Osie Johnson - The Happy Jazz Of Osie Johnson (1955 Bethlehem BCP 66) - LP ..plus one track

Osie Johnson biography by Scott Yanow

In the 1950s and the first half of the 1960s, Osie Johnson was one of the most in-demand drummers in New York, making a countless number of recordings and working steadily in the studios. He started working professionally in 1941, was with Sabby Lewis' band in Boston (1942-1943), and then was in the military where he played in a Navy band (1944-1945). After five years freelancing in Chicago, Johnson was a member of Earl Hines' band during 1951-1953. Stints with Dorothy Donegan and Illinois Jacquet followed before he became a busy session musician, playing and recording with a who's who of mainstream (including Coleman Hawkins, Dinah Washington, Wes Montgomery, and Sonny Stitt). In addition to contributing tasteful and supportive drums, Osie Johnson was an occasional composer, arranger, and singer, leading sessions for Jazztone (1955) and RCA (1956).
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Bethlehem LP only include 11 tracks.
Tracks from Bethlehem LP have near mint sound.

Track 'Cokernut Tree' was included on CD version : Osie's Oasis (Fantasy OJCCD 1916-2), but version posted here is from a vinyl with only acceptable sound.
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01 Osmosis
02 Midnight Mirage
03 The Desert Song
04 Cokernut Tree
05 Osie's Oasis
06 Jumpin' At The Water Hole
07 Cat Walk
08 Don't Bug Me, Hug Me
09 I Don't Want To Cry Anymore
10 Blues For The Camels
11 Flute To Boot
12 Johnson's Whacks
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Credits:

Osie Johnson Octet

Thad Jones, Bill Scott (tp) Henry Coker (tb) Ernie Wilkins (as) Frank Wess (ts, fl) Charlie Fowlkes (bars) Wendell Marshall (b) Osie Johnson (d)

NYC, February, 1955

Osie's Oasis
Cokernut Tree
The Desert Song
Midnight Mirage

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Osie Johnson Sextet

Thad Jones (tp) Bill Hughes (tb -1,2,4) Henry Coker (tb -3) Frank Wess (ts, fl) Dick Katz (p) Milt Hinton (b) Osie Johnson (d, vo)

NYC, February, 1955

Jumpin' At The Water Hole
Cat Walk
I Don't Want To Cry Anymore
Don't Bug Me, Hug Me

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Osie Johnson Quintet

Benny Powell (tb) Frank Wess (ts, fl) Dick Katz (p) Eddie Jones (b) Osie Johnson (d)

NYC, February, 1955

Blues For The Camels
Flute To Boot
Johnson's Whacks
Osmosis