Jazz Giants

J.J. Johnson was born James Louis in Indianapolis on January 22, 1924. At the age of nine, Johnson became very interested with music thus learning the piano with a church organist. He took further interest in music once he attended Crispus Attucks Senior High school playing the. He started out playing the Bari saxophone being that it was the only instrument available to him. After a short time, he lost much interest in the saxophone and …

…input to the J.J. Johnson Mailing List. A book also came out written by Joshua Berret and Louis Bourgois III entitled The Musical World of J.J. Johnson. Tragedy struck the jazz and trombone community when on February 4, 2001, J.J. Johnson passed away. Only now are we able to see the number of lives that he has touched in a positive manner. In addition, J.J.'s legacy will continue to inspire new trombonists.