Sy Johnson's 92nd Birthday
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Join us in celebrating the legendary Sy Johnson's 92nd birthday! Though you wouldn't know it from his high spirits, Sy has experienced medical troubles this year, and while he's on the road to recovery (via his wonderful wife, Lois Mirviss, and physical therapy) we are raising funds to celebrate Sy's birthday and lessen the load.
Sy Johnson is a Jazz arranger, composer and pianist who worked with Charles Mingus in the 1970s. Johnson’s additional collaborations include Elvis Costello, Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Joe Wiliams, Benny Goodman, Lee Konitz, Rod Levitt, Joni Mitchell, and many others. Johnson continues to arrange charts for all the Mingus repertory ensembles– The Mingus Big Band, The Mingus Orchestra, and The Mingus Dynasty.
Johnson first played with Mingus at the Showplace, a Jazz club on West 4th Street in January, 1960. The gig lasted two weeks and ended when Johnson came into work and found himself replaced by Yusef Lateef, the great tenor player. Charles commented, “if you were me and had the chance to hire Yusef Lateef or you, who would you hire?” In 1971, eleven years later, Mingus gave Johnson “Let My Children Hear Music” to transcribe and arrange, which featured two of Mingus’ masterpieces, “Shoes of the Fisherman’s Wife (Are Some Jiveass Slippers)” and “Don’t Be Afraid, the Clowns Afraid Too.” The album’s emergence was heralded with a live concert, “Mingus and Friends at Philharmonic Hall,” also arranged by Johnson and released as a second album. Johnson continued to work with Mingus until his death from Lou Gehrig’s Disease in early 1979. They were friends and colleagues until the end. Mingus recorded two of Johnson’s compositions, “Wee” and “For Harry Carney,” and nominated Johnson for a Guggenheim award.
Johnson first played with Mingus at the Showplace, a Jazz club on West 4th Street in January, 1960. The gig lasted two weeks and ended when Johnson came into work and found himself replaced by Yusef Lateef, the great tenor player. Charles commented, “if you were me and had the chance to hire Yusef Lateef or you, who would you hire?” In 1971, eleven years later, Mingus gave Johnson “Let My Children Hear Music” to transcribe and arrange, which featured two of Mingus’ masterpieces, “Shoes of the Fisherman’s Wife (Are Some Jiveass Slippers)” and “Don’t Be Afraid, the Clowns Afraid Too.” The album’s emergence was heralded with a live concert, “Mingus and Friends at Philharmonic Hall,” also arranged by Johnson and released as a second album. Johnson continued to work with Mingus until his death from Lou Gehrig’s Disease in early 1979. They were friends and colleagues until the end. Mingus recorded two of Johnson’s compositions, “Wee” and “For Harry Carney,” and nominated Johnson for a Guggenheim award.
Johnson’s Broadway credits include the Tony nominated musical “Blues in the Night,” and “Black and Blue.” Johnson composed a musical based on “Lord of the Rings,” “Hobbit, Hobbit,” featuring J.R.R.Tolkien's lyrics. Johnson was an associate music supervisor, arranger, and orchestrator on Francis Ford Coppola’s film, “The Cotton Club.” Additionally, Johnson worked on “The Wiz,” and “The Color Purple” with Quincy Jones.
Throughout his career, Johnson carried a Leica 35mm camera with him, often on the bandstand, recording a career in jazz.
Co-organizers (2)
Victoria Roe
Organizer
New York, NY
Lois Mirviss
Beneficiary
Annabel O’Hagan
Co-organizer