Tonight we mark the passings of Howard Johnson, American tuba master, on Jan. 11, and Jonas Gwangwa, South African trombone player, on Jan. 23. Plus some random recent jazz.
| Smoke Screen Eddie Henderson - Be Cool (2017) |
| See Me Now Dave Douglas - Dizzy Atmosphere (2019) |
| Take The High Road Peter Hum - A Boy's Journey (rec. 2008) 
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| Lift Those Voices Nduduzo Makhathini, Umgidi Trio & One Voice Vocal Ensemble - Inner Dimensions (2016) |
| Jonas Gwangwa was born in one of the townships around Johannesburg in 1937. He was a member of the Jazz Epistles, S. Africa's first modern jazz group. He left S. Africa in 1961 as a member of the cast of the musical King Kong, and did not return to his native country until 1991, post-apartheid. While in exile he became a leading figure in the cultural face of S. African resistance, primarily through the Amandla Cultural Ensemble, which took S. African music and the anti-apartheid message around the world. |
| Who (Ngubani)? Jonas Gwangwa & African Explosion - Who (Ngubani)? (c. 1969) |
| The back of the cd case for Flowers Of The Nation gives 1993 as its date. Lord's jazz discography says 2000. Take your pick. |
| Shebeen Jonas Gwangwa - Flowers Of The Nation |
| Dark City Jonas Gwangwa & African Explosion - Who (Ngubani)? |
| Barungwa Jonas Gwangwa - Flowers Of The Nation |
| Benkeleni Jonas Gwangwa & African Explosion - Who (Ngubani)? |
| Kgomo (Wedding Song) Jonas Gwangwa - Flowers Of The Nation |
| Switch = 1 Jonas Gwangwa & African Explosion - Who (Ngubani)? |
| Howard Johnson was born in 1941 in Alabama and was raised in Ohio. He took up the tuba in high school, and quickly left his bandmates behind as he took the tuba beyond its normal range while maintaining a clean sound. He began his career in Chicago, but moved to New York after Eric Dolphy persuaded him that his skills would find a welcome reception, which they did. Over the years he played with Hank Crawford, Charles Mingus, Carla Bley, McCoy Tyner and Gill Evans, among others. Outside of jazz he worked with Taj Mahal, John Lennon, and the Band, and was an original member of the "Saturday Night Live" band. |
| Funnybird Song Carla Bley - Tropic Appetites (1974) |
| Big Alice Howard Johnson & Gravity - Gravity!!! (1995) |
| Angel Gil Evans & His Orchestra - Play The Music Of Jimi Hendrix (1974) |
| Be No Evil Howard Johnson & Gravity - Gravity!!! |
| Sweet Samba Abdullah Ibrahim - African River (1989) |
| Way Cross Georgia Howard Johnson & Gravity - Gravity!!! |
| Fever (Taj Mahal, vcl) Howard Johnson & Gravity - Right Now! (1996) |
| Lower Egypt Howard Johnson - Arrival: A Pharoah Sanders Tribute (1994) |
| When You Wish Upon A Star J.D. Allen - Barracoon (2019) |
| Calle Luna, Calle Sol Joe Fiedler - Joe Fiedler's Big Sackbut (2011) |
| Dogon Mysteries Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids - Shaman! (2020) |
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