Photo by Nancy Olewine
Renowned jazz musician Howard Johnson passed on Jan. 11 in New York City. He was 79.
Johnson was an esteemed, founding member of the Saturday Night Live band, but his talents also extended onto the stages of America’s jazz clubs, with the New York Times once hailing him as “the figure most responsible for the tuba’s current status as a full-fledged jazz voice.”
Through his career, Johnson collaborated with the likes of Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lennon, Paul Simon, Carly Simon and many more.
Johnson also played tuba at The Band’s legendary final show, as immortalized in The Last Waltz.
Watch Johnson perform “Ophelia” with The Band at The Last Waltz and “Cakewalk Into Town” with Taj Mahal below:
1 Comment comments associated with this post
Wah
January 13, 2021 at 1:33 amA beautiful soul who made beautiful music, you did good here brotherman. Now thunder and wind will sound even sweeter. You left us better than you found us, play on Sweet prince!!