J.J. Johnson, in about the mid-1960s

J.J. Johnson (born James Louis Johnson) in Indianapolis, Indiana, (January 22, 1924 - February 4, 2001), was an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. Image File history File links JJJohnsonPromo1960s. ... Location in the state of Indiana Coordinates: County Marion Founded 1821 Mayor Bart Peterson (D) Area    - City 963. ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 4 is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jazz is a musical art form that originated in New Orleans at around the start of the 20th century. ... A trombonist is a musician who plays the trombone. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... In popular music an arrangement is a setting of a piece of music, which may have been composed by the arranger or by someone else. ...

Johnson was in the first order of modern jazz musicians, including Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and Oscar Pettiford. He recorded a number of popular albums with fellow trombonist Kai Winding, as well as many solo albums, and was a sideman on many classic jazz recordings. Several of his compositions, including "Wee Dot," "Lament," and "Enigma" are considered jazz standards. He was part of the Third Stream movement in jazz music in the late 1950s and early 1960s and wrote a number of large-scale works which incorporated elements of both classical and jazz music. A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... Charlie Parker Charles Bird Parker, Jr. ... John Birks Dizzy Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. ... The Amazing Bud Powell - early LP cover Earl Rudolph Bud Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966 in New York City) was one of the most influential pianists in the history of jazz. ... Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was one of the most distinguished jazz musicians of the latter half of the 20th century. ... Thelonious Sphere Monk (October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was a jazz pianist and composer. ... Jazz in 3/4 time cover released in 1957 on EmArcy Maxwell Lemuel Roach (born January 10 (according to the official records, though his family claims January 8), 1924)to parents Alphonse and Cressie Roach. ... An early Rollins picture graces the cover of Volume One Theodore Walter Sonny Rollins (born September 7, 1930 in New York City) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. ... John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967), nicknamed Trane, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. ... Oscar Pettiford (1922 – 1960) was an American bebop bassist and cellist. ... An album is a collection of related audio tracks distributed to the public. ... Kai Chresten Winding (May 18, 1922-May 6, 1983) was a popular trombonist and jazz composer. ... Third Stream Music is a term coined in 1957 by Gunther Schuller referring to the synthesis of classical music and jazz. ... // Recovering from World War II and its aftermath, the economic miracle emerged in West Germany and Italy. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. ...

In his early twenties he developed a remarkable, flawless technique and was the first trombonist to rise to the challenge of bebop music, remaining unchallenged at the forefront of modern jazz throughout his career. In 1970 he ceased performing in public for most of 17 years, before a comeback in the late 1980s. From the mid fifties on, he was a perennial polling favorite in jazz circles, even winning Down Beat's "Trombonist of the Year" during years he wasn't active. Voted into Down Beat's Hall of Fame in 1995, J.J. Johnson's recording career spanned 54 years, from 1942 to 1996. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... The 1980s refers to the years of 1980 to 1989. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to jazz. ... Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to jazz. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

He has long been regarded as the greatest trombonist of the Post-Swing Era, a pervasive influence on other jazz musicians, and one of jazz's legendary figures. The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... The Swing Era was the period of time (1935-1946) when big band swing music was the most popular music in America. ...

Biography

Big Bands

After studying the piano beginning at age 9, Johnson decided to play trombone at the age of 14. In 1941, he started his professional career with Clarence Love, and then played with Snookum Russell in 1942. In Russell's band he met the trumpeter Fats Navarro, who influenced him to play in the style of the tenor saxophonist Lester Young. Johnson went on to play in Benny Carter's orchestra between 1942 and 1945 with whom he made his first recordings in 1942 and recorded his first solo (on Love for Sale) in October, 1943. In 1944, he took part in the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concert, presented in Los Angeles and organized by Norman Granz. In 1945 he joined the big band of Count Basie, touring and recording with him until 1946. The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... A trumpeter may be one of several things: A trumpeter is a musician who plays the trumpet. ... Theodore (Fats) Navarro (24 September 1923 – 6 July 1950) was an American jazz trumpet player. ... A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. ... Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed Prez, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. ... Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) was the title of a series of concerts and recordings produced by Norman Granz. ... Norman Granz (Los Angeles, USA, August 6, 1918 - Geneva, Switzerland, November 22, 2001), was an American jazz music impresario and producer. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from 1935 until the late 1940s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Bebop

