Born In Minneapolis, Jeff Johnson ("Free" to some of his colleagues) left at age 20, spending time in Philadelphia and New York, and has worked with jazz musicians including Philly Joe Jones, Charlie Rouse,

Barney Kessel Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups a ...

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

, Lew Tabackin, Eddie Daniels, Joanne Brackeen,

Julian Priester Julian Priester (born June 29, 1935) is an American jazz trombonist and occasional euphoniumist. He is sometimes credited "Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto". He has played with Sun Ra, Max Roach, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and Herbie Hancock. Bio ...

Billy Hart Billy Hart (born November 29, 1940) is an American jazz drummer and educator. He is known internationally for his work with Herbie Hancock's "Mwandishi" band in the early 1970s, as well with Shirley Horn, Stan Getz, and Quest, among others. Bi ...

George Cables George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Cables was born in New York City, United States. He was initially taught piano by his mother. He then studied at the High School of Performing Ar ...

, Bud Shank, Claudio Roditti, and

Michael Wolfe Michael B. Wolfe (born 3 April 1945) is an American poet, author, and the President and Co-Executive Producer of Unity Productions Foundation. A secular American born in Cincinnati, Ohio to a Christian mother and a Jewish father, Wolfe converted ...

. Vocalists who have been accompanied by Johnson include Jay Clayton, Ernestine Anderson,

Karrin Allyson Karrin Allyson (pronounced ''KAR-in''; born Karrin Allyson Schoonover on July 27, 1963) is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including the ' ...

, Mark Murphy,

Rebecca Parris Rebecca Parris (December 28, 1951 – June 17, 2018) was an American jazz singer. During her career she appeared with Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Wynton Marsalis, Gary Burton, and Dizzy Gillespie. She performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival, North ...

, Annie Ross and Marlena Shaw. Johnson’s prominent collaborators include pianists Jessica Williams, beginning in Seattle in 1991, and

Hal Galper Harold Galper (born April 18, 1938) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator, and writer. Biography He was born in Salem, Massachusetts, United States. Galper studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz wh ...

, after they met at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival in 1993. He now leads various small ensembles, composes, and travels frequently for performance projects and recording dates around the world.

Discography

As leader

*''Harbinger'' (1984) *''My Heart'' (1992) *''Area 51'' (1992) *''Lost Men'' (1993) *''Maybeck Duets'' (1998) with

*''Free'' (1999) *''The Art of Falling'' (2001) *''Scenes'' (2001) with Scenes *''Winter: An Origin Records Holiday Collection'' (2002) with Hans Teuber, Dave Peterson and John Bishop (Drummer) *''Near Earth'' (2004) *''Along the Way'' (2006) with Scenes *''Furious Rubato'' (2007) with

and John Bishop (drummer) *''Tall Stranger'' (2008) *''Suitcase'' (2011) on Origin Records with Hans Teuber (Saxophones, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute), Steve Moore (Piano), Eric Eagle (Drums)

As sideman

*''A Gift'' (1988) Art Resnick *''A Glance Back'' (1992) Richard Cole (saxophonist) *''Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit'' (1992) John Bishop *''Momentum'' (1994) Jessica Williams *''A Song That I Heard'' (1994) Jessica Williams *''Live at Vartan Jazz'' (1994) Hal Galper Trio *''In the Pocket'' (1994) Jessica Williams *''Inventions'' (1995) Jessica Williams *''Rebop'' (1995)

Trio plus Jerry Bergonzi *''Joy'' (1996) Jessica Williams *''Fugue State'' (1997) Hal Galper Trio *''Choked Up'' (1997) Sharpshooters *''Now...Here...This'' (1997) Mike Denny *''Mothers Day in Albuquerque'' (1998) Bert Wilson *''Sweet Beat Blues'' (1998)

*''Jessica's Blues'' (1998) Jessica Williams *''Forever'' (1998) Jan Stentz Group *''Wish'' (1998) Kendra Shank *''In a Mellow Tone'' (1999) Ben Black *''Suddenly It's Bruno'' (1999) Jack Brownlow *''Here and Now'' (1999) Steve Korn *''Let's Call This That'' (1999)

*''Latina by Proxy'' (2000) Wenda Zonnefeld *''Remembered Faces/Private Places'' (2001) Ben Black *''The Wizard'' (2001)

Aaron Parks Aaron Parks (born October 7, 1983) is an American jazz pianist. Career A native of Seattle, Parks studied at the University of Washington at the age of 14 through the Transition School and Early Entrance Program as a double major in computer sc ...

*''Out of Seattle'' (2002) Dave Peck *''House of Jade'' (2004) Bill Macdonough Quartet *''Parallel Tracks'' (2004)

Randy Halberstadt Randy Halberstadt (born May 1, 1953) is an American jazz pianist, composer, recording artist, author, and teacher. In addition to leading his own trio and quintet and producing his own recordings (''Inner Voice'', ''Clockwork'', ''Parallel Tracks' ...

*''Individuation'' (2004) Thomas Marriott *''Nothing if Not Something'' (2004) John Bishop *''Good Road'' (2005) Dave Peck *''Both Side of the Fence'' (2006) Thomas Marriott *''More to The Ear than Meets the Eye'' (2006)

Bill Anschell Bill Anschell is a jazz pianist and composer. He has recorded seven CDs as a leader, and performed or recorded with many jazz greats. His original compositions and piano work are prominently featured on Freelon's Grammy Award-nominated recording ...

*''Shopping For Your Heart'' (2007) Jeff Baker *''Black Hills'' (2007) Tad Britton *''Shade'' (2008) Richard Cole *''One More Mile'' (2008) Brent Jensen et al. *''Harry's Fight'' (2008) Katie King *''Flexicon'' (2009) Thomas Marriott *''Apothecary'' (2009) on Origin Records with Jon Alberts (piano) and Tad Britton (Drums) *''E Pluribus Unum: Live in Seattle'' (2010) with

*''Airegin Revisited'' (2012) on Origin Records with

(piano) and John Bishop (drums)

Awards

* 2001 Earshot Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year * 2002 Northwest Recording of the Year, ''The Art of Falling'' * 2011 Inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame

External links

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

br>Official SiteOrigin RecordsSeattle Jazz Scene

References

Jeff Johnson
* Origin Records *

Earshot Jazz Earshot Jazz is a regional jazz non-profit organization in Seattle, Washington. It brings jazz musicians and enthusiasts from the greater Seattle area and around the Pacific Northwest to create an energetic and lively jazz community that wants to k ...

"Jeff Johnson: Open to the Moment" (June 2012, Vol. 28, No. 06) * The Arts Journal - Rifftides - "Jeff Johnson and the Contessa" by Doug Ramsey (June 15, 2006) {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Jeff 1954 births Living people American jazz double-bassists Male double-bassists 21st-century double-bassists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians