Description
Critically acclaimed trombonist, John Fedchock, celebrates JJ Johnson’s 100th birthdate with down-home soul in a big way – caught LIVE in Indianapolis!
The year 2024 was a special one for JJ Johnson fans, and justifiably so. It marked the trombone legend’s 100th birthdate – This is a celebration of this significant centennial from the critically acclaimed, supremely talented trombonist, John Fedchock and a ‘cream of the crop’ talent lineup!
with
John Fedchock – trombone
Steve Allee – piano
Jeremy Allen – bass
Sean Dobbins – drums
Recorded Live on March 3, 2024 at The Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis, IN.
A select number of musicians throughout history have left indelible marks, taking the music to new heights on their instruments. JJ Johnson was one of those very special artists. He was the first to adapt the complexities of bebop to the trombone, and every subsequent style on the instrument has been shaped upon the building blocks he diligently constructed.
When the opportunity arose to celebrate JJ’s life and music in Indianapolis, Indiana, the place his life both began and ended, and to do it in the city’s acclaimed jazz club, The Jazz Kitchen, Fedchock just couldn’t pass it up. Indy has produced a storied lineage of jazz icons, so he decided to enlist some of the top players in the area to insure an authentic hometown celebration. He was lucky enough to get the cream of the crop in pianist Steve Allee, bassist Jeremy Allen, and drummer Sean Dobbins.
When the club’s sound engineer asked Fedchock if he wanted him to record the group live from the mixing board, he assumed it was simply to document the night, but he actually created a full multi-track recording. So when the band hit the stage, none of us really considered the potential of this “keepsake”. It was never a distraction, and everyone completely let loose from beginning to end. That unbridled energy is strikingly apparent throughout this recording.
Fedchock’s goal was to not only celebrate JJ the player, but also JJ the composer. His writing credits are widely renowned, so he wanted to showcase compositions from his albums that have always resonated with him.