While the trombone was featured prominently in dixieland and swing music, it fell out of favor among bebop and later jazz fusion musicians, largely because instruments with valves and keys (trumpet, saxophone) were more suited to bebop's often rapid tempos and demand for technical mastery. In 1946, Bebop "co-inventor", Dizzy Gillespie encouraged the young trombonists' development with the comment, “I've always known that the trombone could be played different, that somebody'd catch on one of these days. Man, you're elected.” Johnson's work in the 1940s and 1950s defied both musicians and the public's perception that the slide trombone could not keep up in the bebop style. Fellow trombonist Steve Turre has summarized, "J.J. did for the trombone what Charlie Parker did for the saxophone. And all of us that are playing today wouldn't be playing the way we're playing if it wasn't for what he did. And not only, of course, is he the master of the trombone -- the definitive master of this century -- but, as a composer and arranger, he is in the top shelf as well." The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... Dixieland music is a style of jazz. ... Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of jazz music that developed during the 1920s and had solidified as a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States. ... Bebop or bop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. ... Bitches Brew (1970) by Miles Davis is considered the most influential early fusion album. ... The trumpet is the highest brass instrument in register, above the horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece like the clarinet. ... John Birks Dizzy Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. ... Steve Turre (born September 12, 1948) is an internationally renowned trombonist and recording artist. ... Charlie Parker Charles Bird Parker, Jr. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece like the clarinet. ... The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... In popular music an arrangement is a setting of a piece of music, which may have been composed by the arranger or by someone else. ...

After leaving Count Basie in 1946 to play in small bebop bands in New York clubs, Johnson wound up touring during 1947 with Illinois Jacquet. Also during this period he began recording as a leader of small groups, featuring Max Roach, Sonny Stitt and Bud Powell. His incredible accuracy at manipulating the slide trombone (many people who hadn't seen him play thought he must have been playing a valve instrument), contributed to the acceptance of the instrument in a genre where tempi were often very fast and the melodies very chromatic and rhythmically complex. He was present as a sideman in December, 1947 with Charlie Parker in the Dial Records session following Bird's release from Camarillo. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Bebop or bop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet (October 31, 1922 - July 22, 2004) was a jazz tenor saxophonist most famous for his solo on Flying Home. He is better known simply as Illinois Jacquet. ... Jazz in 3/4 time cover released in 1957 on EmArcy Maxwell Lemuel Roach (born January 10 (according to the official records, though his family claims January 8), 1924)to parents Alphonse and Cressie Roach. ... Sonny Stitt, a quintessential bop saxophonist. ... The Amazing Bud Powell - early LP cover Earl Rudolph Bud Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966 in New York City) was one of the most influential pianists in the history of jazz. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Charlie Parker Charles Bird Parker, Jr. ... Motto: The People are the City Location of Camarillo Country United States State California County Ventura Settled 1898 Incorporated (city) 1964 City Manager Jerry Bankston Area    - City 49. ...

In 1951, with bassist Oscar Pettiford and trumpeter Howard McGhee, he toured the military camps of Japan and Korea before returning to the U.S. and taking a day job as a blueprint inspector. Johnson admitted later he was still thinking of nothing but music during that time, and indeed, his classic Blue Note recordings as both a leader and with Miles Davis date from this period. Johnson's compositions Enigma and Kelo were recorded by Davis for Blue Note and J.J. was part of the Davis studio session band that recorded the jazz classic Walkin'. 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Oscar Pettiford (1922 – 1960) was an American bebop bassist and cellist. ... Howard McGhee (b March 6, 1918 Tulsa, OK - d July 17, 1987 NYC) Bebob jazz trumpeter known for lightening fast fingers and very high notes. ... Korea (Korean: 한국 or 조선, see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. ... In jazz and blues notes added to the major scale for expressive quality, loosely defined by musicians to be an alteration to a scale or chord that makes it sound like the blues. ... In jazz and blues notes added to the major scale for expressive quality, loosely defined by musicians to be an alteration to a scale or chord that makes it sound like the blues. ...

