Osie Johnson
James "Osie" Johnson (born January 11, 1923 in Washington, DC , † February 10, 1966 in New York City ) was an American jazz drummer.
Johnson studied harmony and music theory at Armstrong High School in Washington. He played in 1941 with the Harlem Dictators and was a member of the band of Sabby Lewis in Boston from 1942-43 and then played in a US Navy band . After 1945 he worked in Chicago for five years , a. a. in the band of R&B saxophonist Eddie Chamblee before joining Earl Hines in 1951 . After appearances with Tony Scott , Dorothy Donegan , Illinois Jacquet and Billy Bauer and at the Newport Jazz Festival 1957 with Gigi Gryce and Donald Byrd, he worked in New York in the 1950s and 1960s as a sought-after studio musician, with musicians such as Coleman Hawkins , Dinah Washington , Wes Montgomery , Paul Gonsalves , Al Cohn , Zoot Sims , Mose Allison, and Sonny Stitt worked. In addition, he occasionally worked as a singer and composer and recorded albums as a band leader. He wrote the arrangements for Fool That I Am and Too Soon to Know for Dinah Washington.
Discography
- Johnson's Whacks 1955
- Osie's Oasis with Henry Coker , Charlie Fowlkes , Milt Hinton , Bill Hughes , Thad Jones , Dick Katz , Wendell Marshall , Frank Wess , Ernie Wilkins , 1955
- Swingin 'Sounds , 1955
- A .. T of the Blues , 1956
- The Happy Jazz of Osie Johnson , 1957
Web links
- Allmusic.com: Osie Johnson biography
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Johnson, Osie |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Johnson, James (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz drummer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 11, 1923 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Washington, DC |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 10, 1966 |
| Place of death | New York City |