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20 Seattle Jazz Musicians You Should Know: Jeff Johnson

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By Paul Rauch
February 2, 2020
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The city of Seattle has a jazz history that dates back to the very beginnings of the form. It was home to the first integrated club scene in America on Jackson St in the 1920's and '30s. It saw a young

Ray Charles

piano and vocals
1930 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Charles arrive as a teenager to escape the nightmare of Jim Crow in the south. It has produced such historical jazz icons as

Quincy Jones

arranger
1933 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Quincy Jones and

Ernestine Anderson

vocals
1928 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Ernestine Anderson. In many instances it has acted as a temporary repose for greats such as

Jelly Roll Morton

piano
1890 - 1941

" data-original-title="" title="">Jelly Roll Morton,

Joe Venuti

violin
1903 - 1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Venuti, the aforementioned Charles,

Larry Coryell

guitar
1943 - 2017

" data-original-title="" title="">Larry Coryell,

Julian Priester

trombone
b.1935

" data-original-title="" title="">Julian Priester and

Randy Brecker

trumpet
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Randy Brecker to mention but a few.

With this series of features, I will introduce you to twenty jazz musicians currently living and working in Seattle. It is not to be seen as any sort of ranking, it has no positional value in that regard. It is simply an effort to introduce the jazz world at large to the vibrance and innovative nature of the jazz scene in and around the jewel city of Seattle, Washington.

20. Jeff Johnson

Bassist

Jeff Johnson

bass
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Johnson has had a dynamic influence on jazz music in Seattle since his arrival three decades ago, despite not having released a recording as a leader since his quartet date almost a decade ago, Suitcase (Origin, 2011). Whether playing live around his chosen hometown, or hitting the road with such artists as

Hal Galper

piano
1938 - 2025

" data-original-title="" title="">Hal Galper and Karrin Allison, Johnson's original style has had a noticeable and immediate impact on his musical surroundings throughout his storied career.

While Seattle fans have come to know him as a veritable undercurrent of the vibrant local jazz scene, Johnson's roots run deep from time spent on the road with the likes of

Philly Joe Jones

drums
1923 - 1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Philly Joe Jones, Barney Kessell,

Chet Baker

trumpet and vocals
1929 - 1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Chet Baker,

Lew Tabackin

saxophone, tenor
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Lew Tabackin,

Mark Murphy

vocals
1932 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Murphy and

Ernestine Anderson

vocals
1928 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Ernestine Anderson to name a few. In the early 90's he began a pair of relationships with pianists Galper and

Jessica Williams

piano
1948 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Jessica Williams, and found a vital identity as a trio bassist of the highest caliber. His deeply original sound has a mystical edge that seems to challenge soloists to read and react, producing soaring and spontaneous results.

Johnson has recorded and toured with drummer

John Bishop

drums
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">John Bishop and guitarist

John Stowell

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">John Stowell in the trio Scenes that has produced five albums on the Origin label. He has, as well, collaborated with Bishop, along with pianist

Bill Anschell

piano
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Anschell and saxophonist

Brent Jensen

saxophone, alto
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Brent Jensen in the Seattle based band, Wellstone Conspiracy.

Johnson's well documented work with the ever eclectic Galper has risen to revolutionary proportions in exploring Galper's rubato notions reinventing a concept of time that expresses a read and react elasticity. His elegant vibrato, inventive bow work, and bone crushing use of chords and harmonics allows Galper to live at a musical crossroads that presents many routes of travel. Bishop's almost symphonic drum and cymbal work, dynamically original in itself, joins with Johnson as two souls revolving around a common center.

Johnson's partnership with Galper has come full circle in the past two years, with two releases that mostly feature the bassist's original compositions. His compositional work is imaginative and spiritual in nature, providing just enough structure for form, with ample space for free playing. The trio added tenor saxophone giant

Jerry Bergonzi

saxophone, tenor
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Jerry Bergonzi for Cubist (Origin, 2018), adding another layer to the fabric of Galper's rubato vision. Just recently, a live trio date recorded at Yardbird Suite in Edmonton was released, bearing witness to the amazing late career surge for Galper that has perhaps been the most startling contribution to the legacy of the piano trio for more than a generation. Aptly titled The Zone (Origin, 2020), Johnson's compositions "Scene West" and "Cubist" highlight a trailblazing approach to composition and melodic improvisation that like his signature playing on bass, stands out as original and fearless.

While many writers and broadcasters may view Johnson's career as flying somewhat under the radar, those that have followed his path from his native Minneapolis, to Texas and Oklahoma, and finally to his landing in Seattle in 1990, know him as one of the genre's most inventive bassists. They can hear the midwest. They most certainly can hear the Texas in his approach. Now thirty years into his tenure in Seattle, you can hear the vibe of his chosen home as vividly as the morning rain pounding rooftops around the city on a gray winter's day.

View all 20 Seattle jazz musicians you should know.

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