Jay and Kai

In 1954 producer Ozzie Cadena convinced him to set up a combo with trombonist Kai Winding: the "Jay and Kai Quintet". The trombone styles and personalities of the two musicians, although very different, blended so well that the pairing, which lasted till August, 1956, was a huge success both musically and commercially. They toured U.S. nightclubs constantly and recorded numerous albums before parting amicably, satisfied that they had fully explored (and exploited) their novel group. The duo reunited again in 1958 for a tour of Great Britain, a studio album in 1960 and in 1968-1969 (two albums for CTI/A&M Records). In January 1967, Johnson and Winding were in an all-star line-up (alongside the likes of Clark Terry, Charlie Shavers and Joe Newman) backing Sarah Vaughan on her last-ever sessions for Mercury Records, released as the album Sassy Swings Again, with three of the cuts, including Billy Strayhorn's Take the "A" Train, being arranged by Johnson himself. The duo also made some jazz festival appearances in Japan in the early 1980s, the last shortly before Winding died in May, 1983. Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kai Chresten Winding (May 18, 1922-May 6, 1983) was a popular trombonist and jazz composer. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Year 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... January is the first month of the year and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Clark Terry performs with the Great Lakes Navy Band Jazz Ensemble Clark Terry (born December 14, 1920) is an American swing and bop trumpeter and flugelhorn player. ... Charlie James Shavers (August 3, 1917 to July 8, 1971) was a swing era jazz trumpet player who played at one time or another with Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone, Sidney Bechet and Billie Holiday. ... Joseph (Joe) F. Newman (born March 25, 1937) is the co-founder and CEO of the American Basketball Association, the largest and most diversified professional sports league in United States history with over 60% of its teams owned by blacks, hispanics, asians, and women. ... Sarah Lois Vaughan (nicknamed Sassy and The Divine One), (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer, described as one of the greatest singers of the 20th century [1]. // Sarah Vaughan was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1924. ... Mercury Records was a record label founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1945 by Irving Green, Berle Adams and Arthur Talmadge. ... Billy Strayhorn, photographed by Carl Van Vechten on 14. ... Take the A Train is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn, referring to the A subway service that runs through New York City, going at that time from eastern Brooklyn up into Harlem and northern Manhattan, using the express tracks in Manhattan. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Solo Success

Following the mid-1950s collaboration with Winding, J.J. Johnson began leading his own touring small groups for about 3 years, covering the U.S., Great Britain and Scandinavia. These groups (ranging from quartets to sextets) included tenor saxophonists Bobby Jaspar and Clifford Jordan, cornetist Nat Adderley, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianists Tommy Flanagan and Cedar Walton, and drummers Elvin Jones and Albert "Tootie" Heath. He also toured with the Jazz at the Philharmonic show in 1957 and 1960, the first tour yielding a memorable live album featuring Johnson and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz. In 1958-59 Johnson was one of three plaintiffs in a court case which led to the abolition of the cabaret card system. For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. ... Born Sep 2, 1931 in Chicago, IL Died Mar 27, 1993 in New York, NY [Manhattan] Clifford Jordan was a fine inside/outside sax player who somehow held his own with Eric Dolphy in the 1964 Charles Mingus Sextet. ... Nathaniel Adderley (November 25, 1931 - January 2, 2000) was an American jazz cornetist who played in the hard bop and soul jazz genres. ... Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (born April 7, 1938 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American jazz trumpeter. ... Thomas Lee Flanagan (born March 16, 1930 in Detroit, Michigan-died November 16, 2001 in New York City) was an United States jazz pianist particularly remembered as an accompanist of Ella Fitzgerald and many other performers. ... Cedar Anthony Walton, Junior (born in 1934) is an American hard bop pianist. ... Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was a jazz drummer. ... Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) was the title of a series of concerts and recordings produced by Norman Granz. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... Stan Getz Stanley Getz, better known as Stan Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz musician. ... From Prohibition until 1960, New York City required cabaret card permits to be held by all workers in its nightclubs. ...

