James P. Johnson

[Late]

James P. doesn't get talked about too much here, and seems (is) a vastly under-recognized figure in the music.

Tell us what you like about Mr. Johnson's playing, and what CDs you'd recommend.

[Chuck Nessa]

JPJ is a giant.

Not sure what's available but I have all the Classics (8 discs covering 1921-1947), Blue Note reissues and some private recordings.

Never forget playing Caprice Rag for Ran Blake back in the late '70s. He went nuts.

I hope some day the Cornell concert will be issued for all to hear.

Some nice spots on the Condon broadcasts too.

[Larry Kart]

James P's 1944 tribute-to-Waller recordings for Decca are very moving.

[Late]

I'm glued to the Smithsonian/Folkways disc recently.

[blajay]

No James P. Johnson-->No Thelonious Monk.

[AllenLowe]

Chuck - are the Cornell recordings the ones that Sunnenblick has? He once described them to me - hope he gets 'em out -

[king ubu]

I've heard little of his music, but those Blue Note Jazzmen dates are glorious!

Also I think he turns up to good effect on a Condon date (included in the Classics - or is there only that Fats Waller guest appearance? - I have five or so Condon volumes, none of JPJ's alas)

[AllenLowe]

try out the 1939 solos - If Dreams Come True is a masterpiece -

so Chuck, you spent time with that weirdo and lived to tell about it?

[kh1958]

The Folkways CD--The Original James P. Johnson, 1942-45, is available and really good. Another I like is Snowy Mountain Blues. And of course James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazzmen.

[Robert J]

I grabbed a copy of the Smithsonian recordings when I visited Chicago last year. Love it!

Also have various Bessie Smith discs with him as the accompanist.

The Red Hot Jazz site includes quite a few real audio files to check out as well as being a good discography source

http://www.redhotjazz.com/jpjohnson.html

(see the band links above the solo links)

[Hot Ptah]

The Folkways CD--The Original James P. Johnson, 1942-45, is available and really good. Another I like is Snowy Mountain Blues. And of course James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazzmen.

That Folkways CD is great listening, one of my all time favorite albums by anyone.

Did anyone else see the Antiques Roadshow show from some time in the past ten years, where a woman had an amazing collection of James P. Johnson's possessions? She had inherited it and did not know who Johnson was. The antiques expert was amazed and told her that it all belonged in a museum. She seemed obviously unaware of the significance of Johnson or what she had. I always wondered what happened to the collection, as it did not look like she was very interested or excited about what the expert was telling her about James P. Johnson.

Update: I Googled "Antiques Roadshow" and "James P. Johnson" and came up with this episode description. This is the episode I remember:

Season 6 Episode 11: San Diego (2002) San Diego; Hotel Del Coronado; jazz pianist James P. Johnson's sheet music; 18th-century Sheffield candlesticks; yellow-diamond Tiffany pendant.

Edited November 19, 2008 by Hot Ptah

[jostber]

How's this one on Living Era?

`

[Late]

This is the episode I remember:

Season 6 Episode 11: San Diego (2002) San Diego; Hotel Del Coronado; jazz pianist James P. Johnson's sheet music; 18th-century Sheffield candlesticks; yellow-diamond Tiffany pendant.

James P. had a Tiffany pendant? What were the "possessions" — musical, or otherwise? (And did they end up in a museum?)

I believe Duke listed James P. as his favorite pianist, if I'm not mistaken. Or at least, when he sat down, the pianist who "could really play."

Edited November 19, 2008 by Late

[Chuck Nessa]

Just noticed a few copies (6 under $10) of Reminiscing At Blue Note offered by Amazon sellers. This disc includes all 8 of Johnson's solo BN sides as well as the BN recordings of Earl Hines and Pete Johnson.

[Late]

Just noticed a few copies (6 under $10) of Reminiscing At Blue Note offered by Amazon sellers. This disc includes all 8 of Johnson's solo BN sides as well as the BN recordings of Earl Hines and Pete Johnson.

This is an essential Blue Note disc. (I actually bought my copy from Chuck about four years ago.) It also has Earl Hines' only recordings (just two tracks) on Blue Note!

[kh1958]

Just noticed a few copies (6 under $10) of Reminiscing At Blue Note offered by Amazon sellers. This disc includes all 8 of Johnson's solo BN sides as well as the BN recordings of Earl Hines and Pete Johnson.

Thanks. Ordered.

[blajay]

It is only recently that people have been rediscovering his orchestral works. He wrote a waltz "Eccentricity", an orchestration of "Liberty - A March Fantasia", and a one-movement "Sonatine No. 2". It turns out that a piano solo arrangement of "Sonatine No. 2" was published by Mills Music in 1948 under the title "Reflections."

I've been curious to hear and/or see a performance of one other work, which is of musical, cultural, and historical interest. James P. Johnson collaborated with the poet Langston Hughes to create The Organizer – A Blues Opera in One Act. The Organizer was performed at Carnegie Hall in 1940 as part of an International Ladies' Garment Workers Union convention, but it then disappeared. It is a pretty brilliant, radical theme--about organizing sharecroppers. It was recently restored by a U Michigan Professor Dr. James Dapogny, and has been performed in Michigan a couple times. Here's the story from the New York Times.

He had another one-act opera "The Dreamy Kid" (based on the one-act play by Eugene O'Neill).

[EKE BBB]

Some excerpts from my interview with stride pianist Bernd Lhotzky, published in Spanish on Tomajazz (October 2006), where he talks about James P. Johnson:

(...)

APG: Art Tatum was criticized for not doing real improvisation, but mere embellishment of the themes (Gunther Schuller). In stride, the importance of the left hand (variety of rhythmic figures, far from the simple oompah in ragtime, tension and release, interaction with the right hand) and the fact that the right hand plays kind of „straight”, with those embellishments of the melody, the same criticism may arise. What do you think?

BL:First of all nobody should criticize Art Tatum. He is there to be admired. It is true that when it comes to stride piano sometimes improvisation is not always prioritized. When the creators of this piano style played their showpieces, they varied very little from one performance to the other. Their versions were carefully prepared and full of tricks, meant to dazzle the audience. On the other hand Willie “The Lion” Smith refers, that James P. Johnson could improvise for an hour on one theme without repeating himself.

APG: Talking about ragtime, how do you perceive the evolution from ragtime to stride? James P. Johnson seems to have been the crucial figure, while others have also been there in the transition and before, as Luckey Roberts or Eubie Blake (who sticked much more to ragtime through all his long career).

BL: James P. Johnson was so versatile. He was a tremendous band pianist. Listen to the session with the Blue Note Jazzmen. This is improvised modern jazz piano. James P. Johnson was a pioneer, way ahead.

APG: The group of classic stride pianists was very heterogeneous and included very particular musicians, such as Willie the Lion Smith or Donald Lambert. How do you rate them and who’s your favourite?

BL: Willie The Lion was maybe the most colourful character in this group. It is worth reading his autobiography “Music On My Mind”. Also The Lion was unique as a composer. No wonder that Duke Ellington sent his band members to listen to him. The sublime modulations in Morning Air in the first two parts are spectacular and amazing even for a classical composer. James P. Johnson was the most accurate and swinging player of all. Fats had the biggest sound on the piano (fat and greasy). They are all my favourites. There is another one I love and that’s Cliff Jackson.

(...)

[blajay]

It is only recently that people have been rediscovering his orchestral works. He wrote a waltz "Eccentricity", an orchestration of "Liberty - A March Fantasia", and a one-movement "Sonatine No. 2". It turns out that a piano solo arrangement of "Sonatine No. 2" was published by Mills Music in 1948 under the title "Reflections."

I've been curious to hear and/or see a performance of one other work, which is of musical, cultural, and historical interest. James P. Johnson collaborated with the poet Langston Hughes to create The Organizer – A Blues Opera in One Act. The Organizer was performed at Carnegie Hall in 1940 as part of an International Ladies' Garment Workers Union convention, but it then disappeared. It is a pretty brilliant, radical theme--about organizing sharecroppers. It was recently restored by a U Michigan Professor Dr. James Dapogny, and has been performed in Michigan a couple times. Here's the story from the New York Times.

He had another one-act opera "The Dreamy Kid" (based on the one-act play by Eugene O'Neill).

I should have figured someone already posted another threadabout this... Anyone know if it has been recorded yet?

[Hot Ptah]

This is the episode I remember:

Season 6 Episode 11: San Diego (2002) San Diego; Hotel Del Coronado; jazz pianist James P. Johnson's sheet music; 18th-century Sheffield candlesticks; yellow-diamond Tiffany pendant.

James P. had a Tiffany pendant? What were the "possessions" — musical, or otherwise? (And did they end up in a museum?)

I believe Duke listed James P. as his favorite pianist, if I'm not mistaken. Or at least, when he sat down, the pianist who "could really play."

No, James P. did not have a Tiffany pendant. The pendant and candlesticks were unrelated antiques discussed in other distinct segments of the show.

As I recall, the woman who had the James P. Johnson sheet music also had personal writings and personal belongings of James P. It was quite a display of stuff on a table, quite unique. I do not know what she did with them after the show.

[Quincy]

His presence on the Pee Wee Russell session sure kicks off the Mosaic H.R.S. Sessions set in a dandy way. There's a rollicking quality for lack of better term to his playing - so much life!

[AllenLowe]

by the way, about that Antiques Roadshow - Dan Morgenstern saw it and said, basically, b.s, the stuff was worth a fraction of what they estimated, and they have the same stuff at Rutgers -

[Hot Ptah]

by the way, about that Antiques Roadshow - Dan Morgenstern saw it and said, basically, b.s, the stuff was worth a fraction of what they estimated, and they have the same stuff at Rutgers -

That is good to hear, because I had the distinct impression while watching that show, that the woman who owned the stuff was not going to take care of it in the manner that it deserved.

[BruceH]

Just noticed a few copies (6 under $10) of Reminiscing At Blue Note offered by Amazon sellers. This disc includes all 8 of Johnson's solo BN sides as well as the BN recordings of Earl Hines and Pete Johnson.

On order. Thanks Chuck.

[Late]

Listening right now. "Caprice Rag." Jesus.