Jimmy "Flim" Johnson

[rustyg61]

I wish I could Jacko, but my oldest son just made Head Band Director at a brand new school this year & he is having his Christmas concert Dec. 13, so I can't come out before the 14th. I don't want to miss his 1st concert as a Head Band Director. I'm flying out to take my other son to the San Diego Chargers football game on Dec. 16, so I can't change my plans & go a different weekend. The band we are seeing on the 14th is a 17 piece Big Band, so I imagine it will be a VERY intimate setting!!

[jacko]

17 piece! That's going to be a really tight squeeze. Hope you have a really great trip anyway - and congrats to your other son on his promotion :-)

[rustyg61]

Here's a picture of them, it is John Daversa's Progressive Big Band.
 

 
Thanks for the congrats!

[JimmyJ]

Peter K,  
That is a fine looking acquisition, congratulations.  Your vibrato will go a long way on that axe!  And wow, have a great time in Russia!  That should be a great experience!
 
Rusty,
Sorry to miss you at the Potato.  (I'm probably not playing the Allen Hinds gig in December.  Sometimes the online calendar is inaccurate due to the use of copy and paste.  Most likely it will be JV Collier on bass that evening.)  But you will certainly enjoy the Daversa band.  He assembles a great collection of players and has written some very cool modern big band music.  They overflow the bandstand a bit ... but that's all part of the fun.  Have a great trip and congrats to your elder for the head band director gig.
 
Graeme,
Terry brings a small kit to the Potato, only 4 kick drums last time.  Ha!  This time he is threatening to use the house kit ... but I have a feeling it will become something more.  Good fun!
 
Cheers,
Jimmy J

[rustyg61]

Thanks for the reply Jimmy! I will definitely make it out to one of your shows someday! This trip was scheduled to take my son to a Chargers game, but hopefully next time I can plan it around one of your shows! Have you ever thought of starting a seperate thread on here with a list of your upcoming gigs so we could see when you are playing in our area?  
 
Rusty

[eddievig]

Jimmy,
 
As I sit here rebuilding a laptop for my Mom and waiting for all of the Windows updates to download, I am thoroughly enjoying watching you with Lee Ritenour on the Rit Special DVD (circa 1984?). Great work as always, and love your solo on Rio Funk.  
 
I also agree with rustyg61 regarding the gig calendar

[rustyg61]

Hey Jimmy, I finally made it to The Baked Potato! I went last Friday & saw John Daversa's Progressive Big Band. They were great! I met John & his bass player, Jerry Watts, & both had high praise for you, as did the bartender when I told them that I found out about The Baked Potato from you. The band literally took up half the room & my son & I had to sit at the bar because my flight was late getting in, but I loved the intimate setting there! It feels like having a band in your living room! I will definitely be going back when I visit my son! Here's a couple of pictures -  

 

 

[jacko]

Nice pics Rusty. It really is a great club isn't it?
 
Graeme

[rustyg61]

Thanks Graeme! Yes, it IS a nice club with great food & the perfect setting for enjoying amazing music!

[JimmyJ]

Ed,
Thanks for the kind words.  That Rit experience seems like eons ago (because it was!) but I was lucky to be there and to have the opportunity to play with Carlos Vega in that band...
 
Rusty,
So glad you made it to the Spud and heard all those cats play.  Watts is great player with a big sound and a very nice guy.  And Daversa's book is difficult.  I subbed on the band once for Jerry and had to dig in hard to keep up!  
 
The club is a funky little place but as you see it's kind of a musician's Mecca!  In fact, my first visit to the place was before I moved to LA, probably 1978-79, and I saw a band with Ernie Watts, Dave Grusin and ... wait for it ... Lee Ritenour.  Small World, huh?!
 
Holiday best to all!
Jimmy J

[hankster]

My first and only visit was in 1979, to see Joe Diorio.  I think he had Charles Magnusson (?) on bass.

[rustyg61]

Jimmy, it was an experience I'll never forget & I want to thank you again for telling me about The Baked Potato! If those walls could talk!!! Lots of history there! What made it even better was that my 24 year old son loved it too. Such a wonderful thing that in this age of electronic artificial music that most of the youth tend to gravitate towards, that I can take my son to a place like the Spud & expose him to real musicians at the top of their game & he is just as blown away as I was! It was a great father/son bonding experience & I can't thank you enough for making me aware of the club!

[JuancarlinBass]

You probably mean Bob Magnusson. )

[hankster]

I do, i think.  30 years has clouded my memory. Thx.

[gbulfon]

Hi,
 
just wanted to share with all of you this transcription of mine, it's free, just need a free account on Scribd  
 
http://www.scribd.com/doc/125866240/Sphere-of-Innocence
 
Gabriele.