Freddy Johnson

Freddy Johnson; Freddie Johnson ( born March 12, 1904 in New York City; † March 23, 1961 in New York City ) was an American jazz pianist, singer and bandleader.

Life and work

Johnson began his career as an accompanist in Florence Mills; In 1924 he formed his own band. In 1925 he worked with Elmer Snowden and 1926 with Billy Fowler. After a short collaboration with Henri Saparo and Noble Sissle, he joined the band of Sam Wooding, with which he came to Europe in June 1928. In 1929, he parted from Wooding and remained in Paris to perform there as a soloist. During this time he also worked with Arthur Briggs and put together your own jazz band, with whom he also accompanied Marlene Dietrich. 1933/34, Johnson played in the band of vocalist Freddy Taylor; in February 1934 Johnson left Paris and worked in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Mid-1930s, he contributed to recordings of the Quintette du Hot Club de France. In Amsterdam, he led with Lex Van Spall together an ensemble; in the Negro Palace he played in a trio with Coleman Hawkins. Later he played with Max Woiski in his own club La Cubana in Amsterdam. In this club he joined on until December 11, 1941 until he was arrested after the German occupation of the Netherlands by the Nazis. Because of his American citizenship, he was regarded as the enemy and was interned from January 1942 to February 1944 in Bavaria; after which he was exchanged, and came back to the United States.

After his return, he worked with George James, 1944, he was member of the band by Garvin Bushell in New York. In the late 1940s and early 1950s he worked mostly as a piano and voice teacher; besides he had some appearances as a soloist in the Well's Club New York. In 1959 he returned to Europe as part of the Free and Easy show and came three weeks in the Netherlands.

After the outbreak of cancer he had to go in the fall of 1960, a hospital in Copenhagen; after his return to New York, he died in March 1961 at St. Barnabas Hospital.

Lexigraphic entries

  • John Chilton Who's Who of Jazz - Storyville to Swing Street, ISBN 0306802430 page 169

Comments

  • Jazz Pianist
  • Jazz Singer
  • American musician
  • Born in 1904
  • Died in 1961
  • Man
Arthur Briggs (musician) Leonard Feather
349649
de