Plas Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Johnny Beecher |
| Born | Plas John Johnson, Jr. (1931-07-21)July 21, 1931 (age 94) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments | Saxophone, piccolo, flute, clarinet |
Plas John Johnson Jr. (/plæz/) (born July 21, 1931)[1] is an Americansoul-jazz andhard boptenor saxophonist, probably most widely known as the tenor saxophone soloist onHenry Mancini’s "The Pink Panther Theme". He also performs on alto and baritone sax as well as various flutes and clarinets.
Born inDonaldsonville, Louisiana, United States,[2] Johnson sang with his family's group until his saxophonist father bought him asoprano saxophone.[2] Largely self-taught, he soon began playingalto and latertenor saxophone. He and his pianist brother Ray first recorded as the Johnson Brothers inNew Orleans in the late 1940s. He first toured with R&B singerCharles Brown in 1951.[3] After army service, he and his brother moved to Los Angeles in 1954,[4] and he soon began session recordings as a full-time musician, backing artists such asB.B. King andJohnny Otis as well as scores of other R&B performers.[5][6][7] An early supporter wasMaxwell Davis, who hired him to take over his own parts so that he could concentrate on producing sessions for theModern record label.[6]
Recruited by Johnny Otis and executiveDave Cavanaugh forCapitol Records in the mid-1950s, Johnson also played on innumerable records byPeggy Lee,Nat "King" Cole,Glen Gray,Frank Sinatra and others. He remained a leading session player for almost twenty years, averaging two sessions a day and playing everything from movie soundtracks andLes Baxter'sexotica albums, to rock and roll singles by such artists asRicky Nelson andBobby Vee, andR&B records by such performers asLarry Williams,Bobby Day, andRichard Berry. He played on many of theBeach Boys’ records, and was an integral part of a number of instrumental groups that existed in name only, such asB. Bumble and the Stingers andThe Marketts.[6] He is featured in the 2008 documentaryThe Wrecking Crew (2008 film) regarding his experience in LA studios at the time (see alsoThe Wrecking Crew (music)). Unlike many session musicians of the time he became known by name, but for a time also recorded under the pseudonymJohnny Beecher for the budget CRC Charter label to avoid contractual disputes.[6][8]
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was a regular member of Henry Mancini's studio orchestra and in 1963 he recorded "The Pink Panther Theme", written by Mancini with Johnson in mind.[2] Johnson said of the recording: "We only did two takes, I think... When we finished, everyone applauded -- even the string players. And that's saying something... They never applaud for anything."[3]
In 1969,T-Bone Walker introducedHarmonica Slim to the record producerBob Thiele. Thiele utilised a company of jazz and R&B musicians including Johnson, to work with Harmonica Slim on his debut album.[9][10]
Johnson joined the studio band for theMerv Griffin Show in 1970, and also played with a number of jazz and swing bands of the period. He joinedLincoln Mayorga in creating direct-to-disc recordings for Sheffield Labs. He later recorded for theConcord label, worked with theCapp-Pierce Juggernaut, and toured in 1990 with theGene Harris Superband.[5] He has performed at numerous jazz festivals.[7]
WithRay Anthony
WithChet Baker
WithLes Baxter
WithBenny Carter
WithRy Cooder
WithSam Cooke
WithRita Coolidge
WithClifford Coulter
WithBobby Darin
WithNeil Diamond
WithDr. John
WithElla Fitzgerald
WithMarvin Gaye
WithEtta James
WithElton John
WithB.B. King
WithCarole King
WithNicolette Larson
WithPeggy Lee
WithHenry Mancini
WithTeena Marie
WithThe Marketts
WithLes McCann
WithBette Midler
WithLiza Minnelli
WithJoni Mitchell
WithMaria Muldaur
WithJohn Neel
WithAaron Neville
WithThe Platters
WithMinnie Riperton
WithJohnny Rivers
WithShorty Rogers
WithLinda Ronstadt
WithPete Rugolo
WithBoz Scaggs
WithLalo Schifrin
WithRhoda Scott
WithSteely Dan
WithRod Stewart
WithTom Waits
WithLarry Williams
WithDeniece Williams
With theGerald Wilson Orchestra
