The Musical World of J.J. Johnson (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Louis G., III Bourgois (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Musical World of J.J. Johnson is a fascinatingly written, stimulating, and scholarly exploration of the musical development of one of the jazz giants of the twentieth century, placed in historical and personal context. One in a series called 'Studies in Jazz' produced by Dan Morgenstern and Edward Berger for the Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers, it will be the definitive scholarly resource on J.J. Johnson and his music for a long time to come." -- Victor L. Schermer, http://www.allaboutjazz.com

--there are no published biographies of the greatest trombonist of the twentieth century, J.J. Johnson--that is, until now. Thanks to the monumental efforts of Joshua Berrett and Louis G. Bourgois III, the life of this giant of jazz has been documented in their new book, THE MUSICAL WORLD OF J.J. JOHNSON. Heavily footnoted and with more than 200 pages devoted to JJ's CD and film discography, a catalogue of his compositions, an extensive bibliography, and a selected list of CD's and scores from the trombonist's personal library, this is a volume that belongs in every jazz library! -- Cadence, January 2000

Product Description

J.J. Johnson, known as the spiritual father of modern trombone, has been a notable figure in the history of jazz. His career has embodied virtually every innovation and development in jazz over the past half-century. In this first comprehensive biography, filmography, catalog of compositions, and discography of J.J. Johnson, Berrett and Bourgois fill a major gap in jazz studies. In its exploration of the various turning points in Johnson's life, "The Musical World of J.J. Johnson" offers a provocative and comprehensive declaration of the makings of a jazz legend. This innovative analysis details Johnson's childhood and early education, documents his first compositions, and examines his classical roots, thereby creating a unique and powerful illustration of the composer's technical and stylistic development.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press (September 28, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810836483
• ISBN-13: 978-0810836488
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,186,699 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars At last, a book about the father of modern jazz trombone., October 19, 1999

By	"jeffryt" (Milpitas, California United States) - See all my reviews

With the bookstores bulging with titles on Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, its about time that someone covered the modest master of the modern jazz trombone, J. J. Johnson. The discography alone is fascinating, listing numerous early Benny Carter and Count Basie sessions that J. J. played on. The only quibble on the discography is the scant information on the rare, recorded in the U. S., only released in Japan, album with Kai Winding called Stonebones. That and the numerous later listings of private audience tapes that most of us have never had the opportunity to hear.

All of J. J.'s long career is here. The early years as the prototype bop trombonist, his association with Kai Winding, his time in the Hollywood studios as a composer for TV and film. There is even a description of J. J.'s home studio and his personal collection of sheet music and records.

You can also find transcribed J. J. solos and excerpts from his original compositions throughout the book.

A pricey book, but well worth it for aficionados of jazz trombone or the history of jazz.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant bio of a brilliant musician, November 3, 1999

By	Joseph C Sustar ([e-mail]) (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

The in depth look at JJ's Hollywood career and his work with Q. Jones and I. Hayes is amazing and seldom mentioned outside of this book. Every aspect of this bio of the greatest jazz trombonist ever is fantastic.

5.0 out of 5 stars Trombone lovers unite!!!, October 17, 2007

By	~Leann "academy252" (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Musical World of J.J. Johnson (Studies in Jazz, 35) (Paperback)

I bought this book for my son. He is doing a research paper for school and his topic is J.J. Johnson. It is a very comprehensive text and has been his primary source. He is thoroughly enjoying it. The price was a bit offsetting but since my husband is a trombone player and band director I felt it was a worthwhile resource for him, too. I was right. He said he has never seen a more thorough book on Johnson and it is full of great information on the trombone music of the 50's and 60's and on into the 90's. It also has a wide sampling of musical score illustrations for a good playing challenge. If you are a trombone enthusiast this book is a must-have for your reading collection.