This is a discography of the Jazz trombonist J. J. Johnson (January 22, 1924 – February 4, 2001).
As leader/co-leader 1949: J. J. Johnson's Jazz Quintets (Savoy, 1950s)[LP] – J. J. Johnson Savoy singles and EPs from 1946–49 1949: Modern Jazz Trombones (Prestige) – B-side of 10 inch album, released 1951. Kai Winding on A-side 1949: J. J. Johnson with Sonny Stitt (Prestige) – also issued as part of 1951's, 10 inch Modern Jazz Trombones Volume Two. Also reissued in 1957 as part of Sonny Stitt/Bud Powell/J. J. Johnson 1952: Jazz South Pacific (Regent / Savoy) 1953: Jay Jay Johnson with Clifford Brown [BLP 5028] (Blue Note) – 10" 1953: Jazz Workshop, Volume One: Trombone Rapport with Kai Winding, Bennie Green, Willie Dennis (Debut Records) 1953: Jazz Workshop, Volume Two: Trombone Rapport (Debut, 1955) – more recordings from the 1953 Jazz Workshop sessions 1953: Four Trombones (Debut) – third release (in 1957) of recordings from the 1953 Jazz Workshop sessions 1954: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 2 [BLP 5057] (Blue Note) – 10" 1955: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 3 [BLP 5070] (Blue Note) – 10" 1955: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 1 [BLP 1505] (Blue Note) – 12" 1955: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 2 [BLP 1506] (Blue Note) – 12" 1956: J Is for Jazz (Columbia) 1957: First Place (Columbia) 1957: Blue Trombone (Columbia) 1957: Dial J. J. 5 (Columbia) 1957: Stan Getz and J. J. Johnson at the Opera House (Verve) 1958: J. J. in Person! (Columbia, 1958) 1959: Really Livin' (Columbia, 1959) 1960: Trombone and Voices (Columbia, 1960) 1960: J.J. Inc. (Columbia, 1961) 1961: A Touch of Satin (Columbia, 1962) 1961: André Previn and J. J. Johnson with André Previn (Columbia, 1962) 1963: J.J.'s Broadway (Verve, 1963) 1964: Proof Positive (Impulse!, 1964) 1964: J.J.! (RCA Victor, 1965) 1965: Goodies (RCA Victor, 1966) 1965: Broadway Express (RCA Victor, 1966) 1966: The Total J.J. Johnson (RCA Victor, 1967) 1977: The Yokohama Concert with Nat Adderley (Pablo, 1978) – live 1977: Chain Reaction: Yokohama Concert, Vol. 2 with Nat Adderley (Pablo, 2002) 1979: Pinnacles (Milestone, 1980) 1980: Concepts in Blue (Pablo, 1981) 1982: Aurex Jazz Festival ’82 All Star Jam with Clark Terry, Kai Winding, Dexter Gordon, et al. (East Worl, 1982) – live 1983: Jackson, Johnson, Brown and Company with Milt Jackson, Ray Brown, et al. (Fantasy, 1983) 1984: We'll Be Together Again with Joe Pass (Pablo, 1984) 1984: Things Are Getting Better All the Time with Al Grey (Pablo, 1984) 1988: Quintergy (Antilles, 1991) – live 1988: Standards (Antilles, 1991) – live 1992?: Vivian (Concord, 1992) 1992: Let's Hang Out (Verve, 1993) 1994: Tangence with the Robert Farnon Orchestra (Verve, 1995) 1996: The Brass Orchestra (Verve, 1997) 1996: Heroes (Verve, 1998)
As co-leader with Kai Winding 1954: Jay & Kai (Savoy, 1954)[10"] 1954: An Afternoon at Birdland ("X", 1955) 1954: Jay and Kai – Dec. 3, 1954 (Prestige, 1955)[10"] 1955: K + J.J. (Bethlehem, 1955) – reissued as Nuf Said (1959), The Finest of K & J.J. (1976) and Kai & Jay! (Affinity, 1986) 1955: Trombone for Two (Columbia, 1956) 1956: Jay and Kai + 6, The Jay and Kai Trombone Octet (Columbia, 1956) 1956: Dave Brubeck and Jay & Kai at Newport (Columbia, 1956) – live. Johnson on the last three tracks only. 1955–57: Jay and Kai (Columbia, 1957)[10"] 1960: The Great Kai & J. J. (Impulse!, 1960) 1968: Israel (A&M/CTI, 1968) 1968–69: Betwixt & Between (A&M/CTI, 1969) 1969: Stonebone (A&M/CTI (Japan), 1970)
As sideman
With Count Basie The Bosses (Pablo, 1973) Basie Jam (Pablo, 1974) – rec. 1973 Kansas City 7 (Pablo, 1980)
With Miles Davis Birth of the Cool (Capitol, 1949) Young Man with a Horn (Blue Note, 1952) Walkin' (Prestige, 1954) Miles Davis Volume 1 (Blue Note, 1956) Miles Davis Volume 2 (Blue Note, 1956)
With Dizzy Gillespie The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Bluebird, 1995) – rec. 1937–49 Dee Gee Days: The Savoy Sessions (Savoy, 1976) – rec. 1951–52 Afro (Norgran, 1954) Dizzy and Strings (Norgran, 1954) Perceptions (Verve, 1961) - composer and arranger
With Oliver Nelson Happenings with Hank Jones (Impulse!, 1966) Encyclopedia of Jazz (Verve, 1966) The Sound of Feeling (Verve, 1966)
With Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins, Vol. 2 (Blue Note, 1957) Alfie (Impulse!, 1966)
With Lalo Schifrin New Fantasy (Verve, 1964) Once a Thief and Other Themes (Verve, 1965)
With Sonny Stitt Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones (Roost, 1955) The Matadors Meet the Bull (Roulette, 1965) What's New!!! (Roulette, 1966)
With others Cannonball Adderley, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (EmArcy, 1955) Nat Adderley, Sayin' Somethin' (Atlantic, 1966) Manny Albam, The Soul of the City (Solid State, 1966) Kenny Burrell, Night Song (Verve, 1969) Donald Byrd, I'm Tryin' to Get Home (Blue Note, 1964) Ron Carter, New York Slick (Milestone, 1979) Paul Desmond, Summertime (A&M/CTI, 1968) Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban (Blue Note, 1955) Ella Fitzgerald, At the Opera House (Verve, 1957) Benny Golson, The Modern Touch (Riverside, 1957) Coleman Hawkins, The Hawk Flies High (1957) Billie Holiday, Lady in Satin (Columbia, 1958) Milt Jackson, Bebop (East West, 1988) Elvin Jones, And Then Again (Atlantic, 1965) John Lewis, The Modern Jazz Society Presents a Concert of Contemporary Music (Norgran, 1955) Howard McGhee, Howard McGhee, Vol. 1 (Blue Note, 1950) Jimmy McGriff The Big Band (Solid State, 1966) Chico O'Farrill, Nine Flags (Impulse!, 1966) Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker on Dial (Dial, 1947) Moacir Santos, Carnival of the Spirits (Blue Note, 1975) Horace Silver, The Cape Verdean Blues (Blue Note, 1965) Steve Turre, Steve Turre (Verve, 1996) Stanley Turrentine, Joyride (Blue Note, 1965)
Soundtracks Man And Boy (Sussex, 1971) – with Quincy Jones featuring Bill Withers Across 110th Street (United Artists, 1972) – with Bobby Womack Top of the Heap (Fanfare Corp. & St. John Unlimited Prod., 1972) with Christopher St. John Cleopatra Jones (Warner, 1973) – with Joe Simon featuring Millie Jackson Willie Dynamite (MCA, 1974) – featuring Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things
Other notable recordings The Birdlanders, Vol. 1, ...Vol. 2, ...Vol. 3 (Period, 1954) – with Henri Renaud, Al Cohn, Milt Jackson, … Aurex Jazz Festival '82 - Live Special (East World, 1982) Carnegie Hall Salutes the Jazz Masters (Verve, 1994)
References
Jazz trombonist J.J. Johnson: A comprehensive discography and study of the early evolution of his style by Louis George Bourgois The Musical World of J. J. Johnson by Joshua Berret and Louis G. Bourgois III The Jazz Discography Project, www.jazzdisco.org