Alphonso Johnson (born February 2, 1951) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

bassist active since the early 1970s. Johnson was a member of the jazz fusion group

Weather Report Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded in 1970 by Austrian virtuoso keyboardist Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš, American drummer and voca ...

from 1973 to 1975, and has performed and recorded with numerous high-profile rock and jazz acts including Santana, Phil Collins, members of the Grateful Dead, Steve Kimock, and Chet Baker.

Biography

Born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, United States, Johnson started off as an

upright bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). Similar ...

player, but switched to the

electric bass The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and s ...

in his late teens. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, Johnson showed innovation and fluidity on the electric bass. He sessioned with a few jazz musicians before landing a job with

, taking over for co-founding member

Miroslav Vitous Miroslav may refer to: * Miroslav (given name), a Slavic masculine given name * ''Young America'' (clipper) or ''Miroslav'', an Austrian clipper ship in the Transatlantic case oil trade * Miroslav (Znojmo District), a town in the Czech Republic S ...

. Johnson debuted with

on the album ''

Mysterious Traveller ''Mysterious Traveller'' is the fourth studio album by the jazz ensemble Weather Report and was released in 1974. This was their final recording with founding bassist Miroslav Vitouš, who left due to creative differences. Vitouš was replace ...

''. He appeared on two more Weather Report albums: ''

Tale Spinnin' ''Tale Spinnin is the fifth studio album by Weather Report, recorded and released in 1975, featuring the addition of Leon "Ndugu" Chancler on the drums. Ndugu was recruited after Josef Zawinul heard him play with Carlos Santana. Weather Report ...

'' (1975) and '' Black Market'' (1976) before he left the band to work with drummer

Billy Cobham William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a Panamanian–American jazz drummer who came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He was inducted into the ''Mode ...

. During 1976-77 he recorded three solo albums as a

band leader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues ...

, for the Epic label, in a fusion-funk vein. Johnson was one of the first musicians to introduce the

Chapman Stick The Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. A member of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and is used to play bass lines, melody lines ...

to the public. In 1977, his knowledge of the instrument offered him a rehearsal with Genesis, who were looking for a replacement for guitarist

Steve Hackett Stephen Richard Hackett (born 12 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who gained prominence as the lead guitarist of the progressive rock band Genesis from 1971 to 1977. Hackett contributed to six Genesis ...

. Being more of a bassist than a guitarist, Johnson instead recommended his friend ex-Sweetbottom guitarist and fellow session musician

Daryl Stuermer Daryl Mark Stuermer (born November 27, 1952) is an American musician, songwriter, and producer best known for playing the guitar and bass for Genesis during live shows, and lead guitar for Phil Collins during most solo tours and albums. He has ...

, who would go on to remain a member of Genesis's touring band until the 2007 reunion tour. Johnson was one of two bass players on Phil Collins's first solo album, ''Face Value'', in 1981. In early 1982, Johnson joined Grateful Dead member Bob Weir's side project Bobby and the Midnites. He would reunite with Weir in 2000, playing bass in place of Phil Lesh on tour with

The Other Ones The Other Ones was an American rock band formed in 1998 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart, along with part-time Grateful Dead collaborator Bruce Hornsby. In 2000, Bill Kreutzmann, another Grateful Dead alumnus ...

. He has also performed fusion versions of Grateful Dead songs alongside Billy Cobham in the band Jazz Is Dead. In 1996, Johnson played bass on tracks "Dance on a Volcano" and "Fountain of Salmacis" on

's '' Genesis Revisited'' album. Later in 1996, Johnson toured Europe and Japan with composer and saxophonist

Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Dav ...

, pianist

James Beard James Andrews Beard (May 5, 1903 – January 23, 1985) was an American chef, cookbook author, teacher and television personality. He pioneered television cooking shows, taught at The James Beard Cooking School in New York City and Seaside, ...

, drummer Rodney Holmes, and guitarist

David Gilmore David Gilmore (born 5 February 1964) is an American jazz guitarist. Gilmore studied at New York University with Joe Lovano and Jim McNeely. In 1987 he began working professionally with the M-Base Collective and Ronald Shannon Jackson. In the ...

. He has an extensive experience as a bass teacher and has conducted bass seminars and clinics in Germany, England, France, Scotland, Ireland, Japan, Switzerland, Australia, Brazil and Argentina. Johnson started his college education at

Pierce College Pierce College may refer to: * Pierce College (Washington) * Los Angeles Pierce College ** Pierce College station See also * Peirce College * Franklin Pierce University Franklin Pierce University is a private university in Rindge, New Hampsh ...

, and then transferred to California State University, Northridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in 2014. As an undergraduate student, Johnson performed as a member of the CSUN Wind Ensemble. He pursued his graduate degree at CSU Northridge, earning a Master of Arts in Secondary Curriculum and Instruction in 2021. He serves as an adjunct instructor at the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

and the

California Institute of the Arts The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art university in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both ...

