Born In Minneapolis, Jeff Johnson ("Free" to some of his colleagues) left at age 20, spending time in Philadelphia and New York, and has worked with jazz musicians including Philly Joe Jones, Charlie Rouse, Barney Kessel, Chet Baker, Lew Tabackin, Eddie Daniels, Joanne Brackeen, Julian Priester, Billy Hart, George Cables, Bud Shank, Claudio Roditti, and Michael Wolfe. Vocalists who have been accompanied by Johnson include Jay Clayton, Ernestine Anderson, Karrin Allyson, Mark Murphy, Rebecca Parris, Annie Ross and Marlena Shaw.
Johnson's prominent collaborators include pianists Jessica Williams, beginning in Seattle in 1991, and Hal Galper, after they met at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival in 1993.
He now leads various small ensembles, composes, and travels frequently for performance projects and recording dates around the world.
Contents
Discography
As leader/co-leader
Harbinger (1984)
My Heart (1992)
Area 51 (1992)
Lost Men (1993)
Maybeck Duets with Hal Galper (Philology, 1998)
Free (1999)
The Art of Falling (2001)
Winter: An Origin Records Holiday Collection with Hans Teuber, Dave Peterson and John Bishop (2002)
Near Earth (2004)
Furious Rubato with Hal Galper and John Bishop (Origin, 2007)
Tall Stranger (Origin, 2008)
Apothecary with Jon Alberts and Tad Britton (Origin, 2009)
Suitcase with Hans Teuber, Steve Moore, Eric Eagle (Origin, 2011)
As a member
Scenes
With John Stowell, John Bishop and Rick Mandyck
Scenes (Origin, 2001)
Along the Way (Origin, 2006)
As sideman
With John Bishop
Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit (1992)
Nothing if Not Something (2004)
With Ben Black
In a Mellow Tone (1999)
Remembered Faces/Private Places (2001)
With Richard Cole
A Glance Back (Bituminous Music, 1994)
Shade (2008)
With Hal Galper
Live at Vartan Jazz (Vartan Jazz, 1994)
Rebop (Enja, 1995) – also with Jerry Bergonzi
Fugue State (Blue Chip Jazz, 1998)
Sweet Beat Blues (Red, 1998)
Let's Call This That (Double-Time, 1999)
E Pluribus Unum: Live in Seattle (Origin, 2010)
Airegin Revisited (Origin, 2012)
With Jessica Williams
Momentum (1994)
A Song That I Heard (1994)
In the Pocket (1994)
Inventions (1995)
Joy (1996)
Jessica's Blues (1998)
Awards
2001 Earshot Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year
2002 Northwest Recording of the Year, The Art of Falling
2011 Inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame