The Symphonic Jazz of James P. Johnson - William Albright

Jazz of James P Johnson liner notes

James Price Johnson (1894-1955) was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and lived for most of his life in New York City. His first piano rolls, mostly syncopated songs and rags of his own composition, appeared in 1917. By the mid-1920s, a succession of solo piano recordings (in particular, the classics Carolina Shout, Keep Off the Grass and Snowy Mornin' Blues) had demonstrated not only his formidable piano technique, but also his ability to create new music out of ragtime and blues. He had become the most important New York jazz pianist. His recording career continued until well into the 1940s and included many original solos, blues accompaniments for such greats as Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters, and band recordings with King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Pee Wee Russell and Louis Armstrong. As a songwriter, his first major success was the 1923 score to the all-black Broadway musical Runnin' Wild, which introduced the Charleston and Old-­Fashioned Love. He went on to produce over 200 songs, including the scores to more than a dozen musicals.