J.J. Johnson

Personnel: J.J. Johnson (tb), Bobby Jaspar (ts), Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan (p), Percy Heath, Wilbur Little (b), Elvin Jones (d)

J.J. Johnson’s great 1956-1957 quintet played modern jazz with authority, imagination, taste and feeling. Its leader was the trombonist of the era, much emulated and admired by his peers. The Belgian-born Jaspar, who had recently won the International Jazz Critics’ New Star Award on tenor, proved an ideal foil and a capable modern-mainstream tenor sax and flutist, contributing impressively on both instruments. Flanagan, a superbly swinging pianist, also made an indelible mark on the group, which was graced initially with another bop piano great, Hank Jones, while Little and Elvin Jones’ support throughout is admirable. It was an exhilarating band that fully displayed Johnson’s well-rounded musicianship.
Tracklisting:

CD 1:
01. Overdrive (Johnson) (3:22)
02. Undecided (Shavers-Robin) (4:04)
03. Angel Eyes (Dennis-Brent) (3:35)
04. Tumbling Tumbleweeds (Nolan) (4:14)
05. Cube Steak (Johnson) (3:41)
06. Never Let Me Go (Scott) (3:40)
07. Solar (Davis) (5:14)
08. Chasin’ The Bird (Parker) (4:40)
09. Naptown U.S.A. (Johnson) (4:59)
10. It Might As Well Be Spring (Rodgers-Hammerstein II) (4:46)
11. Bird Song (Jones) (5:36)
12. It Could Happen To You (Burke-Van Heusen) (3:46)
13. Our Love Is Here To Stay (Gershwin-Gershwin) (2:42)
14. Blue Haze (Davis) (5:07)
15. I Should Care (Cahn-Stordhal-Weston) (3:54)

Total time: 64:02 min.

CD 2:
01. Barbados (Parker) (4:37)
02. In A Little Provincial Town (Jaspar) (4:15)
03. Cette Chose (Jaspar) (3:15)
04. Joey, Joey, Joey (Loesser) (3:27)
05. Teapot (Johnson) (5:25)
06. So Sorry Please (Powell) (4:11)
07. Old Devil Moon (Harburg-Lane) (6:40)
Bonus: Live "Cafe Bohemia" New York 08. Johnson introduces the members of his quintet (0:40)
09. Bernie’s Tune (Miller) (6:07)
10. In A Little Provincial Town (Jaspar) (4:38)
11. I Should Care (Cahn-Stordhal-Weston) (4:54)
12. Angel Eyes (Dennis-Brent) (3:34)
13. Old Devil Moon (Lane-Harburg) (6:34)
14. My Old Flame (Coslow-Johnson) (6:01)
15. Dailie Double (Johnson) (5:35)
16. Theme: Solar (Davis) (0:49)

Total time: 71:09 min.

CD 1 - Tracks #1-10 originally issued as "J Is For Jazz" (Columbia CL935).
CD 1 - Tracks #15 taken from "Jay and Kai"
(Columbia CL973).
CD 1 - Tracks #11-14 & CD 2, #1-3 & 5-7
originally issued as "Dial JJ5" (Columbia CL1084). CD 2 - Track #4 taken from the compilation "The Playboy Jazz All Stars" (Playboy PB 1529/30).
CD 2 - Tracks #8-16 from "Live at the Cafe Bohemia" (Fresh Sound FSRCD-143).

Personnel: J.J. Johnson (tb), Bobby Jaspar (ts, fl), Hank Jones (p on CD 1 #1-7) or Tommy Flanagan (p on CD 1 #8-15 & CD 2), Percy Heat (p on CD 1 #1-3), Wilbur Little (b on CD 1 #1-3) or Percy Heath (b on CD 1 #4-15 & CD 2) and Elvin Jones (d).

Note: On track 6 of CD 2 Johnson and Jaspar our.

CD 1 Recorded in New York City, July 24 (#1-3), July 25 (#4-7), July 27 (#8-10), 1956 and January 29 (#11-15), 1957.

CD 2 Recorded in New York City, January 31 (#1-4), May 14 (#5-7) and Live at the Cafe Bohemia, February, 1957 (#8-16).