Jeff Johnson
Born (1954-12-12) December 12, 1954
Minneapolis, Minnesota
GenresJazz
InstrumentsDouble Bass, Bass (guitar)
Years active1971 - Present
Websitewww.jazzbassist.com

Born In Minneapolis, Jeff Johnson ("Free" to some of his colleagues) left at age 20, spending time in Philadelphia and New York, and has worked with jazz musicians including Philly Joe Jones, Charlie Rouse, Barney Kessel, Chet Baker, Lew Tabackin, Eddie Daniels, Joanne Brackeen, Julian Priester, Billy Hart, George Cables, Bud Shank, Claudio Roditti, and Michael Wolfe. Vocalists who have been accompanied by Johnson include Jay Clayton, Ernestine Anderson, Karrin Allyson, Mark Murphy, Rebecca Parris, Annie Ross and Marlena Shaw.

Johnson’s prominent collaborators include pianists Jessica Williams, beginning in Seattle in 1991, and Hal Galper, after they met at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival in 1993.

He now leads various small ensembles, composes, and travels frequently for performance projects and recording dates around the world.

Discography

As leader

  • Harbinger (1984)
  • My Heart (1992)
  • Area 51 (1992)
  • Lost Men (1993)
  • Maybeck Duets (1998) with Hal Galper
  • Free (1999)
  • The Art of Falling (2001)
  • Scenes (2001) with Scenes
  • Winter: An Origin Records Holiday Collection (2002) with Hans Teuber, Dave Peterson and John Bishop (Drummer)
  • Near Earth (2004)
  • Along the Way (2006) with Scenes
  • Furious Rubato (2007) with Hal Galper and John Bishop (drummer)
  • Tall Stranger (2008)
  • Suitcase (2011) on Origin Records with Hans Teuber (Saxophones, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute), Steve Moore (Piano), Eric Eagle (Drums)

As sideman

  • A Gift (1988) Art Resnick
  • A Glance Back (1992) Richard Cole (saxophonist)
  • Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit (1992) John Bishop
  • Momentum (1994) Jessica Williams
  • A Song That I Heard (1994) Jessica Williams
  • Live at Vartan Jazz (1994) Hal Galper Trio
  • In the Pocket (1994) Jessica Williams
  • Inventions (1995) Jessica Williams
  • Rebop (1995) Hal Galper Trio plus Jerry Bergonzi
  • Joy (1996) Jessica Williams
  • Fugue State (1997) Hal Galper Trio
  • Choked Up (1997) Sharpshooters
  • Now...Here...This (1997) Mike Denny
  • Mothers Day in Albuquerque (1998) Bert Wilson
  • Sweet Beat Blues (1998) Hal Galper
  • Jessica's Blues (1998) Jessica Williams
  • Forever (1998) Jan Stentz Group
  • Wish (1998) Kendra Shank
  • In a Mellow Tone (1999) Ben Black
  • Suddenly It's Bruno (1999) Jack Brownlow
  • Here and Now (1999) Steve Korn
  • Let's Call This That (1999) Hal Galper
  • Latina by Proxy (2000) Wenda Zonnefeld
  • Remembered Faces/Private Places (2001) Ben Black
  • The Wizard (2001) Aaron Parks
  • Out of Seattle (2002) Dave Peck
  • House of Jade (2004) Bill Macdonough Quartet
  • Parallel Tracks (2004) Randy Halberstadt
  • Individuation (2004) Thomas Marriott
  • Nothing if Not Something (2004) John Bishop
  • Good Road (2005) Dave Peck
  • Both Side of the Fence (2006) Thomas Marriott
  • More to The Ear than Meets the Eye (2006) Bill Anschell
  • Shopping For Your Heart (2007) Jeff Baker
  • Black Hills (2007) Tad Britton
  • Shade (2008) Richard Cole
  • One More Mile (2008) Brent Jensen et al.
  • Harry's Fight (2008) Katie King
  • Flexicon (2009) Thomas Marriott
  • Apothecary (2009) on Origin Records with Jon Alberts (piano) and Tad Britton (Drums)
  • E Pluribus Unum: Live in Seattle (2010) with Hal Galper
  • Airegin Revisited (2012) on Origin Records with Hal Galper (piano) and John Bishop (drums)

Awards

  • 2001 Earshot Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year
  • 2002 Northwest Recording of the Year, The Art of Falling
  • 2011 Inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame

References

  • Jeff Johnson
  • Origin Records
  • Earshot Jazz "Jeff Johnson: Open to the Moment" (June 2012, Vol. 28, No. 06)
  • The Arts Journal - Rifftides - "Jeff Johnson and the Contessa" by Doug Ramsey (June 15, 2006)
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