Ginger Johnson

b. c.1920, Nigeria, d. 1972, Lagos, Nigeria. Percussionist Johnson emigrated to London in the late 40s, where one of his first performances was with the orchestra led by Edmundo Ros. As well as being widely respected within the expatriate African community, both as a drummer and herbalist, Johnson was a well-known figure in London’s counter culture during the late 60s, as leader of Ginger Johnson’s African Drummers (who played alongside the Rolling Stones during the famous Hyde Park Concert) and manager of the Iroko Club. He returned to Nigeria in the early 70s, but died of a heart attack within a few months.