One of the top tuba soloists since the early '60s,
Howard Johnson is a versatile instrumentalist who not only plays tuba and baritone saxophone but also boasts a competent mastery of the trumpet, pennywhistle, bass clarinet, and other reeds. The Alabama native moved to New York in 1963, where he worked with
Charles Mingus,
Hank Crawford, and
Archie Shepp. In 1966, he started a 20-year off-and-on association with
Gil Evans.
Johnson's four-tuba group Substructure performed with
Taj Mahal, and, in the late '70s, he formed a different tuba band called Gravity. The group didn't have the opportunity to record until 1996, when it also played at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Howard Johnson's résumé is extensive and includes recording stints with
Crawford,
Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition,
Jimmy Heath, John Lennon,
Bob Moses, and
George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band. He performed with
the Band during the 1970s, appearing on both
Rock of Ages and
The Last Waltz, and his association with
Levon Helm extended into the 2000s, during which period he often toured alongside the drummer. ~ Scott Yanow