After a short stint on trombone,
Alphonso Johnson took up the electric bass in 1968. His early gigs included time with
Horace Silver,
Woody Herman (1972),
Chuck Mangione (1973), and
Chet Baker.
Johnson rose to fame while touring and recording three albums with
Weather Report (1974-1976). This was followed by stints with
Billy Cobham (1976-1977),
Flora Purim, and
the Crusaders.
Johnson's funky lines on electric bass have been quite influential and in great demand ever since, both in the studios and in the fusion/funk world. ~ Scott Yanow