Bunk Johnson
William Geary " Bunk " Johnson ( * December 27 1879 in New Orleans, † July 7, 1949 in New Iberia, Louisiana ), was American cornetist and trumpeter of traditional jazz. He is regarded as the central figure of the New Orleans revival.
Life and work
Johnson was among the first generation of Jazzkornettisten to Buddy Bolden, Freddie Keppard and King Oliver. It is believed that he has brought forward his birth year to 10 years reasons as yet unknown and was actually born in 1889. Around the turn of the century, he joined the band allegedly from Adam Olivier, but he left due to his lack of touch skills to, among other things To play at Buddy Bolden. He played in 1910 in New Orleans in the Superior Orchestra by Billy Marrero, moved in the same year to Dusens Eagle Band, and then play with Clarence Williams. In 1916 he played with the Royal Orchestra in Lake Charles, 1917 in Baton Rouge; Then he toured with a vaudeville minstrel show and a circus. After 1920 he was a member of the Black Eagle Band, and also toured with the band banner. In 1931 it came to a serious incident when the Black Eagle Band was involved in an altercation during a concert, a band member killed in consequence and nearly all the instruments of the band were destroyed. Bunk Johnson lost his instruments in addition to a large part of his teeth and settled in 1932 in New Iberia down. With the onset of the swing era, he was forced to earn his living, inter alia, as a truck driver, workers, and part-time music teacher for children and fell into oblivion.
1937 sat down but then the authors of the book " Jazzmen ", William "Bill" Russell and Frederick Ramsey Jr., in connection with Bunk Johnson and gave him a new set of teeth - by working as a dentist brother of Sidney Bechet - as well as a new instrument. Until 1942, he worked on plantations in Louisiana before but then at the behest of Bill Russell on June 11, 1942 in New Orleans with George Lewis ( clarinet), Jim Robinson (trombone ), Walter Decou ( piano ), Lawrence Marrero ( banjo ), Austin Young ( bass) and Ernest Rogers (drums ) Records and recorded a brilliant comeback experienced. In 1943 he played with Lu Watters ' Yerba Blues Band, concerted, 1945 in Boston with Sidney Bechet and then to 1947 with Baby Dodds and George Lewis in New York. He was instrumental in the revival of New Orleans jazz and participates in these years on a variety of recordings in New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston, New York and Minneapolis, before retiring after a first stroke in 1948 and died on July 7, 1949.
Disco Graphical Notes
- Bunk Johnson in San Francisco ( American Music, 1943-44 )
- Bunk Johnson in 1944 ( American Music, 1944)
- Bunk 's Brass Band and dance band in 1945 ( American Music, 1945)
- Last Testament ( Delmark, 1947)