Artist: J.J. Johnson

J. J. Johnson (January 22, 1924 – February 4, 2001)was an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger.Johnson was one of the earliest trombonists to embrace bebop.On February 4, 2001, he died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His funeral in Indianapolis drew jazz musicians, friends and family from around the country.By the 1970's, Johnson was sufficiently well-known to continue winning "DownBeat" polls despite his effective absence from the jazz scene. However, starting with a Japanese tour in 1977, Johnson gradually returned to a busy performance schedule; during the 1980's he would go on to lead a quintet that often featured Ralph Moore