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George V Johnson Jr

George digs jazz.

About Me

My Jazz Story

I was first exposed to jazz when I was young child by my father.

My House Concert Story

I first attended house concerts, jam sessions, rent parties when I was a child. The resident manager was a pianist and gave jam sessions at his apartment often. He and my father were best friends. Both of our families had five siblings. So we were always around the music at their home until high school. Some of the local musicians and family friends who would be there were Keter Betts, Shirley Horn, Jimmy Cobb, Buck Hill, Rick Henderson and many others. Shirley Horn and my father were in the same class at Shaw Jr. High School in Washington DC. Years later as an adult and working as a metro bus driver I started attending Jazz Workshops hosted by John Malachi at a local club called "PIGFOOT", own and operated by guitarist fame Bill Harris. After several years Shirley Horn took over the workshop. When I introduced myself as George V Johnson Jr., she immediately asked was my father George V Johnson and told me they were close friends in school. From that moment we became very close friends and I was one of her favorites. I went on to become friends, study and sing duets with Eddie Jefferson. A few years later I met James Moody and was a member of his group for many years. Other mentors who I performed with were Lou Donaldson, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Barry Harris, Pharoah Sanders (LP REJOICE - featured vocalist / lyrics) "MOMENTS NOTICE".