album · April 1, 1957

Blue Trombone

J. J. Johnson

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Music ManagerSee this day

jazzcool jazzrhythm and blues

This 1957 album features J. J. Johnson in a quintet setting, exploring the cool jazz sound with an emphasis on sophisticated arrangements and smooth improvisations.

• Recorded on March 7 and 10, 1957, at the Van Gelder Studios in Hackensack, New Jersey.
• The album was produced by Bob Weinstock for the label Music Manager.
• Features a lineup including Tommy Flanagan on piano, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Art Taylor on drums, with Kenny Dorham on trumpet.

J. J. Johnson was a trombonist, composer, and arranger, and a pivotal figure in the development of jazz, particularly known for his role in popularizing the tenor trombone in the bebop and cool jazz idioms. By 1957, Johnson had already established himself as a leading trombonist, having recently completed highly regarded recordings with the Jazz at the Philharmonic ensemble and Miles Davis's early groups.