Equipment

Electric basses

* Fender Precision, extensively modified * Chapman Stick * Lobue Custom *

Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...

Alphonso Johnson Custom Shop Bass Guitar *

Infinity * Vigier Arpege 5 fretless * Modulus Quantum 5 String Fretted and Fretless Bass

Acoustic basses

* Washburn AB45

Discography

As leader

* ''Moonshadows'' ( Epic, 1976) * '' Yesterday's Dreams'' (Epic, 1976) * ''Spellbound'' (Epic, 1977)

As member

* ''

'' (Columbia, 1974) * ''

'' (Columbia, 1975) * '' Black Market'' (Columbia, 1976) Santana * '' Beyond Appearances'' ( Columbia, 1985) * '' Freedom'' (Columbia, 1987) * '' Spirits Dancing in the Flesh'' (Columbia, 1990) Jazz Is Dead * ''

Blue Light Rain ''Blue Light Rain'' is the debut album by the instrumental Grateful Dead cover band Jazz Is Dead. It was released in 1998 by Zebra Records. The album features guitarist Jimmy Herring, keyboard player T. Lavitz, bassist Alphonso Johnson, and drumm ...

'' (Zebra, 1998) * ''

Laughing Water ''Laughing Water'' is a live album by the instrumental Grateful Dead cover band Jazz Is Dead. Subtitled ''Wake of the Flood Revisited'', it is a reinterpretation of the Grateful Dead's 1973 album. It was JID's second release, and was recorded in A ...

'' (Zebra, 1999) – live * '' Great Sky River'' (Zebra, 2001) – live * '' Grateful Jazz'' (Pet Peev, 2015) – recorded in 2004

As sideman

With Bob Weir * '' Bobby and the Midnites'' ( Arista, 1981) * ''

Where the Beat Meets the Street ''Where the Beat Meets the Street'' is the second studio album by Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir and his side-project, Bobby and the Midnites. The album reached number 166 on the Billboard 200. Track listing #"(I Want to Live in) Am ...

'' (Columbia, 1984) With others * Chet Baker,

You Can't Go Home Again ''You Can't Go Home Again'' is a novel by Thomas Wolfe published posthumously in 1940, extracted by his editor, Edward Aswell, from the contents of his vast unpublished manuscript ''The October Fair''. It is a sequel to ''The Web and the Rock'', ...

'' (Horizon, 1977) * Dee Dee Bridgewater, '' Just Family'' (Elektra, 1977) *

George Cables George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Cables was born in New York City, United States. He was initially taught piano by his mother. He then studied at the High School of Performing Art ...

, '' Shared Secrets'' (MuseFX, 2001) * Phil Collins, '' Face Value'' (Virgin, 1981) * George Duke, '' Liberated Fantasies'' (MPS, 1976) * George Duke-

Band, ''"Live" on Tour in Europe'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

, 1976) *

, '' Genesis Revisited'' (Camino, 1996) * Eddie Henderson, '' Sunburst'' (Blue Note, 1975) * Allan Holdsworth, '' Velvet Darkness'' (CTI, 1976) *

Chuck Mangione Charles Frank Mangione ( ; born November 29, 1940) is an American flugelhorn player, voice actor, trumpeter and composer. He came to prominence as a member of Art Blakey's band in the 1960s, and later co-led the Jazz Brothers with his brother ...

, '' Land of Make Believe'' ( Mercury, 1973) *

Hermeto Pascoal Hermeto Pascoal (born June 22, 1936) is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Pascoal is a significant figure in the history of Brazilian music, mainly known for his abilities in orches ...

, '' Slaves Mass'' (Warner Bros., 1977) *

Abraxas Pool ''Abraxas Pool'' is a 1997 album by ex- Santana members Mike Shrieve, Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, José "Chepito" Areas, Alphonso Johnson, and Mike Carabello. Track listing # "Boom Ba Ya Ya" ''(Michael Shrieve, Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, Michae ...

, ''

'' (Miramar, 1997) * Flora Purim, '' Open Your Eyes You Can Fly'' (Milestone, 1976) * Carlos Santana and

, '' Live at the 1988 Montreux Jazz Festival '' (Image Entertainment, 2005)

References

External links

*
'Ep. 45: Alphonso Johnson, bassist from the Weather Report'
Interview by Tigran Arakelyan {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Alphonso 1951 births Living people American jazz bass guitarists American session musicians Chapman Stick players Epic Records artists Weather Report members 20th-century American bass guitarists 21st-century American bass guitarists Guitarists from Philadelphia American male bass guitarists The Other Ones members Bobby and the Midnites members Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Jazz Is Dead members Catalyst (band) members