JJ's gear

[rubberchops]

I am curious what equipment JJ Johnson used. I am especially curious about the Proof Positive album from 1964. His sound on My Funny Valentine is so smooth. That is what trombones should sound like.

[BGuttman]

JJ was known for playing a King 3B and later a Yamaha (don't know what model). His sound would be great on anything -- he worked hard on it.

[Bach5G]

Yamaha 691.

[Vegasbound]

3b at the time your talking about

Yamaha 691 ( 3b based)

Sterling silver bell Bach 16M he used on the last recording he made in London, and Mark Nightingale did have that horn, not sure if he still does?

[Fidbone]

3b at the time your talking about

Yamaha 691 ( 3b based)

Sterling silver bell Bach 16M he used on the last recording he made in London, and Mark Nightingale did have that horn, not sure if he still does?

Mark had a Bach 16 Sterling not 16M which he played before the very first Rath R1. Not sure it was JJ's!!
I believe Andy Wood has it!

[baileyman]

I recall JJ had a 2B slide adapted to a 3B bell?

[rubberchops]

Interesting. Thanks for the replies. How about mouthpieces? Was there one he consistently used or did he like to experiment?

[GabrielRice]

Interesting. Thanks for the replies. How about mouthpieces? Was there one he consistently used or did he like to experiment?

King M21

[Vegasbound]

Interesting. Thanks for the replies. How about mouthpieces? Was there one he consistently used or did he like to experiment?

M21 as mentioned

[chromebone]

I recall JJ had a 2B slide adapted to a 3B bell?

He had that setup and later a 3B slide mated to a 4B bell.
The story I heard why JJ switched to Yamaha was he planning his comeback in the late 80’s, so he called King to get a new horn being as he had been a long time endorser. In the intervening years when he wasn’t playing, King was taken over by UMI, and when he called, no one in management knew who he was or seemed interested in doing anything for him. He immediately called Yamaha, who were more than happy to have him.

[Bach5G]

You’re some marketing guy at Yamaha and a fellow calls, says he’s JJ Johnson.

[HermanGerman]

You’re some marketing guy at Yamaha and a fellow calls, says he’s JJ Johnson.

And you say, who cares..

[TromboneTallie]

You’re some marketing guy at Yamaha and a fellow calls, says he’s JJ Johnson.

And you say, who cares..

Well he's no longer with us, so... Perfectly natural reaction from Yamaha in 2022 lol

[Matt K]

My understanding is that story is often missing out on key details that I don't remember quite precisely off the top of my head... but I believe was more akin to going to the local music store who happened to be a King dealer.

[DaveAshley]

I think that by '64, he was on a 3B with the 3B slide (instead of the 2B.)

I've seen many 60's/70's photos of him with a 3B Silver Sonic. It's most obvious on the cover of his 70's album, "Pinnacles". There was also a black lacquered King on the cover of the album "J.J.!"

Later on, he had a very unique custom-built horn, with a 10 inch bell and some kind of interesting continuously-opening bore system. It's owned by his Indiana repairman, a friend of mine who lives in Elkhart.

[jorymil]

There's a few pages in _The_Musical_World_of_J.J._Johnson_ that go into his equipment choices. It references an article by Tom Everett from 1988 in the ITA Journal:

Everett, Tom. "J.J. Johnson: On the Road Again." ITA Journal 16 (No. 3, Summer, 1988), pp. 22-29.

If anyone knows where to find a copy of this, I'd be interested.

[bellend]

3b at the time your talking about

Yamaha 691 ( 3b based)

Sterling silver bell Bach 16M he used on the last recording he made in London, and Mark Nightingale did have that horn, not sure if he still does?

Mark had a Bach 16 Sterling not 16M which he played before the very first Rath R1. Not sure it was JJ's!!
I believe Andy Wood has it!

Yes , that's correct .

Mark brought the horn back from the U.S. where he had bought it off a trade stand at the ITF he was performing at.
He said he'd tried litterally every medium bore horn there and that was the best one.
I've played it , and it is fantastic and now belongs to Andy Wood.
No connection to JJ I'm afraid.

BellEnd

[rickfaulknernyc]

I once caught J.J. at the Blue Note in NYC (sometime in the early 90's). He was trying out a prototype horn with a HUGE bell - seemed like at least 12". I don't think he liked it much, though, because he only played it on one or two tunes. Must've been an experiment he was trying with Yamaha.

[rickfaulknernyc]

Later on, he had a very unique custom-built horn, with a 10 inch bell and some kind of interesting continuously-opening bore system. It's owned by his Indiana repairman, a friend of mine who lives in Elkhart.

I wonder if that's the horn I saw him trying out in the early 90's (see above). I remember the bell seeming bigger than 10", though - on stage it looked freakishly large.

[jorymil]

The book mentions that he was trying out a horn with a 12" bell flare: he was really going for that full conical sound.

[DaveAshley]

I’m certain it’s the same horn.

[Doug Elliott]

I also heard him at the Blue Note using that horn for a tune or two - interesting but it didn't sound like it worked out very well.

I went to NY for two consecutive nights at the Blue Note, to hear Slide one night and JJ the other.

[whyking]

I love posts like this, super interesting read about one of the trombone legends! I play a King 2B+ myself, which feels like a nice mix right between the 2B and 3B. Best of both worlds, I'd say

Now if I could only sound like JJ on it…

[OneTon]

My understanding is that story is often missing out on key details that I don't remember quite precisely off the top of my head... but I believe was more akin to going to the local music store who happened to be a King dealer.

One of my acquaintances uncharacteristically answered an “unknown caller number” on his cellphone not too long before COVID. He was able quickly to determine that it really was Wynton Marcellus. It can happen.

[timbone]

I am a long time listener, student, and collector of his recordings. I got to see him live around 88 I think and I got tickets center row right down front. Of course he was in his twilight career but he was playing a Yamaha and was literally splitting my head with high F's! All the recordings I've heard he doesn't seem to go higher than a D (satin doll I think), perhaps someone can show me otherwise? Years ago I devised a little training routine where I took seven or eight of his heads/transcriptions, and made a practice routine out of it. Tunes like Don't Argue, Flat Black, Hip Bones I think. The biggest wakeup is when you try and hang on his tempos, then you realize how relaxed and quick he was....and how much work I have to do.... :/

[EriKon]

One recording of JJ playing high F that comes to my mind:

That's been the Yamaha period, I guess. At least according to the booklet pictures.


Also haven't seen that mentioned, but there are also pictures or at least I've seen one with JJ holding a Williams. Did he play it? Who knows...

[GGJazz]

Hi everyone.

There are some late ' 50 recording of J. J. in which he is playing high Eb .
This is the one I remember right now :

Sonny Rollins Quintet ( vol. 2) : Why don't I ? ( around 04:45 , on the trades with drums , he is playing an high Eb)


In many of his recording he is playing high D ; considering the ease with which he perform this note ( super-resonant , very centered , ecc) , to me is quite obvious that this high D is not the last high note he could reach ...

Regards
Giancarlo