“Trailblazing trombonist J.J. Johnson’s stature straddled two eras of jazz, demonstrating that the trombone could successfully emigrate from the big band setting to the rapid hail of bebop notes and beyond. This two-disc set, The Quintessence, shows how Johnson (whose 2024 centenary is winding down to its final days) did much more than adapt to the evolving trajectories of jazz style by utilizing the trombone’s pliable nature to open new avenues of expression and experiment.
The Quintessence traces the arc of Johnson’s development from 1945-61, while also presenting a host of top-shelf musicians he worked with, including Miles Davis, Sonny Stitt and Coleman Hawkins. Adding interest, the discs are organized by Johnson as leader or as sideman; each is then chronologically ordered. This approach provides a robustly comprehensive view of how his remarkable evolution unfolded within a range of musical contexts, and alongside individual musicians of prominence.
On the 1945 recording of “Love for Sale”, Johnson joins Benny Carter’s orchestra in full swing mode. “Mad Be Bop” (recorded by the Jay Jay Johnson Beboppers in 1946) still has a swing center, but the style now reflects a more classically bop-paced exchange of speed and agility. “The Queen’s Fancy” (by the Modern Jazz Society in 1955) brims with silken sureness. Johnson’s improvisation emerges sometimes slick and sometimes sly amidst the tune’s experimental tapestry. On the 1960 Johnson Quartet’s “Gigi”, he draws forth a palette of tenderness with long, clear notes and gentle quavers. Also recorded in the early ’60s, “Blue Mist” (by the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band) finds Johnson adeptly contributing to the piece’s symphonic style, unpredictable dynamic shifts and rich rhythmic texture.
Multiple tracks showcase the rapport that developed between Johnson and fellow trombone luminary, Kai Winding. Playing in unison, Johnson’s cleanly articulated tone melds perfectly with Winding’s vibrato-infused sound, produced with the lip, an innovation he became known for. “Lament”, a good example of the emotive capacity of this blending, is redolent with poignance. The bop standard “A Night in Tunisia” demonstrates a different form of their expertly merged sound. As they roil and rollick through the tune, their combined voice bursts forth, fiery and full of cagey slips and jabs. Jay and Kai’s solos also glitter, pop and quaver with compressed glissandi, one way the trombone added to bop possibilities. The wealth continues for 32 tracks.
The diverse nature, historic breadth and variety of settings captured, from quartets to orchestra, vividly depict the time when jazz enjoyed the peak of its penetration into the era’s social fabric. Jazz topped charts, was on the radio and TV and filled clubs and dance halls. In one form or another, jazz was present almost everywhere. In documenting Johnson’s music, The Quintessence feels like it could be the period’s soundtrack. Its music is full of vibrant energy and fulminating creativity. This set provides a thoughtful historical survey and, most importantly, a beautiful array of music.”
By Franz A. MATZNER – NYC JAZZ RECORD
