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James Price Johnson

p, 1894-1955 JM
Musician of Jazz

Jazz pianist born February 1, 1894, New Brunswick, New Jersey, died November 17, 1955, Jamaica New York James P. Johnson was an important transitional figure between ragtime and jazz piano styles. His style became known as Stride. As a boy, Johnson studied Classical music and Ragtime. He started playing professionally in a sporting house, and then progressed to rent parties, bars and vaudeville. He eventually became known as the best piano player on the East Coast and was widely utilized as an accompanist on over 400 recordings and from 1916 on, produced hundreds of piano rolls under his own name. He backed up many of the Classic Blues singers of the 1920s, such as Ida Cox, Ethel Waters and Bessie Smith. Johnson's 1921 recording of Carolina Shout is considered to be the first recorded Jazz piano solo by some critics, although it sounds a lot like Ragtime to this listener's ears. He wrote several musical revues, including "Running Wild" and "Plantation Days" and his 1928 collaboration with his former piano student Fats Waller, "Keep Shufflin'". His song "Charleston" from "Running Wild" was one of the best known and most widely recorded songs of 1920s. Other hits included "Old Fashioned Love" and "If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)". Johnson composed several symphonic works, which include "Yamecraw: A Negro Rhapsody" (1928), "Tone Poem" (1930), "Symphony Harlem " (1932), a symphonic version of W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" (1937), and the one-act opera "De Organizer" (1940), with lyrics by Langston Hughes. None of his symphonic works were very popular and have seldom been performed. Johnson is generally considered the "Father of the Stride" piano, and was a major influence on some of Jazz's great pianists such as Duke Ellington, Fats Waller and Thelonious Monk. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

     
Instruments
  • Piano
  • Vocals
Genres
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Classical