This period overlaps a bit with the beginnings of Johnson's serious forays into Third Stream music (see below). Periods of concentrating on writing and recording his music would alternate with tours demanding attention to his playing. Following the six months he spent writing Perceptions (see below), late 1961 found J. J. in the studio for a date which at first might have seemed an odd pairing on paper. Andre Previn's trio (adding Johnson as the only horn) recorded an entire album of the music of Kurt Weill. The inventive arrangements and inspired playing of both stars bore out the producer's foresight, yet this is one of few J.J. Johnson albums which remains unreleased on C.D.. In 1962 J. J. toured for a number of months with Miles Davis' sextet of that year, which went unrecorded. Johnson's 1963 solo album J.J.'s Broadway is an excellent example of both his mature trombone style and sound, and his subtle and impressionist music arranging abilities. 1964 saw the recording of his last working band for a period of over 20 years- Proof Positive. Beginning in 1965 Johnson recorded a number of large group studio albums under his name, featuring many of his own compositions and arrangements. The late 1960s saw a radical downturn in the fortunes of many jazz musicians and Johnson was consequently heard almost exclusively on big band-style studio records, usually backing a single soloist. Third Stream Music is a term coined in 1957 by Gunther Schuller referring to the synthesis of classical music and jazz. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... Andr Previn (born April 6, 1929) is a prominent pianist, orchestral conductor, and composer. ... An album of Weills music by operatic soprano Teresa Stratas… …and one by industrial music band The Young Gods. ... Canadian Forces Decoration The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian military award given to officers and soldiers of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of service. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was one of the most distinguished jazz musicians of the latter half of the 20th century. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... See also Impressionist (entertainment): A girl with a watering can by Renoir, 1876 Impressionism was a 19th century art movement, which began as a private association of Paris-based artists who exhibited publicly in 1874. ... In music, an arrangement loosely describes rewriting a piece of pre-existing music for a specific set of instruments or voices, often in harmony or with additional original material. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from 1935 until the late 1940s. ...

The Composer

From the mid-fifties, but especially the early sixties on, J.J. Johnson dedicated more and more time to composition. He became an active contributor to the Third Stream movement in jazz music, (which included such other notable musicians as Gunther Schuller and John Lewis), and wrote a number of large-scale works which incorporated elements of both classical and jazz music. He contributed his Poem for Brass to a Third Stream compilation titled Music for Brass in 1957, and composed a number of original works which were performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival in the late fifties and early sixties. In 1961, he composed a suite in six movements, titled Perceptions, with Dizzy Gillespie as soloist. The First International Jazz Festival, held in Washington, D.C. in 1962, featured another extended work. In 1965 he spent time in Vienna to perform and record his Euro Suite with a jazz-classical fusion orchestra led by Friedrich Gulda. In 1968, a Johnson work titled Diversions was commissioned by the American Wind Symphony and performed in Pittsburgh. This article is in need of attention. ... The 1960s, or The Sixties, in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ... Musical composition is: an original piece of music the structure of a musical piece the process of creating a new piece of music // A musical composition A piece of music exists in the form of a written composition in musical notation or as a single acoustic event (a live performance... Third Stream Music is a term coined in 1957 by Gunther Schuller referring to the synthesis of classical music and jazz. ... Gunther Schuller Gunther Schuller (born November 22, 1925) studied at the St. ... John Lewis can refer to the following people: John L. Lewis (mayor of New Orleans) (1800–1886), mayor of New Orleans 1854–1856 John F. Lewis (1818–1895), United States Senator from Virginia John Lewis (1848–1972), English football player, administrator and referee John Lewis (department store founder) (died 1928... Third Stream Music is a term coined in 1957 by Gunther Schuller referring to the synthesis of classical music and jazz. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Monterey Jazz Festival is a yearly festival of jazz music that takes place at the Monterey Fairgrounds in Monterey, California the third full weekend in September. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The 1960s, or The Sixties, in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... John Birks Dizzy Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. ... Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Federal District District of Columbia  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack Evans... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Inhabitants according to official census figures: 1800 to 2005 Vienna in 1858 Vienna (German: Wien ) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Friedrich Gulda (16 May 1930 - 27 January 2000) was an Austrian pianist. ...

