Home » Search Center » Results: Plas Johnson

Results for "Plas Johnson"

Advanced search options

Results for pages tagged "Plas Johnson"...

Musician

Plas Johnson

Born:

Plas Johnson - saxophone Jazz aficionados know him by name, but almost anyone exposed to music is familiar with his playing. His is the purring sax solo on Henry Mancini's famous "Pink Panther" movie theme song. His is the saxophone counterpart to Harry "Sweets" Edison's trumpet on Neal Hefti's signature music for "The Odd Couple" TV series. Plas is the featured soloist heard on countless albums, including those of such artists as Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt and Sarah Vaughan. Plas was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, about sixty miles north of New Orleans

21

Article: Building a Jazz Library

Donald Fagen: An Essential Top 10 Albums

Read "Donald Fagen: An Essential Top 10 Albums" reviewed by Peter Jones


Actually, the whole notion of a Donald Fagen Top Ten is tricky. Artists like Chet Baker made well over a hundred albums, whereas in half a century Fagen has only released 13 official studio albums, whether with Steely Dan or under his own name, along with a handful of live sets. The process of selecting the ...

3

Article: Multiple Reviews

Ran Blake: Gray Moon, When Soft Rains Fall and Northern Noir

Read "Ran Blake: Gray Moon, When Soft Rains Fall and Northern Noir" reviewed by John Ephland


I'm a sucker for musical duets. Duets that make me feel like I'm in the same room with the two of them. Here we have three recent releases with the iconoclastic, legendary Ran Blake, now 83, in what is his most typical setting. Yes, to hear Blake paired up like this is to hear ...

58

Article: Building a Jazz Library

Jazz & Film: An Alternative Top 20 Soundtrack Albums

Read "Jazz & Film: An Alternative Top 20 Soundtrack Albums" reviewed by Chris May


Jazz and the movies have a shared history stretching back almost a hundred years. The relationship came into its own in the US in the mid twentieth century. Elia Kazan's 1950 movie Panic In The Streets is an early example of how film makers used jazz-based soundtracks to enhance drama and atmosphere and create ambiances of ...

25

Article: Building a Jazz Library

Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman Records: Ten High Altitude Albums

Read "Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman Records: Ten High Altitude Albums" reviewed by Chris May


Bob Thiele is best remembered for his years as the artistic director and house producer of Impulse!. He took over from founder producer Creed Taylor in 1961 and stayed with the label until 1969, when he left to run his own Flying Dutchman Records. Thiele's tenure at Impulse! was its most glorious period, when Thiele curated ...

6

Article: Album Review

The DIVA Jazz Orchestra: DIVA + the Boys

Read "DIVA + the Boys" reviewed by Jack Bowers


After more than twenty-five years as one of the world's most renowned big bands, drummer Sherrie Maricle's superlative all-female DIVA Jazz Orchestra invited a quartet of “the boys" onboard to help ensure the ensemble's twelfth album's success. Even though DIVA needs no consorts to affirm its unremitting mastery, it is nonetheless pleasurable to witness these talented ...

3

Article: Jazzmatazz

Remembering Dr. John

Read "Remembering Dr. John" reviewed by Matt Hooke


Dr. John, Ph'd in jny: New Orleans piano with a minor in voodoo, died at the age 77 on June 6. Dr. John honored his roots, learned from masters like Professor Longhair, and added his own special herbs to create a gumbo that can never be recreated, even if someone manages to find a recipe. Dr. ...

2

Article: Bailey's Bundles

Christmas 2015 V: A Concord Christmas – David Benoit, Jane Monheit and the Count Basie Orchestra

Read "Christmas 2015 V: A Concord Christmas – David Benoit, Jane Monheit and the Count Basie Orchestra" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Well, it ain't over 'til it's over...The Concord Music Group issued two notable Holiday releases. The David Benoit Trio with Jane Monheit and the All American Boys Chorus Believe Concord 2015 What Believe is, is a slick updating of Vince Guraladi's A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy, ...

285

Article: Race and Jazz

Race and Jazz Criticism

Read "Race and Jazz Criticism" reviewed by Greg Thomas


When I began this Race and Jazz series several months ago, I knew the topics I wanted to touch upon, and the general culture vs. race point-of-view I intended to pursue. With those chord changes (topics) and that melodic perspective (pro-culture, anti-race) in mind and at play, I figured I'd proceed with the rest by ear. ...

133

News: Event

Jazz Great Barbara Morrison To Be Honored in "A Benefit Evening of Jazz Legends For Barbara Morrison" at Local 47 Musicians Union in Hollywood, CA on September 11th

Music producers Stuart Elster and Richard Simon will present A Benefit Evening of Jazz Legends for Barbara Morrison, co-hosted by Helen Borgers, on-air talent for KJAZZ 88.1 FM and James Janisse, on-air talent for KCRW 89.9 FM for One Night Only on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at Local 47 Musicians Union; 817 Vine Street; Hollywood, CA ...


Engage

Contest Giveaways
Enter our latest contest giveaway sponsored by Musicians Performance Trust Fund
Polls & Surveys
Vote for your favorite musicians and participate in our brief surveys.

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.