Band Members
Discography



Title Artist Year Type
Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943)James Price Johnson2016Compil.
The James P. Johnson CollectionJames Price Johnson2015Compil.
The Symphonic MusicJames Price Johnson, The Concordia Orchestra2011Album
Parlor Piano Solos From Rare Piano RollsJames Price Johnson2008Compil.
The Gods Are In The HouseJames Price Johnson, Art Tatum, Fats Waller2001Album
Carolina Shout - 'Father Of The Stride Piano'James Price Johnson2000Compil.
1945-1947James Price Johnson1999Compil.
The Original James P. Johnson (1942-1945: Piano Solos)James Price Johnson1996Compil.
His Best Recordings 1921 - 1944James Price Johnson1996Compil.
Hot PianoJames Price Johnson1996Compil.
1943-1944James Price Johnson1995Compil.
The Best Of James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1995Compil.
James P. Johnson & Coleman HawkinsJames Price Johnson & Coleman Hawkins1995Compil.
1944 Vol. 2James Price Johnson1995Compil.
Victory Stride (The Symphonic Music Of James P. Johnson)James Price Johnson, The Concordia Orchestra, Marin Alsop, Leslie Stifelman1994Album
Backwater Blues: The Stride Piano Of James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1994Album
Reminiscing At Blue NoteEarl Hines, Pete Johnson, James Price Johnson1994Compil.
RagtimeScott Joplin, James Price Johnson1994Album
Victory Stride (The Symphonic Music Of James P. Johnson)James Price Johnson, The Concordia Orchestra, Marin Alsop, Leslie Stifelman1994Album
1938-1942James Price Johnson1993Compil.
1928-1938James Price Johnson1992Compil.
Harlem Stride Piano 1921/1929James Price Johnson1992Compil.
James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1992Album
1921-1928James Price Johnson1992Compil.
Snowy Morning BluesJames Price Johnson1991Album
The DeanJames Price Johnson1991Compil.
Feelin' BlueJames Price Johnson1990Compil.
James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1989Compil.
Carolina ShoutJames Price Johnson1988Album
James P. Johnson 1928-31James Price Johnson1986Compil.
Feelin' BlueJames Price Johnson1986Compil.
From Ragtime To Jazz: Complete Piano Solos 1921-39James Price Johnson1985Compil.
The Complete Edmond Hall / James P. Johnson / Sidney De Paris / Vic Dickenson Blue Note SessionsEdmond Hall / James Price Johnson / Sidney De Paris / Vic Dickenson1985Compil.
The Symphonic Jazz Of James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson, William Albright1984Album
Ragtime Back To BackJames Price Johnson / Scott Joplin1981Compil.
Giants Of Jazz: James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1981Compil.
A Flat DreamJames Price Johnson1980Compil.
Father Of The Stride PianoJames Price Johnson1980Compil.
James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1980Compil.
Piano In Style (1926-1930)Jelly Roll Morton, James Price Johnson, Clarence "Pinetop" Smith1980Compil.
Art Tatum Masterpieces Volume II And James P. Johnson Plays Fats WallerArt Tatum / James Price Johnson1977Compil.
CharlestonJames Price Johnson - Dick Hyman1975Album
At His Rare Of All Rarest Performances Vol. 1James Price Johnson1975Album
"Piano In Style" 1926-1930Jelly Roll Morton, James Price Johnson, Clarence "Pinetop" Smith1974Compil.
1921-1926James Price Johnson1974Compil.
Daddy Of The Stride PianoJames Price Johnson1974Album
The Original James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1973Album
The Dixieland AgePee Wee Russell, Eddie Condon, James Price Johnson, Albert Nicholas And Tony Parenti1972Compil.
1917 - Vol 2James Price Johnson1972Album
1917-21James Price Johnson1970Compil.
James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1966Compil.
Jazz At Town Hall Volume 1Sidney Bechet, Baby Dodds, James Price Johnson, Pops Foster, Johnny WIndhurst, Mezz Mezzrow, Vernon Brown, Art Hodes, George Wettling, Pee Wee Russell, Muggsy Spanier, Miff Mole1965Album
Carolina ShoutJames Price Johnson1963Single
Yamekraw - An Original Composition By James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1962Album
Father Of The Stride PianoJames Price Johnson1962Album
Father Of The Stride PianoJames Price Johnson1962Album
Jazz Of The Forties: Volume OneSidney Bechet, Vernon Brown, Baby Dodds, Pops Foster, Art Hodes, James Price Johnson, Mezz Mezzrow, Miff Mole, Pee Wee Russell, Muggsy Spanier, George Wettling, Johnny WIndhurst1960Album
James P. JohnsonJames Price Johnson1958Single
Farewell To James P.James Price Johnson / Jimmy Johnson And His Orchestra1956Single
Harlem Party PianoJames Price Johnson, Charles "Luckey" Roberts1956Album
Carnival For ThreeJames Price Johnson, Omer Simeon, Pops Foster1956Single
Piano Jazz Vol. 2: Barrel House And Boogie WoogieJelly Roll Morton, Mary Lou Williams, Alexander Hill, James Price Johnson, Frank Melrose1955Compil.
Early Harlem Piano: Volume 2James Price Johnson1954Album
Stomps Rags And Blues - Rent Party PianoJames Price Johnson1951Album
Old Fashioned Love / RiffsJames Price Johnson1950Album
Laughin' Cryin' Blues / RoumaniaFats Waller / James Price Johnson1950Album
The Daddy Of The PianoJames Price Johnson1950Album
There'll Be Some Changes Made / Zutty's Hootie BluesThe Rhythmakers Featuring James Price Johnson, Zutty Singleton, Dickie Wells1948Album
Make Me A Pallet On The Floor / 18th Street StrutJames Price Johnson / Fats Waller1947Album
Fats Waller FavoritesJames Price Johnson1946Album
I Found A New Baby / Everybody Loves My BabyPee Wee Russell, Zutty Singleton And James Price Johnson1946Album
Snowy Morning Blues / I Never KnewJames Price Johnson / Peck's Bad Boys1945Album
Mule Walk-Stomp / Arkansaw BluesJames Price Johnson1944Album
Back Water Blues / Carolina BalmoralJames Price Johnson1944Album
Improvisation On Pine Top's Boogie Woogie / Caprice RagJames Price Johnson1943Album
J. P. Boogie / Gut StompJames Price Johnson1943Album
Boogie Woogie Stride / ImpressionsJames Price Johnson1942Album
I've Found A New Baby / How Could I Be BlueJames Price Johnson And Clarence Williams1930Album
Jingles / You've Got To Be ModernisticJames Price Johnson1930Album
Bleeding Hearted Blues / You Can't Do What My Last Man DidJames Price Johnson1923Album
Weeping Blues / Worried And Lonesome BluesJames Price Johnson1923Album
Keep Off The Grass / Carolina ShoutJames Price Johnson1922Album
Daintyness Rag / Aincha Got RhythmJames Price JohnsonAlbum
New York JazzJames Price JohnsonAlbum
Those Irresistible BluesSue Keller, Hart A. Wand, Lloyd Garrett, W. C. Handy, Zez Confrey, Lada, Spencer Williams, George E. Jefferson, George W. Thomas, Lemual Fowler, Thomas Dorsey, James Price JohnsonAlbum
The Harlem Strut / Unknown BluesJames Price Johnson / Fletcher HendersonAlbum
Harlem Stride Piano Solos 1944James Price JohnsonCompil.
Piano Jazz Volume 2: Barrel House And Boogie WoogieJelly Roll Morton, Mary Lou Williams, Alexander Hill, James Price Johnson, Frank MelroseCompil.
Rare Piano Rags - 1920/1923James Price JohnsonAlbum
Back Water Blues / Carolina BalmoralJames Price JohnsonAlbum
Roumania/ Laughin' Cryin' BluesFats Waller, James Price JohnsonAlbum
Blues For Fats / Blueberry RhymeJames Price JohnsonAlbum
Sounds Of JazzJames Price Johnson, Joe SullivanSingle
Just Before DawnJames Price JohnsonSingle
Riffs / Trombone ChollyJames Price Johnson And Bessie Smith And Her Blue BoysAlbum
Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now / Ain't Misbehavin'James Price JohnsonAlbum
I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling / Honeysuckle RoseJames Price JohnsonAlbum
1944-1945James Price JohnsonCompil.
Early Harlem PianoJames Price JohnsonAlbum
Four O'Clock GrooveJames Price JohnsonAlbum
Watch Me Go! Rare Accompaniments: 1921-34James Price JohnsonCompil.
Ain'tcha Got MusicJames Price JohnsonAlbum
Rare SolosJames Price JohnsonAlbum
Louisiana Sugar BabiesFats Waller, James Price JohnsonSingle
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To all the music fans that are contributing on Discogs, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Thanks to Franz Flückiger for providing Storygram used to visualize band membership.
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