User:Dat JaZzCat/Jeff Johnson

Born In Minneapolis (December 12, 1954), 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 met Jessica Williams (2005 Best Jazz Album of the Year [Live at Yoshi's, Vol 2], All About Jazz) in Seattle in 1991 and Hal Galper at the Port Townsend Festival in 1993, pianists with whom he has had ongoing musical relationships and with whom he has recorded extensively (see Discography below).

Johnson is one of the most on-call working musicians in the competitive Seattle musical arena and his contribution to jazz is substantial and continuing. In 2000, 2001 and 2002, Johnson won the "Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year" award. In 2002 he also won "Northwest Recording of the Year" for his album “The Art of Falling.” In 2011, he was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame.

Currently, Johnson leads various small ensembles, composes, goes on the road frequently and is involved in numerous projects, and recording dates around the world.

Discography
Irv Williams Group – Idle Records – Cookhouse CHS 7313-24291 LP (rec. Minneapolis, MN) Irv Williams – Tenor and Electric Sax, Tom O’Donnell – Fender Rhodes and Hammond B3, Loren Walstad – guitar, Jeff Johnson – Electric Bass, Jack Bertelsen & Buddy Moore – drums.
 * 1974 – “Mr. Smooth: A Bit of Ellington and Others”

Irv Williams Group featuring Roberta Davis (vox) Cookhouse Records CHS 7328-26525 LP (rec. Minneapolis, MN) Irv Williams – Tenor Sax, Art Resnick – piano & electric piano, Randy Resnick – guitar, Jeff Johnson – basses, Paul Lagos – drums
 * 1975 – “For the Record”

Jeff Johnson Quartet Jefson Records – JO686 LP (rec.OKC,OK) Jeff Johnson – Fender Bass, Chris Hicks – Tenor Sax, Peter Krauss – DX7 synth & piano, Charlie Barry – drums
 * 1984 – “Harbinger”

Art Resnick Trio Capri Records – Capri 74015-1 LP (rec. San Diego,CA) Art Resnick – piano, Jeff Johnson – Clevinger Electric Upright Bass, Billy Mintz – drums
 * 1989 – “A Gift”

Jeff Johnson Quartet Jefson Records – JO1291 Cass (rec. Portland,OR) Jeff Johnson – Double Bass, John Gross – Tenor Sax, Art Resnick – piano, Billy Mintz – drums
 * 1991 – “My Heart”

Jeff Johnson Quartet Jefson Records – JO5692 Cass (rec. Seattle WA) Hans Teuber – Saxophone and DX7 synth, Jeff Johnson – basses, Tad Britton – drums,drum machines,samples,and percussion, Pete Fogle – guitar
 * 1992 – “Area 51”

Jefson Records – JO393 Cass (rec.Seattle WA) Hans Teuber – Sax and synth, Jeff Johnson – basses, Tad Britton – drums,drum machines,samples,and perc
 * 1993 – “Lost Men”

Jessica Williams Trio HEP Records – Hep CD 2055 (rec. Portland,OR) Jessica Williams – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Dick Berk -drums
 * 1993 – “In the Pocket”

Shigeru Morinaga Productions, Japan (Cass) (rec. Seattle WA) Hans Teuber – Sax and synth, Jeff Johnson – bass, Tad Britton – drums
 * 1993 – “MFLOTO”

Jessica Williams Trio Jazz Focus Records – JFCD003 (rec.Portland.OR) Jessica Williams – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Dick Berk -drums
 * 1994 – “Momentum”

Vartan Jazz Series – VJ001 (rec. Denver,Co) Hal Galper – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Steve Ellington – drums
 * 1994 – “Live at Vartan Jazz, The Hal Galper Trio”

Jessica Williams Trio HEP Records – Hep CD 2061 (rec. Portland,OR) Jessica Williams – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Dick Berk – drums
 * 1994 – “A Song That I Heard”

