J.J. Johnson, original name James Louis Johnson, (born Jan. 22, 1924, Indianapolis, Ind., U.S.—died Feb. 4, 2001, Indianapolis), American jazz composer and one of the genre’s most influential trombonists.
Johnson received early training as a pianist, and at age 14 he began to study the trombone. He became a professional musician in 1941 and during the decade worked in the orchestras of Benny Carter and Count Basie. He became widely recognized as a dexterous soloist (to the extent that many listeners believed he was playing a valve, rather than slide, trombone) who had assimilated the techniques of the bebop movement of the 1940s. He was in great demand among jazz musicians and performed with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis, among others. After a temporary retirement (1952–54), he returned to tour with fellow trombonist Kai Winding; their duets have been recognized as watersheds in the evolution of jazz trombone technique.
In the late 1950s and the 1960s, Johnson composed steadily, including the large-scale works El Camino Real (1959), Sketch for Trombone and Orchestra (1959), and Perceptions (1961). He also worked as a composer and arranger for commercials, films (including Shaft, 1971, with Isaac Hayes; Across 110th Street, 1972; and Cleopatra Jones, 1973), and television (including Barefoot in the Park, 1970–71, The Mod Squad, 1970–73, and Starsky and Hutch, 1975).
In 1977 Johnson undertook a tour of Japan, and he eventually returned to performing full-time, and at full technical capacity, until he retired in 1997.
1946 - 1949 - J.J. Johnson - J.J. Johnson's Jazz Quintets
1949 - 1951 - J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, Bennie Green - Trombone By Three
1953 - J.J. Johnson - The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 1
1953 - J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, Bennie Green, Willie Dennis - The Four Trombones (The Debut Recordings) -
1954 - J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding - Jay & Kai
1955 - J.J. Johnson - The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 2
1955 - J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding - Trombone For Two
1956 - J.J. Johnson - J Is For Jazz
1956 - J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding - Jay & Kai + 6
1957 - J.J. Johnson - Blue Trombone
1957 - J.J. Johnson - Dial JJ 5
1957 - J.J. Johnson - First Place
1957 - Jay Jay Johnson Quintet - Live At Cafe Bohemia
1958 - J. J. Johnson Quintet - JJ In Person
1959 - J.J. Johnson Sextet - Really Livin'
1960 - J. J. Johnson - The Trombone Master
1960 - J.J. Johnson - A Touch of Satin
1960 - J.J. Johnson - J.J. Inc
1960 - J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding - The Great Kai And J.J
1961 - J. J. Johnson - Plays Mack The Knife
1963 - J.J. Johnson - J.J.'s Broadway
1964 - J.J. Johnson - Proof Positive
1964 - J.J.Johnson - Tangence
1965 - J.J. Johnson - Broadway Express
1968 - J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding - Betwixt & Between
1974 - J.J. Johnson - Willie Dynamite
1977 - J.J. Johnson & Nat Adderley - The Yokohama Concert (2CD)
1979 - J.J. Johnson - Pinnacles
1988 - J.J. Johnson - Quintergy. Live at The Village Vanguard
1992 - J.J. Johnson - Let's Hang Out
1992 - J.J. Johnson & Al Grey - Things Are Getting Better All The Time
1996 - J.J. Johnson - The Brass Orchestra
1996 - J.J. Johnson — The Complete Columbia J.J. Johnson Small Group Sessions (7 CD)
1996 - J.J. Johnson & Al Cohn - The Birdlanders
1998 - J.J. Johnson - Heroes
2000 - Kai Winding & J.J. Johnson - Nuf Said
2007 - J. J. Johnson - The Complete '60s Bigband Recordings (2 CD)
2007 - J.J. Johnson - Vivian
