TOMMY JOHNSON
I was privileged sit next to Tommy Johnson frequently for many years. Roger Bobo wrote, "Tommy has been the big brother that I never had and an extraordinary example of a tubist, musician, teacher, and human being. . . . Without the competition we shared, I have no doubt whatsoever my musical accomplishments would have fallen far short. To have a friend, a colleague and a competitor like Tommy was a gift."
Once upon a time, after an inadvertent double-booking, Zubin Mehta used two tubas on several recording projects, notably the 1971 Los Angeles Philharmonic Planets recording. Roger told me, "If we were both playing unison and we had a low C, you wouldn't know Tommy was in the room; if we had a low E, you wouldn't know I was!" Subsequently, Zubin recorded with two tubas frequently.
Tommy’s sense humor was wry and occasionally impish. Having just purchased a new contrabass trombone, I brought it to work one day to show it off to Phil Teele. Phil, Tommy and I were working together on Elmer Bernstein’s score to Wild Wild West (the Will Smith movie). My part was quite low and Phil kept nudging me and whispering repeatedly, “Sell the contra, sell the contra!” So . . . I asked Mr. Bernstein if he would like to hear the part on the contrabass trombone. He replied, “I don’t know, what does a contrabass trombone sound like?” As I was reaching for the instrument to demonstrate, Tommy spoke up, “It sounds like a CIMBASSO!” When all we stopped laughing, I played a pretty good pedal C and the contra was “sold.” This memory makes me chuckle to this day. Bernstein requested I bring the contra frequently thereafter – thank you Phil Teele!
It seems clear Tommy is the most recorded tuba player in history. I have no way of describing how good he was; it was unbelievable! Here are some links.
Once upon a time, after an inadvertent double-booking, Zubin Mehta used two tubas on several recording projects, notably the 1971 Los Angeles Philharmonic Planets recording. Roger told me, "If we were both playing unison and we had a low C, you wouldn't know Tommy was in the room; if we had a low E, you wouldn't know I was!" Subsequently, Zubin recorded with two tubas frequently.
Tommy’s sense humor was wry and occasionally impish. Having just purchased a new contrabass trombone, I brought it to work one day to show it off to Phil Teele. Phil, Tommy and I were working together on Elmer Bernstein’s score to Wild Wild West (the Will Smith movie). My part was quite low and Phil kept nudging me and whispering repeatedly, “Sell the contra, sell the contra!” So . . . I asked Mr. Bernstein if he would like to hear the part on the contrabass trombone. He replied, “I don’t know, what does a contrabass trombone sound like?” As I was reaching for the instrument to demonstrate, Tommy spoke up, “It sounds like a CIMBASSO!” When all we stopped laughing, I played a pretty good pedal C and the contra was “sold.” This memory makes me chuckle to this day. Bernstein requested I bring the contra frequently thereafter – thank you Phil Teele!
It seems clear Tommy is the most recorded tuba player in history. I have no way of describing how good he was; it was unbelievable! Here are some links.
The Premiere and a Reprise of the Broughton Concerto!
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A little history!