Hollywood

In 1970, Quincy Jones convinced Johnson to move from New York to California to compose for cinema and television, where he eventually scored movies such as Cleopatra Jones, Across 110th Street and Top of the Heap, as well as TV series such as Starsky & Hutch, Mike Hammer and The Six Million Dollar Man. Despite his small level of success, Johnson acknowledged that racism and other prejudices kept a black jazz musician such as himself from securing the amount and quality of work he was qualified to perform. During this period, he played almost no concerts, except in 1977 and 1982 in Japan, and in 1984 in Europe. Despite the low profile, he did record six albums as a leader between 1977 and 1984 (including a 1984 trombone duo album with Al Grey) and a few albums as a sideman, two with Count Basie, and on The Sting II soundtrack. During the California period he also played in the Cocoanut Grove orchestra of Sammy Davis, Jr. and the TV orchestra of Carol Burnett. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Quincy Jones on the cover of Back on the Block (1989). ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... The action-adventure movie Cleopatra Jones, starring Tamara Dobson as Cleopatra, was released in 1973. ... Across 110th Street is a 1972 crime-drama film, starring Anthony Quinn, Yaphet Kotto, and Tony Franciosa, and directed by Barry Shear. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy/action film directed by Todd Phillips. ... Mike Hammer is a fictional American detective created by the American author Mickey Spillane in the 1947 book I, the Jury (made into a movie in 1953 and 1982). ... Part of The Bionic series The Six Million Dollar Man was an American television series about a cyborg working for a U.S. secret service called OSI. The show was based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin, and aired on the ABC network from 1973 to 1978. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Al Grey (1925 - 2000) was a long-time trombonist with the Count Basie orchestra, known for his plunger mute technique. ... Cocoanut Grove is a name for at least two nightclubs: The one in Boston, Massachusetts was the site of the major Cocoanut Grove fire in 1942 The Cocoanut Grove at the legendary Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other... This article is about the entertainer. ... Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is one of the most successful female comedians on American television, thanks largely to her eponymous variety show, The Carol Burnett Show, that ran on CBS from 1967 through 1978. ...

Return to Performing

Johnson returned to performing and recording in November 1987, with an extremely well-received engagement at the Village Vanguard in New York City. Tours of the U.S., Europe and Japan followed as well as a return engagement to the Vanguard in July, 1988 which yielded two albums worth of material. While on tour of Japan in December, 1988, Johnson's wife Vivian suffered a stroke which incapacitated her for her remaining three and a half years of life. During this period Johnson cancelled all work, devoting his energy to caring for his ailing wife. After her death in 1991, he dedicated an album to her on Concord. A year later the former Carolyn Reid became his second wife, and Johnson began actively performing once again. Following this second "comeback" in 1992, Johnson's contracts with a variety of record labels, including Verve and Antilles, resulted in five albums as a leader, from small groups to separate brass orchestra and string orchestra recordings, as well as sideman appearances with his leading disciple, trombonist Steve Turre and the vocalist Abbey Lincoln. He earned several Grammy nominations during this period. He retired from active performing and touring in late 1996, choosing to stay at home in Indianapolis where he could indulge his passion of composing and arranging music with computers and MIDI. 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Village Vanguard is a famous jazz club, located at 178 Seventh Avenue (just below W 11th St. ... Nickname: Big Apple, Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1613  - Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Concord Records is a well-known Beverly Hills, California based jazz record label. ... Verve Records is an American Jazz record label, founded by Norman Granz in 1956, which absorbed the catalogues of his earlier labels: Norgran Records and Clef Records (founded 1953). ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The Indianapolis skyline Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana. ... Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, is a system designed to transmit information between electronic musical instruments. ...

Later, diagnosed with prostate cancer, he maintained a positive outlook and underwent treatment. He wrote a book of original exercises and etudes for jazz musicians, published later by Hal Leonard. A biography, titled The Musical World of J.J. Johnson, was published in 2000. On February 4, 2001, he committed suicide by shooting himself[1]. His funeral in Indianapolis drew jazz musicians, friends and family from around the country who universally loved and respected the artist and the man. His granddaughter related a story of how when she was young she had no idea that her Papa was a world-class jazz musician; she only knew he was a wonderful grandfather. Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. ... // History In the late 1930s in Winona, Minnesota, Harold Hal Edstrom, his brother Everett Leonard Edstrom and their friend Roger Busdicker had formed a very popular dance band. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending ones own life. ...

Discography

Big Bands and Bebop

• Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions (Benny Carter Orchestra) (1943) Mosaic 170 (CD)
• Jazz At The Philharmonic All-Stars- The First Concert (1944) Verve CD 314 521 646-2 (CD)
• Count Basie and His Orchestra 1945-46 Classics 934 (CD)
• Coleman Hawkins (1947) PRCD 24124-2 (CD)
• Illinois Jacquet (1947) Mosaic MD4-165
• Charlie Parker - the Dial Sessions (1947-49) Stash ST-CD-567/68/69/70 (CD)
• J.J. Johnson (1947-49) Savoy 151 (CD)
• Miles Davis- The Birth of the Cool- (1949) Capitol Jazz CDP 592862 (CD)
• Miles Davis- Walkin' (1954) Presitge Records (CD)
• J.J. Johnson's Boppers (1949) Fantasy 2531-91-2 (CD)
• Howard McGhee (1949) BN 7243-4-95747-2-4 (CD)
• J.J. Johnson with Sonny Stitt (1949) OJC CD009-2 (CD)
• Jazz South Pacific (recorded in Guam) (1952) Savoy 219 (CD)

