Jeff Johnson (bass player)
Encyclopedia
Jeff Johnson is an American
jazz
bassist
. He has led his own groups and worked with Jessica Williams
, Hal Galper
, Bud Shank
, Chet Baker
, Lew Tabackin
, Barney Kessel
, Charlie Rouse
, and others. A sensitive accompanist, Johnson is sought-after by vocalists; he has accompanied Karrin Allyson
, Tierney Sutton
, Kendra Shank, Mark Murphy
, Marlena Shaw
and others.
Born in Minneapolis, Jeff Johnson learned music by ear, first picking up an acoustic guitar and later switching to electric, and then double bass. At age 17 he was hired by veteran saxophonist Irv Williams for a daily hotel gig. This served as a "great school." At age 20, after over two years of this, Johnson left Minneapolis to spend some time in Philadelphia before touring with Philly Joe Jones
.
At the conclusion of this relationship, Johnson became an itinerant professional, living in Atlanta, Miami, Oklahoma City
, San Diego, Austin
, Los Angeles
. He is currently based in Seattle, Washington, where he has lived and worked since 1990.
Johnson records for Seattle-based Origin Records
and co-leads a collective of Origin Musicians, Scenes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
. He has led his own groups and worked with Jessica Williams
Jessica Williams
Jessica Jennifer Williams is an American pianist and composer who has deep roots in jazz. She has been called "one of the top jazz pianists of today."-History:...
, Hal Galper
Hal Galper
-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
, Bud Shank
Bud Shank
Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank, Jr. was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and throughout the decade worked in various small jazz combos. He spent the 1960s as a first...
, Chet Baker
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
, Lew Tabackin
Lew Tabackin
Lew Tabackin is a jazz flautist and a tenor saxophonist. He is married to Toshiko Akiyoshi, who is a jazz pianist and a composer/arranger.-Biography:...
, Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel
Barney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. Generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century, he was noted in particular for his vast knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies...
, Charlie Rouse
Charlie Rouse
Charlie Rouse was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by the collaboration for more than ten years with Thelonious Monk.- Biography :...
, and others. A sensitive accompanist, Johnson is sought-after by vocalists; he has accompanied Karrin Allyson
Karrin Allyson
Karrin Allyson is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including The New York Times, which has called her a "singer with a feline touch and impeccable intonation."-Career:Allyson grew up in...
, Tierney Sutton
Tierney Sutton
Tierney Sutton is an American jazz singer.A three-time Grammy Nominee for "Best Jazz Vocal Album" and "a selection by Jazzweek as Vocalist of the Year in 2005," Sutton was born in Wisconsin and was educated at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut and the Berklee College of Music in...
, Kendra Shank, Mark Murphy
Mark Murphy
Mark Murphy may refer to:*Mark Murphy , American ice hockey player who plays for the DEG Metro Stars *Mark Murphy , retired American football player, now President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers...
, Marlena Shaw
Marlena Shaw
Marlena Shaw is an American singer. Shaw began her singing career in the 1960s and is still singing today. Her music has often been sampled in hip hop music, and used in television commercials.-Biography:She was first introduced to music by her uncle Jimmy Burgess, a jazz trumpet player...
and others.
Born in Minneapolis, Jeff Johnson learned music by ear, first picking up an acoustic guitar and later switching to electric, and then double bass. At age 17 he was hired by veteran saxophonist Irv Williams for a daily hotel gig. This served as a "great school." At age 20, after over two years of this, Johnson left Minneapolis to spend some time in Philadelphia before touring with Philly Joe Jones
Philly Joe Jones
Joseph Rudolph Jones was a Philadelphia-born United States jazz drummer, known as the drummer for the Miles Davis Quintet.Philly Joe Jones was often confused with another influential jazz drummer, Jo Jones...
.
At the conclusion of this relationship, Johnson became an itinerant professional, living in Atlanta, Miami, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, San Diego, Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He is currently based in Seattle, Washington, where he has lived and worked since 1990.
Johnson records for Seattle-based Origin Records
Origin records
Origin Records is a jazz record label based in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1997. Originally started by Seattle drummer John Bishop, the label was conceived to help with the design, production, and distribution of jazz records made by his own groups as well as artists he's worked with over...
and co-leads a collective of Origin Musicians, Scenes.
