This classic album was recorded on on April 1st and 3rd of 1960 but was released in 1961. It features the great trombonist J.J. Johnson with legendary jazz musicians backing him up. This is a very bluesy album with plenty of soul but advanced the same time. Interesting enough and after searching around, this could be the only time that Freddie Hubbard and Clifford Jordan worked together but I could be completely off. Anyways, “J.J. Inc” is a great classic, get your hands on it, enjoy!
About the album:
Trombonist J.J. Johnson’s 1960 sextet is featured on this Columbia CD. Most notable among the sidemen is a rather young trumpeter named Freddie Hubbard on one of his first sessions; also helping out are tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Arthur Harper and drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath. Seven of the compositions (which are joined by Dizzy Gillespie’s “Blue ‘N’ Boogie”) are Johnson’s and, although none caught on, “Mohawk,” “In Walked Horace” and “Fatback” (which is heard in two versions) are all fairly memorable. The six songs on the original LP are joined by three others from the same dates, two of which were released slightly earlier for the first time on a Johnson Mosaic box set….Read More
Biography of J.J. Johnson:
J.J. Johnson was born James Louis in Indianapolis on January 22, 1924. At the age of 9, he studied piano with a church organist and became very interested in music during his second year at Crispus Attucks High School. The only school instrument available to him at the time was a baritone saxophone. J.J. played this instrument for a very short time and, at the age of fourteen, picked up the trombone, playing in the high school band as well as the brass marching band of the YMCA.
By the time he was eighteen, J.J. left home to play with Snookum Russel’s band, of which Fats Navarro was also a member. He went on to play with other legendary jazzers Benny Carter (from ’42-5), Count Basie (from ’45-6), and Illinois Jacquet (from ’47-9). The earliest recordings of J.J. are with the Benny Carter Orchestra, although he functioned only as a section player. Johnson’s first recorded solo, only twelve measures long, was with this group on the Capitol label on the track Love for Sale…..Read More
