Alphonso Johnsson

[Phunky]

I've first heard him play on Weather Reports "Black Market" and i love "Herandnu" so much. I wonder what else material i should check him out with? Thanks

[narud]

his solo album yesterdays dreams got reissued in france last year. id pick that one up. also pick up the billy cobham/george duke band cd live on tour in europe.

[Passinwind]

+1 on the Cobham/Duke live side. I saw that band live...phew!

One of my favorites is Flora Purim's Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly. Has that 70's fusion production values thing going on, love it or hate it!

[Dirk Diggler]

Let's not forget Alan Holdsworth's first solo album in the 70's.
Velvet Darkness (rough early fusion)
Great fretless phase shifter and distortion stuff.
Narada Michael Walden on drums too.
Cobham and Duke and absolute yes.
I've always enjoyed and respected his use of effects.
Hello Mr. Passinwind!
Dirk

[Joe Garage]

He’s just amazing on the Weather Report Live and Unrealesed album. The way he he use effects like distrotion is so tasteful, just like the rest of his playing.

[Phunky]

Thanks guys, will check! But which songs did Alphonso play on on the Live & Unreleased-album?


Thanks

[JimK]

Freezing Fire
Cucumber Slumber
Man In The Green Shirt
Cigano
Directions/Dr. Honoris Causa

Note: AJ isn't playing on either "Black Market" or "Elegant People" on Live & Unreleased

Make sure you check out WR's Mysterious Traveler & Tale Spinning.

Can't say I'm a huge fan of that Cobham/Duke Live In Europe disc...I guess I can re-visit it to make sure.

Another live thing is the Montreaux Summit from the mid '70s(All-Star group comprised on various CBS Jazz guys)... has AJ's "Bahama Mama".

AJ was also in Abraxas...mid '90s project with the original members of the Santana III band(minus Carlos & bassist David Brown)...OOP.

[Mark Wilson]

Kinda unrelated, but cool none the less.

Alphonso's own Fourm.

He anwsers fairly quick too. I just thought it was cool

[jerry]

Originally Posted by JimK

Another live thing is the Montreaux Summit from the mid '70s(All-Star group comprised on various CBS Jazz guys)... has AJ's "Bahama Mama".

I dig Alphonso's solo on Blues March! Some great Alphonso moments on that album.

[Dr. Cheese]

I just want to say, that I am a fan too.

[leanne]

Alphonso is great on Eddie Henderson's “Sunburst" album, I would highly recommend it, especially if you want to hear more of groovin' Alphonso! Great album overall, with a nice lineup too. Definitely one of my favorites.

[JimK]

Good one, Leanne!
...I keep forgetting about that one.

Punchin' In-
2 more Alphonso '90s Fusion discs I always forget about:
Tom Coster- Let's Set The Record Straight
Tom Coster- Forbidden Zone


Also, check out AJ on the Rising Low DVD.

[The Owl]

I once saw a DVD of the Steve Kimock Band with Alphonso laying down the grrrooooove!! Very cool stuff!

[Bass7755]

Check out Jazz Is Dead - Great Sky River (live).
Alphonso plays and sounds Great. Jimmy Herring (guitar)
is a little over the top at times.
Dan

[jerry]

Originally Posted by leanne

Alphonso is great on Eddie Henderson's “Sunburst" album, I would highly recommend it, especially if you want to hear more of groovin' Alphonso! Great album overall, with a nice lineup too. Definitely one of my favorites.

+ 2 Opps, I forgot about that one too! It's a good one that Jim K hipped me to a few years back.

[Dbassmon]

I saw Alphonso for the first time in 1974 at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester. It was Weather Reports Mysterious Traveler tour. Alphonso played some great stuff.

Interesting thing was he was using a Phase Linear Power Amp which was a high fidelity power amp. Everyone was using SVTs or Acoustics. No one had really discovered that hi fi was a good idea for bass. He did. I think Phil Lesh was using hi fi amps about the same time but I can't really mention his name in the same breath as Alphonso.

Also, he was the first I guy I remember playing fretless. Of coarse Jaco came along and.....Alphonso who? But he is under rated and under appreciated.

[nysbob]

Mysterious Traveler is one of my favorite WR records - definitely worth checking out if you don't have it.

[pauljacksonfan]

A definite + 1 on Mysterious Traveller. He is awesome on the title track, and Cucumber Slumber is one my all time favorite bass lines. No one but Al could have made that one. I always thought that his path to become a slick session man was weird and I'm not to fond of that side of his work. Don't get me wrong; Al always plays great but listening to the old Flora Purim and George Duke is like taking a bath into a tub of syrup: it's just to much of the good stuff and it seems impossible to wash off.