Manzie Johnson

Isham "Manzie" Johnson (August 19, 1906 – April 9, 1971) was an American jazz drummer. Johnson was raised in New York City, and played in Harlem in the 1920s with Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, and other stride pianists, before going on to work with Willie Gant (1926), June Clark, Elmer Snowden (ca. 1927), and Joe Steele. He recorded with Jelly Roll Morton (1928), James P. Johnson, and Horace Henderson (1930) before joining Don Redman's orchestra, where he played from 1931 to 1937, appearing in the film Don Redman and his Orchestra (1934). Johnson then spent time as a freelance musician, recording with Red Allen, Benny Morton, Willie Bryant, Lil Armstrong, Mezz Mezzrow, Redman and James P. Johnson again, Ovie Alston, and Fletcher Henderson. He served in the military during World War II, then played part-time with Sidney Bechet (ca. 1951), Garvin Bushell, and Happy Caldwell. Johnson never led his own recording session.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 19, 1906 (Putnam), Died April 9, 1971 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: drums, traps

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BVE-48433	10-in.	12/6/1928	Everybody loves my honey now	Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BVE-48434	10-in.	12/6/1928	Red hot pepper	Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BVE-48435	10-in.	12/6/1928	Deep creek	Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BVE-48436	10-in.	12/6/1928	You oughter see my gal	Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030318	10-in.	11/28/1938	Ja-da	Tommy Ladnier Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030319	10-in.	11/28/1938	Really the blues	Tommy Ladnier Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030320	10-in.	11/28/1938	When you and I were young, Maggie	Tommy Ladnier Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030321	10-in.	11/28/1938	Weary blues	Tommy Ladnier Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030450	10-in.	12/19/1938	Royal Garden blues	Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030451	10-in.	12/19/1938	Everybody loves my baby	Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030452	10-in.	12/19/1938	Ain't gonna give nobody none of my jelly-roll	Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030453	10-in.	12/19/1938	If you see me comin'	Teddy Bunn ; Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-030454	10-in.	12/19/1938	Gettin' together	Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-066784	10-in.	10/14/1941	Rip up the joint	Sidney Bechet ; Vic Dickenson ; New Orleans Feetwarmers	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and chorus	instrumentalist, traps
Victor	BS-066785	10-in.	10/14/1941	Suey	Sidney Bechet ; Vic Dickenson ; New Orleans Feetwarmers	Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, traps
Victor	BS-066786	10-in.	10/14/1941	Blues in the air	Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, traps
Victor	BS-066787	10-in.	10/14/1941	The mooche	Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, traps
Victor	BS-066788	10-in.	10/14/1941	Laughin' in rhythm	Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers	Jazz/dance band, with laughing and vocal chorus	instrumentalist, traps
Victor	BS-067791	10-in.	9/13/1941	I'm coming, Virginia	Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers	Jazz/dance sextet	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-067792	10-in.	9/13/1941	Limehouse blues	Artists vary	Jazz/dance sextet	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-067793	10-in.	9/13/1941	Georgia cabin	Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers	Jazz/dance sextet	instrumentalist, drums
Victor	BS-067794	10-in.	9/13/1941	Texas moaner	Artists vary	Jazz/dance sextet	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	W152720	10-in.	2/23/1934	The gold diggers' song	Henry Allen ; Benny Morton Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and trumpet solo	instrumentalist, drums
Decca	62442	10-in.	7/23/1937	Lindy hop	Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	62443	10-in.	7/23/1937	When I went back home	Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	62444	10-in.	7/23/1937	Let's call it love	Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	62445	10-in.	7/23/1937	You mean so much to me	Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	63558	10-in.	4/6/1938	Do the Alamo	Willie Bryant Orchestra		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	63559	10-in.	4/6/1938	You'll never remember and I'll never forget	Willie Bryant Orchestra		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	63560	10-in.	4/6/1938	You're gonna lose your gal	Willie Bryant Orchestra		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	63561	10-in.	4/6/1938	Neglected	Willie Bryant Orchestra		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	67331	10-in.	3/18/1940	Sixth Street	Lil Armstrong and her Dixielanders		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	67332	10-in.	3/18/1940	Riffin' the blues	Lil Armstrong and her Dixielanders		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	67333	10-in.	3/18/1940	Why is a good man so hard to find?	Lil Armstrong and her Dixielanders		instrumentalist, drums
Decca	67334	10-in.	3/18/1940	My secret flame	Lil Armstrong and her Dixielanders		instrumentalist, drums

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Manzie," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107077.

Johnson, Manzie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107077.

"Johnson, Manzie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.