R.I.P. Jerry Johnson

[Free For All]

I just heard that trombonist Jerry Johnson passed away from leukemia this week.

Probably a name not known to many, but he was a hell of a player. I first heard him w/Maynard's band in the 70s. He played on Maynard's Chameleon album- he played the famous bass line to the title tune, which is not such a big deal save for the fact he did it on a tenor trombone (with no additional attachments). He played those low notes by "faking it' with his embouchure, no small feat!

He also played with Rob McConnell's Boss Brass (he was Canadian).

He was a very nice and approachable guy- he spent a long time talking to me at a clinic when I was in high school. He was encouraging and I'll always remember him for that.

R.I.P. Jerry

[Larry Kart]

Just heard him take a kind of semi-plunger solo on the Boss Brass album "Brassy and Sassy" on a piece titled "Hey." An excellent player and quite distinctive too.

[Ted O'Reilly]

Jerry was not Canadian, even though he was nice enough to be one of us.  ().  If I recall correctly Jerry had been a member of a service band (The Airmen of Note?). He and his wife and beautiful young daughters lived down the street from me for several years.

I didn't know he played a tenor trombone on Chameleon...he did double on bass trombone.  You can also find his Toronto jazz work with the Nimmons 'N' Nine band, and the Brass Connection.

I produced a 25-year-long concert series of live broadcasts, ten a year.  Here's a link to a quintet concert by Jerry.  http://www.canadianjazzarchive.org/en/concerts/jerry-johnson-quintet-1997-11-03.html?filename=jerry_johnson_quintet_osc_1997_11_03_track1.mp4&t=c 

I note that my erstwhile radio station has removed my name from my own introduction.  How petty.