James P. Johnson
James Price Johnson (February 1, 1894 – November 17, 1955) was an American pianist and composer. A pioneer of stride piano, he was one of the most important pianists in the early era of recording, and like Jelly Roll Morton, one of the key figures in the evolution of ragtime into what was eventually called jazz. Johnson was a major influence on Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, and Fats Waller, who was his student. Johnson composed many hit songs, including the unofficial anthem of the Roaring Twenties, "The Charleston", and he remained the acknowledged king of New York jazz pianists through most of the 1930s. Johnson's artistry, influence on early popular music, and contributions to musical theatre are often overlooked, and as such, he has been referred to by musicologist David Schiff as "The Invisible Pianist." |
Birth and Death Data: Born February 1, 1894 (New Brunswick), Died November 17, 1955 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1918 - 1951
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer, songwriter, leader, director, lyricist, banjo, guitar
Notes: Sometimes listed as Jimmy Johnson.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 176-200 of 258 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OKeh | W403597 | 10-in. | 1/8/1930 | Monkey and the baboon | Lonnie Johnson ; Spencer Williams | Male vocal duet, with guitar, piano, and woodblocks | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W403598 | 10-in. | 1/8/1930 | Wipe it off | Lonnie Johnson ; Clarence Williams | Male vocal duet, with piano, guitar, and sandpaper | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W403749 | 10-in. | 2/7/1930 | The dirty dozen | Lonnie Johnson ; Clarence Williams | Male vocal duet, with piano | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W403750 | 10-in. | 2/7/1930 | Keep it to yourself | Lonnie Johnson ; Spencer Williams | Male vocal duet, with guitar and piano | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W404406 | 10-in. | 8/19/1930 | If I could be with you (One hour to-night) | Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra | Jazz/ dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
OKeh | W404453 | 10-in. | 9/16/1930 | If I could be with you (One hour tonight) | Seger Ellis | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | composer | |
Brunswick | VO1038 | 10-in. | 6/25/1931 | I need lovin’ | Alabama Washboard Stompers | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Brunswick | 10829 | 10-in. | 6/13/1923 | You can’t do what my last man did | Minerva Green | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
Brunswick | 9133-9135 | 10-in. | approximately Nov. 1922 | Ivy | Isham Jones Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Brunswick | 11930-11933 | 10-in. | 11/21/1923 | Old-fashioned love | Benny Krueger’s Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Brunswick | E27463 | 10-in. | 5/1/1928 | Exhortation | Jubilee Glee Club ; Johnny Vigal | Male vocal solo and vocal chorus, with piano | composer, instrumentalist, piano | |
Brunswick | E27534 | 10-in. | 5/10/1928 | Echoes of ole Dixie Land | Jubilee Glee Club ; Johnny Vigal | Male vocal solo and vocal chorus, with piano | songwriter, instrumentalist, piano | |
Brunswick | E31956 | 10-in. | 1/21/1930 | Crying for the Carolines | James P. Johnson | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
Brunswick | E31957 | 10-in. | 1/21/1930 | What is this thing called love? | James P. Johnson | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
Brunswick | E31958 | 10-in. | 1/21/1930 | You’ve got to be modernistic | James P. Johnson | Piano solo | composer, instrumentalist, piano | |
Brunswick | E31959 | 10-in. | 1/21/1930 | Jingles | James P. Johnson | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano, composer | |
Brunswick | E33943 | 10-in. | Aug. 1930 | If I could be with you | Marion Harris | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Brunswick | E34202 | 10-in. | Sept. 1930 | If I could be with you | Marion Harris | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Brunswick | E34908 | 10-in. | 10/13/1930 | If I could be with you | Alabama Washboard Stompers | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Brunswick | E34909 | 10-in. | 10/13/1930 | The porter’s love song | Alabama Washboard Stompers | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Brunswick | E4392-E4394 | 10-in. | 1/12/1927 | Alabama stomp | Five Pennies ; Red Nichols | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Brunswick | E4795-E4797 | 10-in. | 4/4/1927 | Oh, Malinda | Rex Stewart Harlem Serenaders | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Brunswick | E7232-E7233 | 10-in. | 3/26/1928 | What’s the use of being alone? | Johnny Dunn’s Original Jazz Hounds | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
Brunswick | E16493-E16495 | 10-in. | 10/2/1925 | The original Charleston | Isham Jones Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
Brunswick | C6101 | 10-in. | Aug. 1930 | If I could be with you | Tom Gerun Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) | songwriter |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, James P.," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103380.
Johnson, James P.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103380.
"Johnson, James P.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: James P. Johnson
Discogs: James P. Johnson
Allmusic: James P. Johnson
Grove: James P. Johnson
IMDb: James P. Johnson
Britannica: James P. Johnson
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Johnson, James P. (James Price), 1894-1955 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81139253
Wikidata: James P. Johnson - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q550541
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/22327647
MusicBrainz: James P. Johnson - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/2a58b026-9659-4bfb-90c9-56c4ad9125f1
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