ENJA Records – ENJ 9129 2 CD (current availability, Fabola records/Hal Galper) Hal Galper – piano, Jerry Bergonzi – Tenor Sax, Jeff Johnson – bass, Steve Ellington – drums
 * 1994 – “Rebop”

Jessica Williams Trio Jazz Focus Records JFCD008 (rec. Portland,OR) Jessica Williams – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Dick Berk – drums
 * 1995 – “Inventions”

WildSound studio,Mpls,MN CD -1 Dean Granros – guitar, Jeff Johnson – bass, Jay Epstein – drums
 * 1995 – “One”

Jessica Williams group Jazz Focus records – JFCD014 (rec. Portland,OR) Jessica Williams – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Dick Berk & Mel Brown – drums, Jay Thomas – trumpet, Hadley Caliman – Tenor Sax
 * 1996 – “Joy”

Jessica Williams Quartet Jazz Focus Records – JFCD018 (rec.Portland,OR) Jessica Williams – piano, Jay Thomas – Tenor Sax, Jeff Johnson – bass, Mel Brown – drums
 * 1996 – “Jessica’s Blues”

Sharpshooters w/ various artists, Jeff Johnson – sampled doublebass Shadow Records – SDWO18-2 (rec. Seattle WA)
 * 1997 – “Choked Up”

Kendra Shank Group Jazz Focus Records JFCD028 (rec. NYC) Kendra Shank – vox, Hans Teuber – saxophone, Frank Kimbrough - piano, Victor Lewis – drums, Joe Locke – vibes
 * 1998 – “Wish”

Hal Galper Trio Blue Chip Jazz – BC 4005-2 (rec. Pitts PA) Hal Galper – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Steve Ellington – drums
 * 1998 – “Fugue State”

Jeff Johnson Trio Origin Records 82370 CD (rec. live Seattle WA for radio broadcast by Doug Haire for Jack Straw prod.) Jeff Johnson – double bass, Hans Teuber – saxophone, Billy Mintz – drums
 * 1999 – “Free”

Hal Galper – piano & Jeff Johnson – bass Philology Records (It.) W 139.2 (rec. Berkeley, CA)
 * 1999 – “Maybeck Duets”

Hal Galper Quintet DoubleTime Records DTRCD – 157 (rec.New Albany,IN) Hal Galper – piano, Jerry Bergonzi – tenor Sax, Tim Hagans – trumpet, Jeff Johnson – bass, Steve Ellington – drums
 * 1999 – “Let’s Call This That”

Jeff Johnson Quartet Origin Records 82386 (rec.Seattle WA) Jeff Johnson – bass, Hans Teuber- saxophone, Randy Porter – piano, Billy Mintz – drums, Tad Britton – percussion
 * 2001 – “The Art of Falling”

Origin Records 82390 (rec. Seattle,WA) John Stowell – guitar, John Bishop – drums, Rick Mandyck – tenor sax, Jeff Johnson – bass
 * 2001 – “Scenes”

Ben Black Origin Records 82387 Ben Black – vocal, Gary Fukushima & Marc Seales – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums, Brenda Kay Noth – flute, pennywhistle, Marco De Carvalho – guitar
 * 2001- “Remembered Faces/Private Places”

Dave Peck Trio Let’s Play Stella Records LPS 2002 -01 (rec. live Seattle,WA) Dave Peck – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Joe La Barbera – drums
 * 2002 – “Out of Seattle”

Origin Records 82408 (rec. Seattle,WA) John Bishop – drums, Hans Teuber – saxophone, Dave Peterson – guitar & piano, Jeff Johnson – bass
 * 2002 – “Winter” (Holiday Collection Vol.1)

Jeff Johnson Trio Origin Records 82429 (rec. Seattle,WA) Jeff Johnson – bass, Hans Teuber – saxophone, Tad Britton – drums
 * 2004 – “Near Earth”

Randy Halberstadt Trio Origin Records 82435 (rec. Seattle,WA) Randy Halberstadt – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Gary Hobbs – drums
 * 2004 – “Parallel Tracks”

Thomas Marriott Group Origin Records 82442 (rec. Seattle, WA) Thomas Marriott – trumpet & flugelhorn, David Budway – piano & Fender Rhodes, Jeff Johnson -bass, John Bishop – drums, Joe Locke – vibraphone, Rick Mandyck – alto saxophone
 * 2005 – “Individuation”

Dave Peck Trio Let’s Play Stella Records LPS 2005-1 (rec. Seattle,WA) Dave Peck – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Joe La Barbera – drums
 * 2005 – “Good Road”

John Bishop Trio Origin Records 82455 (rec. Seattle,WA) John Bishop – drums, Rick Mandyck – alto saxophone, Jeff Johnson – bass
 * 2006 – “Nothing if Not Something”

Bill Anschell Group Origin Records 82469 (rec. Seattle,WA) Bill Anschell – piano, Jeff Johnson & Doug Miller – bass, John Bishop & Jose Martinez – drums, Richard Cole -tenor and soprano saxophones, Thomas Marriott – trumpet & flugelhorn
 * 2006 – “More to the Ear Than Meets the Eye”

Origin Records 82470 (rec.Seattle,WA) John Stowell – guitar, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2007 – “Scenes, Along the Way”

Origin Records 82476 (rec. Seattle,WA) Hal Galper – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2007 – “Furious Rubato”

Origin Records 82494 (rec.Seattle,WA) Thomas Marriott – trumpet & flugelhorn, Bill Anschell – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2007 – “The Cool Season” (Holiday Collection Vol.2)

Tad Britton Trio Origin Records 82481 (rec. Seattle,WA) Tad Britton – drums, Marc Seales – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass
 * 2007 – “Black Hills”

Thomas Marriott Group Origin Records 82474 (rec. Seattle,WA) Thomas Marriott – trumpet & flugelhorn, Marc Seales – piano & Fender Rhodes, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums, Joe Locke – vibraphone, Hadley Caliman – tenor saxophone
 * 2007 – “Both Sides Of The Fence”

Richard Cole Group Origin Records 82492 (rec. Seattle,WA) Richard Cole – tenor & soprano saxophone, Randy Brecker – trumpet, Thomas Marriott – trumpet, David Marriott – trombone, Bill Anschell, John Hansen and Randy Porter – piano, Marc Seales – Fender Rhodes, Dave Peterson & Glenn Lorbiecki – guitar, Jeff Johnson, Chuck Deardorf and Chuck Bergeron – bass, John Bishop & Gary Hobbs – drums, Chris Stromquist – congas, shekere
 * 2007 – “Shade”

Jeff Baker group Origin Records/OA2 22031 (rec. Seattle,WA) Jeff Baker – vox, Bill Anschell – piano, Brent Jensen – saxophone, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2007 – “Shopping for Your Heart”

Brent Jensen Group Origin Records 82493 (rec.Seattle,WA) Brent Jensen – soprano saxophone, Bill Anschell – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2007 – “One More Mile”

Gail Pettis Group Origin Records/OA2 22038 (rec.Seattle,WA) Gail Pettis – vox, Darin Clendenin & Randy Halberstadt – piano, Clipper Anderson & Jeff Johnson – bass, Mark Ivester – drums, Marco DeCarvalho – guitar, Darren Motamedy – flute
 * 2007 – “May I Come In?”

George Voland Group Right Brain Jazz #102512 (rec.Seattle,WA) George Voland – valve trombone, Ali Ryerson – alto & bass flutes, John Pisano – guitar, Jeff Johnson – bass, Greg Williamson – drums, Jeanne Pisano – vox
 * 2007 – “Remember Beauty”

Katie King OA2 Records 22043 Katie King – vocals, Craig Flory – sax, Bill Anschell – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, D’Vonne Lewis – drums
 * 2008 – “Harry’s Fight”

Jeff Johnson Origin Records 82518 Hans Teuber – saxes and bass on Track 9, Jeff Johnson – bass and guitar on Track 9, Billy Mintz – drums
 * 2008 – “Tall Stranger”

