James "Osie" Johnson (January 11, 1923, in Washington, D.C. – February 10, 1966, in New York City) was a jazz drummer, arranger and singer.[1]
Johnson studied at Armstrong Highschool where he was classmates with Leo Parker and Frank Wess.[1] He first worked with Sabby Lewis and then, after service in the United States Navy, freelanced for a time in Chicago. From 1951 to 1953, he was a member of Earl Hines's band.[2]
He can be heard on albums by Paul Gonsalves, Zoot Sims, and Mose Allison and is the drummer on Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife". (Some sources list Don Lamond as the drummer on "Mack the Knife") and on Ray Conniff's first album 'S Wonderful!. He recorded the album A Bit of the Blues as a singer and had arranged at a "hit" for singer Dinah Washington. His final recordings as a singer were on a J. J. Johnson album, now compiled as a collection called Goodies.
In 1957, Johnson appeared with Thelonious Monk and Ahmed Abdul-Malik on The Sound of Jazz.[3]
Johnson died from kidney failure in 1966, at the age of 43.[1]
With Manny Albam
With Mose Allison
With Bob Brookmeyer
With Clifford Brown
With Ray Bryant
With Kenny Burrell
With Jimmy Cleveland
With Arnett Cobb
With Al Cohn
With Freddy Cole
With Art Farmer
With Curtis Fuller
With Bennie Green
With Freddie Green
With Urbie Green
With Tiny Grimes
With Gigi Gryce
With Lionel Hampton
With Johnny Hartman
With Coleman Hawkins
With Johnny Hodges
With Claude Hopkins
With Langston Hughes
With Illinois Jacquet
With J. J. Johnson
With Hank Jones
With Quincy Jones
With Mundell Lowe
With Junior Mance
With Gary McFarland
With Howard McGhee
With Carmen McRae
With Helen Merrill
With Phineas Newborn, Jr.
With Joe Newman
With Oscar Pettiford
With Bud Powell
With Jimmy Raney
With George Russell
With Pee Wee Russell
With A. K. Salim
With Shirley Scott
With Zoot Sims
With Hal Singer
With Sonny Stitt
With Sylvia Syms
With Billy Taylor
With Ben Webster
With Frank Wess
With Joe Wilder
With Cootie Williams
With Kai Winding
With Phil Woods
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