As leader
- Harbinger (1984)
- My Heart (1992)
- Area 51 (1992)
- Lost Men (1993)
- Maybeck Duets (1998) with Hal GalperHal Galper-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
- Free (1999)
- The Art of Falling (2001)
- Scenes (2001) with Scenes
- Winter: An Origin Records Holiday Collection (2002) with Hans Teuber, Dave Peterson and John Bishop
- Near Earth (2004)
- Along the Way (2006) with Scenes
- Furious Rubato (2007) with Hal GalperHal Galper-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
and John Bishop - Tall Stranger (2008)
- Apothecary (2009) on Origin Records with Jon Alberts (piano) and Tad Britton (Drums)
As sideman
- A Gift (1988) Art Resnick
- A Glance Back (1992) Richard Cole
- Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit (1992) John Bishop
- Momentum (1994) Jessica WilliamsJessica WilliamsJessica Jennifer Williams is an American pianist and composer who has deep roots in jazz. She has been called "one of the top jazz pianists of today."-History:...
- A Song That I Heard (1994) Jessica WilliamsJessica WilliamsJessica Jennifer Williams is an American pianist and composer who has deep roots in jazz. She has been called "one of the top jazz pianists of today."-History:...
- Live at Vartan Jazz (1994) Hal Galper TrioHal Galper-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
- In the Pocket (1994) Jessica WilliamsJessica WilliamsJessica Jennifer Williams is an American pianist and composer who has deep roots in jazz. She has been called "one of the top jazz pianists of today."-History:...
- Inventions (1995) Jessica WilliamsJessica WilliamsJessica Jennifer Williams is an American pianist and composer who has deep roots in jazz. She has been called "one of the top jazz pianists of today."-History:...
- Rebop (1995) Hal GalperHal Galper-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
Trio plus Jerry BergonziJerry BergonziJerry Bergonzi is a jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and educator. Bergonzi received a B.A. Degree in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and is the founder of Not Fat Records.... - Joy (1996) Jessica WilliamsJessica WilliamsJessica Jennifer Williams is an American pianist and composer who has deep roots in jazz. She has been called "one of the top jazz pianists of today."-History:...
- Fugue State (1997) Hal Galper TrioHal Galper-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
- Choked Up (1997) Sharpshooters
- Now...Here...This (1997) Mike Denny
- Mothers Day in Albuquerque (1998) Bert Wilson
- Sweet Beat Blues (1998) Hal Galper TrioHal Galper-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
- Jessica's Blues (1998) Jessica WilliamsJessica WilliamsJessica Jennifer Williams is an American pianist and composer who has deep roots in jazz. She has been called "one of the top jazz pianists of today."-History:...
- Forever (1998) Jan Stentz Group
- Wish (1998) Kendra Shank
- In a Mellow Tone (1999) Ben Black
- Suddenly It's Bruno (1999) Jack Brownlow
- Here and Now (1999) Steve Korn
- Let's Call This That (1999) Hal Galper TrioHal Galper-Biography:He studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958. He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, The Stable, hearing local Boston musicians like Jackie Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became...
- Latina by Proxy (2000) Wenda Zonnefeld
- Remembered Faces/Private Places (2001) Ben Black
- The Wizard (2001) Aaron ParksAaron ParksAaron Parks is a jazz pianist.-Personal:Aaron entered the University of Washington at the age of 14 through the Transition School and Early Entrance Program as a double major in computer science and music...
- Out of Seattle (2002) Dave Peck
- House of Jade (2004) Bill Macdonough Quartet
- Parallel Tracks (2004) Randy HalberstadtRandy HalberstadtRandy Halberstadt is an American jazz pianist, composer, recording artist, author, and teacher. In addition to leading his own trio and producing his own recordings , he has performed with Herb Ellis, Buddy DeFranco, Nick Brignola, Terry Gibbs, Slide Hampton, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, Joe...
- Individuation (2004) Thomas Marriott
- Nothing if Not Something (2004) John Bishop
- Good Road (2005) Dave Peck
- Both Side of the Fence (2006) Thomas Marriott
- More to The Ear than Meets the Eye (2006) Bill AnschellBill AnschellBill Anschell is a Jazz pianist and composer. He has recorded five CDs as a leader, and performed or recorded with a host of other top jazz players including Lionel Hampton, Nnenna Freelon, Tierney Sutton, Russell Malone, Richard Davis, Russell Gunn, Ron Carter, and many other greats...
- Shopping For Your Heart (2007) Jeff Baker
- Black Hills (2007) Tad Britton
- Shade (2008) Richard Cole
- One More Mile (2008) Brent Jensen et al.
- Harry's Fight (2008) Katie King
- Flexicon (2009) Thomas Marriott
- E Pluribus Unum: Live in Seattle (2010) Hal Galper
Awards
- 2001 Earshot Instrumentalist of the Year
- 2002 Northwest Recording of the Year, The Art of Falling
External links
- [ Allmusic]
- Official Site