Aaron Johnson: The Invisible Man of Jazz: Ignored by the Critics: Example 1

It has been suggested to me that I post some work of the musicians whom, I recently complained, remain largely unnoticed by the jazz intelligentsia (sarcasm intended). Years ago I had to fight to get an article (that I wrote) into Downbeat about Barry Harris. I succeeded after months of trying, and it was Barry’s first feature in that magazine. But it really was like….well, not pulling teeth; more like extracting a wart from a hyperactive monkey’s butt. That’s how I feel today about trying to promo worthy things without a publicist.

So…let us start with the musician I feel is the best saxophonist in existence right now and who remains scandalously un-recognized: Aaron Johnson.

I met Aaron Johnson on Facebook; we worked and recorded together for a few years before we, against my better judgement, went our separate ways. Aaron is an absolutely incredible tenor/alto saxophonist and clarinetist. As one of our fellow musicians said to me about playing with him in session and on a gig, “you just wait to hear what new level of expression he is going to reach next.” I observed in an interview that soloing after Aaron was like going over Niagara Falls in a bucket; it just never seemed like a good idea, though I did it pretty regularly.

For this little feature I am going to post two sound files; the first is from my CD In the Dark, called “What Are You Doing?” I asked Aaron if he could give me a little Johnny Hodges feel, and, boy, did he – his playing on this is beyond belief, as he evokes the feeling of Hodges on his ballad features with Duke, while still being completely himself. This is a phenomenal performance.

The second is an excerpt from a tune called Mr. Jenkins’ Lonely Orphans Band, from our Louis Armstrong project, of Aaron playing clarinet. Other than Ken Peplowski, who is his own universe, name me one other player today who can do anything close to this on that instrument. But this is only the tip of that melting iceberg. If you can, go hear Aaron play, as he does, at least, work regularly around NYC.

Even as I write this I feel a certain tension and frustration welling up inside me. The fact that none of the critics has ever really written about this amazing player fills me with anger and really proves that all of my complaints about some of them are justified: come on, damn Winterfest, stop playing repeater pencil to that conflict of interest called The Publicist. Come on critics and leave the press releases and CD release parties behind. Aaron Johnson is The Real Thing.

Wake up.

1. Mr. Jenkins Lonely Orphans’ Band (clarinet excerpt) 2. What Are We Doing