In the mid-1950s, Osie Johnson was an ominipresent drummer on the New York jazz scene. His flawless time was complemented by stylistic flexibility that allowed him to support musicians from Earl Hines to George Russell. Schooled in harmony and theory, he was a skilled arranger who had provided backings for Dinah Washington and other singers. His 1955 sessions for the Period label were heavily populated by players from the Count Basie band, who took with enthusiasm to Johnson’s arrangeme… MORE