Origins: The Savoy Sessions

J.J. Johnson was the first musician to prove that the trombone, despite its relatively unwieldy design, could hold its own alongside saxophones and trumpets in a bebop context. His ability to negotiate the breakneck tempos and quicksilver harmonic changes of that jazz style quickly made him a legend. This collection brings together material from several sessions recorded for the Savoy label during the late 1940s with three different quintets and finds him playing alongside such masters of bop as pianist Bud Powell, drummer Max Roach, saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and bassist Gene Ramey. The sound quality is surprisingly good, Johnson’s compositions are lovely, and the playing is simply a delight.