Alphonso Johnson (born 1951 in Philadelphia, PA) is a jazz bassist who has been influential since the early 1970s. Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article refers to the largest city of Pennsylvania. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... A bassist is a musician who plays a double bass or electric bass (also referred to as bass guitar). ...

History

Johnson started off as a trombone player, but switched to the electric bass in his late teens. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, Johnson showed innovation and fluidity on the electric bass. He sessioned with a few jazz musicians before landing a job with Weather Report, taking over for co-founding member Miroslav Vitous. Johnson, ranked alongside peers Stanley Clarke and Steve Swallow, was considered one of the best bassists of the period.^{[citation needed]} His playing was featured on the Weather Report album Mysterious Traveller, on the songs "Cucumber Slumber" and "Scarlet Woman". Johnson appeared on two more albums for Weather Report before he would leave the band to work with drummer Billy Cobham. The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... Fender Precision Bass Bass Guitar is a commonly spoken phrase used to refer to the electric bass and horizontal acoustic basses, a stringed instrument similar in design to the electric guitar, but larger in size, commonly fretted and sometimes fretless and with a lower range. ... For the song Weather Report by The American Analog Set, see The Golden Band. ... Miroslav Vitous (born 6 December 1947) is a Czech jazz bassist. ... Stanley Clarke (born 30 June 1951) is an American musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and bass guitar as well as his numerous film and television scores. ... Steve Swallow (b. ... Mysterious Traveller, the fourth studio release of Weather Report, completes the journey that Sweetnighter began. ... A drummer in Action A drummer is a person who plays the drums, particularly the drum kit, marching percussion, or hand drums. ... Billy Cobham performing on Réunion in October 2006. ...

Johnson was one of the first musicians to introduce the Chapman Stick to the public. His knowledge of the instrument nearly landed him a lucrative job with Genesis as the replacement for Steve Hackett who had quit Genesis in 1977. Johnson being more of a bassist than a guitarist, had recommended his friend ex-Sweetbottom guitarist and fellow sessions musician Daryl Stuermer, who would go on to remain a member of the Genesis's touring band for the rest of their existence. A 10 string Chapman Stick The Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. ... Genesis are an English rock band formed in 1967. ... Steve Hackett (born Stephen Richard Hackett on February 12, 1950, in Pimlico, England) is a writer and guitarist. ... Daryl Mark Stuermer (born November 27, 1952) is a musician who played lead guitar for Genesis during live shows. ...

Family

He also has two sons named Myles and Malcolm Johnson, who are following in their father's footsteps as musicians.

External links

• Biography
• The Alphonso Johnson Official Website

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