Jeff Baker OA2 Records 22056 Jeff Baker – Vocals, Bill Anschell – piano, Dave Peterson – guitar, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums, Brent Jensen – soprano sax
 * 2009 – “Of Things Not Seen”

Thomas Marriott Origin Records 82526 Thomas Marriott – trumpet and flugelhorn, Mark Taylor – saxophones, Bill Anschell – piano and Fender Rhodes, Joe Locke – vibes, Jeff Johnson – bass, Matt Jorgensen – drums
 * 2009- “Flexicon”

Mark Taylor Origin Records 82529 Mark Taylor – saxophones, Gary Fukishima – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Byron Vannoy – drums
 * 2009 – “Spectre”

Chad McCullough Origin Records 82535 Chad McCullough – trumpet and flugelhorn, Geof Bradfield – saxophones, Mark Taylor – saxophones, Bill Anschell – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2009 – “Dark Wood, Dark Water”

Fu Kun Wu trio, Jon Alberts Origin Records 82538 Jon Alberts – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Tad Britton – drums
 * 2009 – “Apothecary”

Vocal Jazz Collective OA2 Records 22068 Various Student Vocalists, Justin Nielsen – piano, John McLean – guitar, Tom Marriott – trumpet, flugelhorn, Brent Jensen – soprano sax, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2010 – “Redefinition”

Carrie Wicks OA2 Records 22065 Carrie Wicks – vocal, Bill Anschell – piano, Hans Teuber – Tenor sax. clarinet, Jeff Johnson – bass, Byron Vannoy – drums
 * 2010 – “I’ll Get Around to It”

Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott Origin Records 82561 Ray Vega & Tom Marriott – trumpets, Travis Shook – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Matt Jorgensen – drums
 * 2010 – “East – West Trumpet Summit”

Gail Pettis OA2 Records 22059 Gail Pettis – vocal, Darin Clendenin & Randy Halberstadt – piano, Clipper Anderson & Jeff Johnson – bass, Mark Ivester – drums & Percussion
 * 2010 – “Here in the Moment”

Scenes Trio Origin Records 82555 John Stowell – electric guitar,electric nylon string guitar,fretless guitar, Jeff Johnson – acoustic and Fender bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2010 – “Rinnova”

Hal Galper Trio Origin Records 82557 Hal Galper – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2010 – “E Pluribus Unum”

Wellstone Conspiracy Origin Records 82560 Brent Jensen – soprano sax, Bill Anschell – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2010 – “Motives”

Dave Peck Trio Let’s Play Stella Records Dave Peck – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, Joe La Barbera – drums
 * 2010 – “Modern Romance: Live at Jazz Alley”

Thomas Marriott Quintet Origin Records 82577 Thomas Marriott – trumpet, Hans Teuber – tenor saxophone, Gary Versace – piano, Jeff Johnson – bass, John Bishop – drums
 * 2010 – “Constraints & Liberations”

Randy Halberstadt Quintet Origin Records 82571 Randy Halberstadt – piano, Thomas Marriott – trumpet/flugelhorn, Mark Taylor – alto sax, Jeff Johnson – bass, Mark Ivester – drums
 * 2010 – “Flash Point”

Scenes Trio Origin Records 82594 John Stowell – guitars, Jeff Johnson – basses, John Bishop – drums
 * 2011 – “Silent Photographer”

Jeff Johnson Origin Records 82629 Jeff Johnson – acoustic and Fender bass, Hans Teuber – saxophones, bass clarinet, alto flute, Steve Moore – piano, Eric Eagle – drums
 * 2012 - “Suitcase”

Hal Galper Trio Origin Records 82628 Hal Galper - piano, Jeff Johnson - bass, John Bishop - drums
 * 2012 - “Airegin Revisited”

Awards

 * 2000 Earshot Instrumentalist of the Year
 * 2001 Earshot Instrumentalist of the Year
 * 2002 Northwest Recording of the Year, “The Art of Falling”
 * 2002 Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year
 * 2011 Inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame