Tuesday, July 21, 2009

O saxofonista de blues e jazz Plas Johnson nasceu no 21 de julho de 1931, em Donaldsonville, na Louisiana, bem perto de Nova Orleans. Os aficionados por jazz conhecem o seu nome, mas a maioria, que se expõe a sua musica, reconhece mesmo é o som manhoso de seu saxofone. É dele o solo de saxofone na famosa composição "Pink Panther" de Henri Mancini, tema do filme com o mesmo nome.

Em parceria com o trompetista Harry "Sweets" Edison assinou a composição de Neal Hefti que serviu como tema do show televisivo de muito sucesso na TV americana "The Odd Couple".

Plas acompanhou em gravações, nomes de destaque como Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones, Jay MacShann, Sarah Vaughn, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles e Linda Ronstadt.


Plas Johnson saiu de Nova Orleans em 1951 para seguir estrada com o Charles Brown Blues Band. Desde então desenvolveu brilhante carreira e continua gravando com seus pares e se apresentando em shows e festivais nos Estados Unidos e mundo afora.


Gravou os albuns "Mood for the Blues" (foto) "Hot Blue and Saxy, "Evening Delight" "Christmas in Hollywood" e "Keep that Groove Going".

Click para ve-lo em ação.


Jazzman Plas Johnson was born July 21,1931 in Donaldsonville,Louisiana, not very far from New Orleans. Jazz aficionados know him by name, but almost anyone exposed to music is familiar with his playing. His is the purring sax solo on Henry Mancini's famous “Pink Panther” movie theme song. His is the saxophone counterpart to Harry “Sweets” Edison's trumpet on Neal Hefti's signature music for “The Odd Couple” TV series.

Plas is the featured soloist heard on countless albums, including those of such artists as Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt and Sarah Vaughan.


Plas left New Orleans in 1951 to go on the road with the Charles Brown Blues Band. The road, a stint in the Army and a permanent move to California followed. Plas attended the Westlake School of Music in Los Angeles for a year and a half, when his studies were derailed by an overloaded schedule of record dates. He was brought to the attention of Johnny Otis, who immediately added him to his blues aggregation. Johnny then introduced Plas to Dave Cavanaugh, who held an influential A&R position at Capitol Records, where he soon became a regular session sideman and soloist during Capitol's halcyon years.


He has kept busy ever since on a constant touring schedule and appearing on scores of sessions.
Plas' recent recordings include his own albums, “Hot, Blue & Saxy,” “Evening Delight,” “Christmas in Hollywood,” and “Keep That Groove Going!” on Milestone, with Red Holloway.


Reference - AAJ

Tradução - Humberto Amorim

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