Fred Johnson

The '60s were considered lean years for the big band scene: players who depended most on these institutions for employment clustered around the most biggest, longest-running and theoretically steadiest working outfits such as the big band of Duke Ellington or the touring revues of popular singers including Ray Charles and Cab Calloway. Trombonist Fred Johnson performed and recorded with all of these outfits. He is one of at least a half-dozen performers with this name who have received recording credits on jazz releases. Johnson's tenure with Ellington was in a period in which -- on his instrument alone -- his fellow sidemen were a blend of classic star soloists such as Tricky Sam Nanton and younger journeymen including Booty Wood and Quentin Jackson. The trombonist is also featured on a fine 1966 live album by the Clarke-Boland Big Band and another live session from nearly four decades later starring powerful singer Otis Clay. ~ Eugene Chadbourne