Budd Johnson was a talented and valuable jazz musician for many decades, a behind-the-scenes player and writer who uplifted a countless number of sessions from the 1930s into the '80s.
Johnson started off playing in Kansas City in the late '20s, including with the bands of Terrence Holder,
Jesse Stone, and George E. Lee. He made his recording debut while with
Louis Armstrong's big band (1932-1933), and gained attention for his work as tenor soloist and arranger during three stints with
the Earl Hines Orchestra (1932-1942). One of the first tenor saxophonists to be influenced by
Lester Young (although by the 1940s, he had a distinctive tone of his own),
Johnson had brief stints with
Gus Arnheim (1937) and the bands of
Fletcher and
Horace Henderson (1938) between his periods with
Hines. He contributed arrangements to several big bands, including those of
Woody Herman,
Buddy Rich,
Boyd Raeburn, and
Billy Eckstine, and was partly responsible for
Hines hiring young modernists during 1942-1943. He recorded with
Coleman Hawkins on the first bebop session (1944), worked with
Dizzy Gillespie and
Sy Oliver (1947), and in the 1950s led his own groups, in addition to touring with Snub Mosley (1952) and
Benny Goodman (1957).
Johnson was with the big bands of
Quincy Jones (1960) and
Count Basie (1961-1962) before renewing ties with
Earl Hines, who he played with on and off again starting in 1964. He formed the JPJ Quartet, which worked on an occasional basis, during 1969-1975; held his own at the 1971 Newport in New York jam sessions; became a jazz educator; and recorded an excellent album with
Phil Woods eight months before his death.
Budd Johnson led some obscure sessions during 1947-1956, in addition to notable albums for Felsted (1958), Riverside, Swingville, Argo, Black & Blue, Master Jazz, Dragon, and Uptown. ~ Scott Yanow