Birth of the Cool is an album which collects the twelve sides recorded by the Miles Davis nonet (featuring Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz and others) for Capitol Records in 1949 and 1950. ... Walkin is an album recorded on 3 April and 29 April 1954 by a group led by Miles Davis, for Prestige Records. ...

Albums Jay and Kai made together as co-leaders

• Jay and Kai (1954) Savoy SV0163 (CD)
• An Afternoon at Birdland (1954)
• Jay and Kai (1954) Prestige
• 'Nuf Said (1955) Bethlehem 20-40062 (CD)
• Trombone for Two (1955) Columbia (LP); Collectables (CD)
• Jay and Kai (the 'alphabet cover') (1955-56) Columbia (out of print)
• Jay and Kai + 6 (1956) Columbia (LP); Collectables (CD)
• At Newport (1956) Columbia (out of print)
• The Great Kai and J. J. (1960) Impulse! MCAD-42012
• Israel (1968) A&M/CTi (out of print)
• Betwixt and Between (1968) A&M/CTi (out of print)

J. J. Johnson recordings from the Hollywood period

• Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Across 110th Street (c. 1972) Rykodisc 10706
• Count Basie- Basie Jam (1973)
• Count Basie with Joe Turner- The Bosses (1973) OJCCD 821-2
• Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Willie Dynamite (1974) Hip-O Select B000362202
• Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Cleopatra Jones (1974) Warner Bros. B00005B471
• The Yokohama Concert (w/ Nat Adderley) (1977) Pablo PACD 2620-109-2
• Chain Reaction: Yokohama Concert, Vol. 2 (1977) Pablo B00006JIAM (released in 2002)
• Pinnacles (1979) OJC 1006
• Count Basie- Kansas City 7 (1980) Pablo OJCCD-690-2
• Concepts in Blue (1980) Pablo OJCCD-735-2
• Aurex Jazz Festival ’82 All Star Jam (1982) Somethin' Else Classics TOCJ 8021
• Jackson, Johnson, Brown and Company (1983) Fantasy 2531-907-2
• J.J. Johnson and Joe Pass- We'll Be Together Again (1983) OJC-CD 745-2
• Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to The Sting II (1983) (out of print)
• Things Are Getting Better All The Time (w/ Al Grey) (1984) OJC 745 (CD)

Johnson's later recordings

• Milt Jackson- Bebop (1988) East West 90991-2
• Quintergy (1988) Antilles 422-848-214-2
• Standards (1988) Antilles 314-510-059-2
• Vivian (1992) Concord 4523
• Let's Hang Out (1992) Verve 314-514-454
• Carnegie Hall Salutes the Jazz Masters (1994) Verve 314-523-150
• Tangence (with the Robert Farnon Orchestra) (1994) Verve 314-526-588-2
• Steve Turre (1996) Verve 314 537 133-2
• The Brass Orchestra (1996) Verve 314-537-321-2
• Heroes (1998) Verve 528 864-2

Bibliography

• The Musical World of J.J. Johnson by Joshua Berrett and Louis G. Bourgois (Rowman & Littlefield). ISBN 0-8108-3648-3

• Exercises and Etudes for the Jazz Instrumentalist by J.J. Johnson (Hal Leonard Corporation, February 1, 2002). ISBN 0-634-02120-6

External links

• A tribute page on www.trombone.org with links to numerous interviews
• An article on a very busy month early in Johnson's career- December, 1947
• YouTube video of J.J. Johnson, Sonny Stitt and Howard McGhee on Now's The Time.
• YouTube video of J.J. Johnson and Jamey Aebersold on Just Friend's
• Album cover gallery
• An obituary on The Dead Musician Directory
• J.J. Johnson at Find-A-Grave
• "The Incredible Kai Winding, His Official Site" - has some photos of J.J. and information on the music partnership between J.J. and Kai, as well as a pictorial discography on their recordings.