BUDD JOHNSON
Genres: Hard Bop, RnB • United States

Albert J. Johnson(born December 14, 1910 in Dallas, Texas; died October 20, 1984 in Kansas City, Missouri) was a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist best known as a "behind-the-scenes player" and writer. He is generally known as "Budd Johnson." He initially played drums and piano before switching to tenor saxophone. In the 1920s he performed in Texas and parts of the Midwest, working with Jesse Stone among others. Budd Johnson had his recording debut while working with Louis Armstrong's band in 1932-1933, but is more known for his work with Earl Hines. It is contended that he led Hines to hire "modernists." He was also an early figure in the Bebop era doing sessions with Coleman Hawkins in 1944. In the 1950s he led his own group and did some session work for Atlantic Records -- he is the featured tenor saxophone soloist on Ruth Brown's hit, Teardrops from My Eyes. read more...