Margaret Johnson

This article deals with the jazz pianist Margaret Johnson, who lived from 1919 to 1939. For the jazz pianist of the same name, who was mainly active in the 20s, see Margaret Johnson (pianist) , for the tennis player see Margaret Johnson (tennis player) .

Margaret Johnson (born 1919 in Kansas City , † 1939 ) was an American jazz pianist .

As a teenager, Johnson toured with Harlan Leonard's bands, and by the age of 15 she was leading her own group. As early as 1936, she took over the representation of Count Basie when he left his orchestra for an engagement in Chicago . She also represented Mary Lou Williams in Andy Kirk's band . She initially recorded with Clarence Williams , Bubber Miley , Thomas Morris , Louis Armstrong, and Sidney Bechet . She can also be heard on four tracks recorded by the Billie Holiday Orchestra in September 1938 with Lester Young , with whom she was in a partnership.

Johnson was after the "Jazz Rough Guide" one of the female pioneer figures in jazz; she was called "Countess" or even "Queenie". She was a powerful musician whose style is reminiscent of both Basie and Earl Hines . She died of tuberculosis .

The pianist should not be confused with the American blues and jazz vocalist and pianist of the 1920s.

literature

• Margaret Johnson. In: Ian Carr , Digby Fairweather , Brian Priestley : Rough Guide Jazz. The ultimate guide to jazz music. 1700 artists and bands from the beginning until today. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 1999, ISBN 3-476-01584-X .

Web links

• Margaret Johnson at Discogs (English)
• Margaret Johnson at Allmusic (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Eugene Chadbourne : Margaret Johnson at Allmusic (English)