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J.J. Johnson. Bone-o-logy.

Early (late 40s) groups led by trombone great Johnson feature musicians of the caliber of Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Bud Powell,a very young Sonny Rollins. A new player for me is Cecil Payne, heard on alto in the group with Max and Bud on four cuts. Payne plays Lester young type figures, slightly tilted toward a bop idiom, with a wonderfully warm tone and great self-confidence. He would later be better known on Baritone sax, I'm told. Rollins, at age 19, uses a lot of riffs from Parker, but still sounds like Rollins. Kenny Dorham is in one of JJ's groups too. This is what I love about bop: that jerky and exuberant spirit. Bop wants you to be a smart person, hip and alert to the world. Jay Jay is saying that the corny trombone schtick of yesteryear is passé. The bone can be as agile as the trumpet, as legato as the tenor sax.