Alphonso Johnson Recomendations

[funkysurfer]

I have a lot of his stuff he did with "Jazz is Dead" and really dig that sort of playing. He just smokes!

Can someone recommend some other stuff he's done where he is pretty prominent?

Thanks!
Shawn

[jerry]

Weather Report: Mysterious Traveler & Tale Spinning.
Alphonso Johnson: Moonshadows & Yesterday's Dreams

[ghiadub]

Originally Posted by jerry

Weather Report: Mysterious Traveler & Tale Spinning.
Alphonso Johnson: Moonshadows & Yesterday's Dreams

+1 on that Jerry. I think we have very similar tastes in music.


If you like JID, check out him with Steve Kimock "live at the Gothic Theater". It is more "jammy", like the JID stuff.

[bottomzone]

Also check out these:

-Yesterdays Dreams
-Spellbound
-George Duke-The Aura Will Prevail
-Cobham/Duke Band-Alivemotherfoya
-Lee Ritenour-Captain Fingers
-Allan Holdsworth-Velvet Darkness
-Weather Report-Black Market (Yes, Alphonso is actually playing on this project, eventhough he is not in the photograph. I am fairly certain that he is playing on "Black Market", "Gibraltar", "Elegant People" and "Hernandnu". Jaco is playing on the other tracks).

He has a cool website with very helpful lessons.


A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

[The Owl]

In more recent years Alphonso worked with guitarist Steve Kimock with very impressive results.

[svenbass]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbbG-6r7pEk

Here is some great live stuff with Weather Report

[narud]

Originally Posted by bottomzone

Also check out these:

-Yesterdays Dreams
-Spellbound
-George Duke-The Aura Will Prevail
-Cobham/Duke Band-Alivemotherfoya
-Lee Ritenour-Captain Fingers
-Allan Holdsworth-Velvet Darkness
-Weather Report-Black Market (Yes, Alphonso is actually playing on this project, eventhough he is not in the photograph. I am fairly certain that he is playing on "Black Market", "Gibraltar", "Elegant People" and "Hernandnu". Jaco is playing on the other tracks).

He has a cool website with very helpful lessons.


A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

all of these are amazing. cobham duke band live on tour in europe and eddie henderson's sunburst are smokin' too

[jerry]

Originally Posted by narud

all of these are amazing. cobham duke band live on tour in europe and eddie henderson's sunburst are smokin' too

I always forget to mention Henderson's 'Sunburst', Jim K hipped me to it years ago and I was ever so greatful.

[funkysurfer]

Thanks for the responses guys. I definitely will check out your suggestions.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by bottomzone

-Weather Report-Black Market (Yes, Alphonso is actually playing on this project, eventhough he is not in the photograph. I am fairly certain that he is playing on "Black Market", "Gibraltar", "Elegant People" and "Hernandnu". Jaco is playing on the other tracks).

True...IIRC, Jaco only played on two tracks-
"Cannonball" & "Barbary Coast". Everyting else should be AJ.


Two maybe lesser known AJ things in a '90s Fusion vibe-
Tom Coster- Let's Set The Record Straight
http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Set-Recor...980905&sr=8-16

Tom Coster- The Forbidden Zone
http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Zone...6981060&sr=8-3

Jeff Andrews (always good to hear him) is also playing bass on these recordings.
I can check later to see how many tracks Alphonso plays on.

There is also something from the '70s called Montreux Summit...nice verison of Alphonoso's "Bahama Mama".

Eddie Henderson's Sunburst is cool.
It's the only thing I had that Jerry, at the time, didn't have.

[Jaco who?]

Check out Flora Purim "Open your eyes you can fly" from 1976 or so - Man, I'm gettin' old.

[JayAmel]

And don't forget the Live Tour in Europe '76 album with the George Duke & Billy Cobham Band (+ John Scofield on guitar).

[NickBass81]

Alphonso is featured also on Billy Cobham's "alivemutherforya" and "inner conflicts" ,on "Bella 'Mbriana"by italian guitarist/vocalist Pino Daniele and on a couple of Frank Gambale's albums ("passages"; "thinking out loud").
Definitely one of my favorites players, with great taste, groove and feel.

[RHFusillo]

Alphonso Johnson played in the Carlos Santana-Wayne Shorter band in 1988. There are some videos up on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ZTvQMldsI

[StanFan]

He's one of my favorite bass players without a doubt. My favorite album of mine he plays on is The Cobham/Duke Band- Live On Tour In Europe. There are some clips floating around of them live at Montreux. If it's available on DVD I want it badly.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Lg86di2p34c

http://youtube.com/watch?v=udJxF_P2MsA

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ReGGPNQpz0o

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bN9Vaml0dZE

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_cda693NGOc

[Dennis Kong]

Originally Posted by RHFusillo

Alphonso Johnson played in the Carlos Santana-Wayne Shorter band in 1988. There are some videos up on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ZTvQMldsI

I saw them too! Great band !
Saw them rehearse a few times in SF.

There was a lot stuff that did not make the cut:
IE Patrice & Chester trading 4's...

Sadly- many of the rock guys did not like that band because Carlos was not playing the enought of the "hits",

The same for many of the jazzers - too who came to see Wayne play more of his older Blue Note & Columbia material.

Also recommend:
Japanese only: Toshiba- EMI Lp - don't
know if its' on cd yet:
Aurex Jazz Festival 80's--" Jazz of the 80's.

Alphonso is playing his Lobue fretless on some straight
jazz tunes:
Intrepid Fox, Bahama Mama, Baffled, Strapped Hanging,
Good Morn' Heartache, Home Stretch.

Players:
Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Randy & Mike Brecker,
Joe Farrell, Robbin Ford, George Duke & Peter Erskine.

Alphonso did not even know this LP existed until I informed him.
Got him a copy many years ago.

If it was not for him- I would not have taken up fretless bass & or contined playing bass.
He 's been very supportive.
in the ' 70's- I used to own a Lobue fretless like his.
Nowdays I play F 6 fretless.

I asked him which WR he liked the most:
One of them was "Mysterious Traveler."
Check out " Cucumber Slumber" funky Fusion!

[seebee]

Flora Purim's Open Your Eyes You can Fly

[jerry]

Originally Posted by JimK

There is also something from the '70s called Montreux Summit...nice verison of Alphonoso's "Bahama Mama".

Alphonso's solo on Blues March off of that LP still blows me away. My 30 year old vinyl copy is starting to show its age, I wish they would get around to releasing it on CD again. Maybe give it to Wounded Bird and let them release it.

[Dr. Cheese]

Alphonso Johnson during the fusion era was phenomenal. He had a seriously loose, but tight groove that worked in Weather Report just as well as Jaco, he just was not as outfront.

[bottomzone]

Originally Posted by Jaco who?

Check out Flora Purim "Open your eyes you can fly" from 1976 or so - Man, I'm gettin' old.

Me,too!!! That's a great tune with a great intro by Alphonso!!!


A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!