Composer/inventor introduces new piano, sound by Kevin Polowy State Press Magazine Summer jobs rarely evolve into prestigious careers. Dax Johnson, cutting-edge neoclassical composer, singer and pianist, presents his four-pedal piano invention to the Valley this month. Dax Johnson wasn't counting on becoming a professional musician when he planted his 450-pound Wurlitzer piano on the downtown sidewalks of Spokane, Washington. "I was in college, just looking for a summer job," he said. "It was an odd thing seeing a guy playing like that downtown. I had no piano etiquette. I was just crashing around, having fun making music." Johnson, a self-taught piano virtuoso resembled more the lead singer of a Seattle grunge band than a classical pianist and was, literally, shoeless. Dax Johnson playing Sept. 3 &10 at Borders Books, Biltmore Plaza, Phoenix. also playing Sept. 17 at Kerr Cultural Center, Scottsdale. Kerr tickets available from Dillards (480-503-5555). Little did the barefoot wonder know that what started as a three month gig salaried by petty tips, would lead him to become one of the hottest Neo-classical musicians in the business. In no time Johnson accumulated a regular crowd of admirers in Seattle and attention from the local media. One proprietor offered Johnson a pair of shoes and a flat rate to perform weekly shows at his shop. Johnson, 24, admitted that he wasn't initially respected in the business because he'd never taken formal piano lessons. "The first thing they ask you is who you studied under," he said. "It's hard to get into the industry as an unknown." Yet so many were drawn to Johnson's emotionally deep compositions and unorthodox playing style that he soon obtained sponsors and in 1998 was able to produce his first album, Sleeping Sisera. Johnson has been influenced by the entire spectrum of the music world--from Bach to Metallica. The composer, pianist and songwriter said he embraced Neo-classical music because "it's instrumental, wordless, pure emotion. You can transfer any type of music to piano and it still sounds good." Johnson writes his songs purely on raw emotion. "I never sit down to write a song," he explained. "It's all emotions. It comes out of the sky, or wherever I'm at that point in time." In November 1998 Johnson was toying around with heavy baselines on his piano when he came up with the idea for a fourth piano pedal--and invented one. He recently attained a patent for the invention, which muffles the piano strings, making a percussive sound similar to when a guitarist places his palm over the strings of his instrument. As innovator of this new sound, Johnson has received much praise, including calls from some of the most well known composers in the Neo-classical genre. "They get blown away when they hear it," he said proudly. Johnson has incorporated his invention into his new album, Merciful Dwellings, which holds the regional title for the biggest CD release performance in the Inland Northwest. After touring much of the West the past year, Johnson will play three shows revealing his new invention in the Valley this month. He will also release Merciful Dwellings in Arizona. Johnson will be performing at Borders Books at the Biltmore Square on Camelback Rd. September 3 and 10, both at 7 p.m. He will also highlight a multimedia arts event at the Kerr Cultural Center in Scottsdale on September 17. The show will also feature black and white photography, color pencil stencils and pottery all displayed by local artists. Johnson will be joined on stage by friend and abstract painter Marcus Bausch, who will paint while Johnson performs. Once inspired, the artist will come onto the stage once and paint on a large canvas to the sound of the pianist's music. "He's my right hand," said Johnson of Bausch. "He feeds off me and in return I feed off him. There's an unheard hum when we're in sync."