Osie Johnson
James "Osie" Johnson (January 11, 1923, in Washington, D.C. – February 10, 1966, in New York City) was a jazz drummer, arranger and singer. Johnson studied at Armstrong Highschool where he was classmates with Leo Parker and Frank Wess. He first worked with Sabby Lewis and then, after service in the United States Navy, freelanced for a time in Chicago. From 1951 to 1953, he was a member of Earl Hines's band. He can be heard on albums by Paul Gonsalves, Zoot Sims, and Mose Allison and is the drummer on Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife". (Some sources list Don Lamond as the drummer on "Mack the Knife") and on Ray Conniff's first album 'S Wonderful!. He recorded the album A Bit of the Blues as a singer and had arranged at a "hit" for singer Dinah Washington. His final recordings as a singer were on a J. J. Johnson album, now compiled as a collection called Goodies. In 1957, Johnson appeared with Thelonious Monk and Ahmed Abdul-Malik on The Sound of Jazz. Johnson died from kidney failure in 1966, at the age of 43. |
Birth and Death Data: Born January 11, 1923 (Washington, D.C.), Died February 10, 1966 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1953 - 1965
Roles Represented in DAHR: drums
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 134 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 84899 | 7/23/1953 | Blues in lament | Benny (Bennie) Green | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84900 | 7/23/1953 | Blow your horn | Benny (Bennie) Green | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84901 | 7/23/1953 | Expense account | Benny (Bennie) Green | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84902 | 7/23/1953 | Takin' my time | Benny (Bennie) Green | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85837 | 12/22/1953 | I cover the waterfront | Tony Scott Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85838 | 12/22/1953 | It's you or no one | Tony Scott Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85839 | 12/22/1953 | Blues for Ava, part 1 | Tony Scott Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85840 | 12/22/1953 | Blues for Ave, part 2 | Tony Scott Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85841 | 12/22/1953 | Yesterdays | Tony Scott Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85842 | 12/29/1953 | Goodbye | Tony Scott Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85843 | 12/29/1953 | Swootie Patootie | Tony Scott Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85844 | 12/29/1953 | Sweet Lorraine | Tony Scott Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88657 | 9/16/1955 | Timmy's tune | Joe Holiday and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88658 | 9/16/1955 | Love is a many splendored thing | Joe Holiday and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88659 | 9/16/1955 | Opening night | Joe Holiday and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88660 | 9/16/1955 | Tiny mite | Joe Holiday and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88710 | 9/29/1955 | Cool cat on a hot tin roof | Ralph Burns Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88711 | 9/29/1955 | What am I here for | Ralph Burns Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88712 | 9/29/1955 | Jazz Club U.S.A. | Ralph Burns Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88740 | 10/6/1955 | I'll be around | Ralph Burns Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88741 | 10/6/1955 | Royal garden blues | Ralph Burns Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88742 | 10/6/1955 | Nocturne | Ralph Burns Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88743 | 10/6/1955 | South Gonzales Street parade | Ralph Burns Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100172 | 6/7/1956 | King Porter stomp | Manhattan Jazz Septet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100173 | 6/7/1956 | Never, never land | Manhattan Jazz Septet | instrumentalist, drums |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Osie," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/323884.
Johnson, Osie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/323884.
"Johnson, Osie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Osie Johnson
Discogs: Osie Johnson
Allmusic: Osie Johnson
Apple Music: Osie Johnson
Grove: Osie Johnson
IMDb: Osie Johnson
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Johnson, Osie - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr90028222
Wikidata: Osie Johnson - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q344307
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/93080211
MusicBrainz: Osie Johnson - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/7c726bbf-8ecc-4ebc-8578-d5ddf535ab44
ISNI: 0000 0001 0803 8992 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000108038992
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