J.J. Johnson – The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 1 – 180 Gram Vinyl Record

Description

J.J. Johnson – The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 1 – 180 Gram Vinyl Record

The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 1 is a concise portrait of a musician who made the trombone sound entirely at home in bebop. J.J. Johnson’s playing combines clean articulation, a warm tone and the ability to carry a complicated phrase without making it feel labored. Across these ten selections, his instrument can lead a brisk ensemble passage, sing through a ballad or trade ideas with some of the strongest players in early-fifties jazz. The music has plenty of technical command, but its appeal is immediate: memorable tunes, compact performances and a leader whose phrasing gives even familiar standards a personal character. Each track makes its point with remarkable economy.

The album brings together material from two sessions, recorded in 1953 and 1954 and assembled into the twelve-inch Blue Note LP released in 1956. The earlier date places Johnson in a sextet with trumpeter Clifford Brown, reed player Jimmy Heath, pianist John Lewis, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke. That lineup gives the arrangements a bright, layered horn sound, with Johnson’s lower register adding weight beneath the other front-line instruments. Brown’s presence is an additional attraction, but the group works as a cohesive unit. The contrast between the brass voices makes the ensemble passages especially satisfying, and Lewis’ piano helps keep the accompaniment clear enough for the soloists’ individual phrasing to register.

“Turnpike” opens the program with the kind of direct, energetic statement that suits this band. “Lover Man” supplies a different perspective on Johnson’s voice, giving the melody room to breathe and revealing the expressive possibilities of a sustained trombone line. “Get Happy,” “Sketch 1” and “Capri” round out the first side with a useful mixture of familiar song material and jazz writing. Their compact dimensions encourage attentive listening: an introduction, a theme or a brief solo can establish an entire mood. For listeners accustomed to longer later-sixties performances, there is a particular pleasure in hearing so much personality packed into these short, carefully shaped recordings.

The 1954 session changes the ensemble’s color substantially. Johnson is joined by Wynton Kelly on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, Kenny Clarke on drums and Sabu Martinez on congas. With the additional horn voices absent, the trombone occupies more of the foreground, while the percussion offers another source of movement underneath it. The second side includes “Old Devil Moon,” “It’s You or No One” and “Too Marvelous for Words,” placing Johnson’s improvising alongside songs with strong melodic identities. “Jay” and “Coffee Pot” complete the program. Moving between the two groups makes the album more varied than its modest running time might suggest, while Johnson’s focused tone holds the collection together.

This edition is part of Blue Note’s Classic Vinyl Series: a mono 180 gram LP mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog tapes and pressed at Optimal. It follows the original ten-track vinyl sequence, an important distinction because CD editions carrying a similar title can organize the sessions differently. The two sides provide an approachable introduction to Johnson as a bandleader and a valuable companion to collections featuring Clifford Brown or the early Blue Note modern-jazz catalog. The central attraction is the playing itself. Johnson’s combination of melodic poise and rhythmic agility makes these performances easy to return to, with fresh details in the ensemble work becoming apparent on each listen.

Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic

Track Listing

Side A
Turnpike
Lover Man
Get Happy
Sketch 1
Capri

Side B
Jay
Old Devil Moon
It's You or No One
Too Marvelous for Words
Coffee Pot