James P. Johnson

James Price Johnson (February 1 1894–November 17 1955) was an African-American pianist and composer. With Luckey Roberts, Johnson was one of the originators of the stride style of piano playing.

Johnson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. His family moved to New York City in 1908. His first professional engagement was at Coney Island in 1912.

Johnson's tune "Charleston" (which debuted in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild in 1923, although by some accounts Johnson had written it years earlier) became one of the most popular tunes and arguably the definitive dance number of the Roaring 1920s. His other hits included "You've Got to Be Modernistic", "Keep off the Grass", "Old Fashioned Love", "A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid", "Carolina Shout", "If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)", and "Snowy Morning Blues". He wrote music in many styles, including waltzes, ballet, symphonic pieces, and light opera; many of these ambitious, long-form pieces are presumed lost.

James Weldon Johnson, a pioneer of the African-American musical theater, had this to say about Johnson's style of playing: "It was music of a kind I had never heard before... The barbaric harmonies, the audacious resolutions, often consisting of an abrupt jump from one key to another, the intricate rhythms in which the accents fell in the most unexpected places, but in which the beat was never lost, produced a most curious effect, and to, the player — the dexterity of his left hand in making rapid octave runs and jumps was little short of marvelous; and with his right he frequently swept half the keyboard with clean cut chromatics which he fitted in so nicely as never to fail to arouse in his listeners a sort of pleasant surprise at the accomplishment of the feat."

Johnson served as mentor to Fats Waller. He was also an influence on such other pianists as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Art Tatum, and even Thelonious Monk. He was a sensitive accompanist; Johnson often recorded with Bessie Smith, and was reportedly her favorite pianist.

Beginning in the 1930s, Johnson was intermittently incapacitated by several strokes. When he returned to active performing in the early 1940s, he demonstrated his adaptability by leading a small swing group and performing regularly with Eddie Condon. He also did some studying and composing in these last few years with Maury Deutsch.

Johnson permanently retired from performing after a severe stroke in 1951. He died in Jamaica, New York.

External link

• James P. Johnson on RedHotJazz.com Biography with RAM files of many of James P. Johnson's historic recordings

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Allen Lowe. Liner notes from CD Runnin' Wild (1921–1926)', James P. Johnson (Tradition)

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