Jj johnson trombone biography of albert
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J. J. Johnson
American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger (1924–2001)
For other people named J. J. Johnson, see J. J. Johnson (disambiguation).
J. J. Johnson | |
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Johnson in a 1961 DownBeat advertisement | |
| Birth name | James Louis Johnson |
| Also known as | Jay Jay Johnson |
| Born | (1924-01-22)January 22, 1924 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | February 4, 2001(2001-02-04) (aged 77) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, bebop, hard bop, third stream |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Trombone |
| Years active | 1942–1996 |
Musical artist
J. J. Johnson (January 22, 1924 – February 4, 2001),[1] born James Louis Johnson and also known as Jay Jay Johnson, was an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger.
Johnson was one of the earliest trombonists to embrace bebop.[2]
Biography
[edit]Big bands
[edit]After studying the piano beginning at age 9, Johnson decided to play trombone at the age of 14
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Noon Edition
Trombonist J.J. Johnson was a bebop pioneer on his instrument, a leader of many outstanding small-group hardbop dates, and a notable composer as well whose works sometimes ventured into the Third Stream meeting ground of classical and jazz as well as TV and film scores. On this edition of Night Lights we’ll hear him in all of those musical contexts, in the company of fellow jazz greats such as Bud Powell, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, and others.
Trombonist, composer and arranger J.J. Johnson was one of 20th century jazz’s brightest lights, and his discography provides a diverse overview of the music across some of its most vital decades. Johnson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 22, 1924, and as a child first took up piano before switching to trombone as a teenager. He was still a teenager when he hit the road with Snookum Russell’s band in 1942, with his initial approach on
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Al Grey and Rosalie Soladar Memorial Collection
Albert Thornton Grey was born on June 6, 1925 in Aldie, Virginia, just west of Washington DC. At three months of age his family moved to Pottstown, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia. The Grey home was filled with music which offered enticing temptations to Albert. At the age of four Albert started learning with his father’s trumpet. His father was an instructor for a youth orchestra in Pottstown. He played the baritone horn at school because Albert’s family was so poor they couldn’t afford an instrument for him. While attending school, Albert went from the baritone in middle school, to the E-flat tuba in junior high, then to the B-flat tuba in high school. Even as Albert played these instruments, he liked the sound of the band director’s trombone.
Albert joined the Navy during World War II and was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center along with many other professional musicians of the time. Du