, Kudumbasametham 1996 Best Music Director Sallapam, Ee Puzhayum Kadannu 2008 Best Music Director Gulmohar