Manzie Johnson

Isham "Manzie" Johnson (August 19, 1906 – April 9, 1971) was an American jazz drummer.

Johnson was raised in New York City, and played in Harlem in the 1920s with Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, and other stride pianists, before going on to work with Willie Gant (1926), June Clark, Elmer Snowden (ca. 1927), and Joe Steele.

He recorded with Jelly Roll Morton (1928), James P. Johnson, and Horace Henderson (1930) before joining Don Redman's orchestra, where he played from 1931 to 1937, appearing in the film Don Redman and his Orchestra (1934).

Johnson then spent time as a freelance musician, recording with Red Allen, Benny Morton, Willie Bryant, Lil Armstrong, Mezz Mezzrow, Redman and James P. Johnson again, Ovie Alston, and Fletcher Henderson. He served in the military during World War II, then played part-time with Sidney Bechet (ca. 1951), Garvin Bushell, and Happy Caldwell. Johnson never led his own recording session.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 19, 1906 (Putnam), Died April 9, 1971 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: drums, traps

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 34 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-48433 10-in. 12/6/1928 Everybody loves my honey now Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BVE-48434 10-in. 12/6/1928 Red hot pepper Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BVE-48435 10-in. 12/6/1928 Deep creek Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BVE-48436 10-in. 12/6/1928 You oughter see my gal Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030318 10-in. 11/28/1938 Ja-da Tommy Ladnier Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030319 10-in. 11/28/1938 Really the blues Tommy Ladnier Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030320 10-in. 11/28/1938 When you and I were young, Maggie Tommy Ladnier Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030321 10-in. 11/28/1938 Weary blues Tommy Ladnier Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030450 10-in. 12/19/1938 Royal Garden blues Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030451 10-in. 12/19/1938 Everybody loves my baby Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030452 10-in. 12/19/1938 Ain't gonna give nobody none of my jelly-roll Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030453 10-in. 12/19/1938 If you see me comin' Teddy Bunn ; Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-030454 10-in. 12/19/1938 Gettin' together Mezzrow-Ladnier Quintet Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-066784 10-in. 10/14/1941 Rip up the joint Sidney Bechet ; Vic Dickenson ; New Orleans Feetwarmers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and chorus instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-066785 10-in. 10/14/1941 Suey Sidney Bechet ; Vic Dickenson ; New Orleans Feetwarmers Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-066786 10-in. 10/14/1941 Blues in the air Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-066787 10-in. 10/14/1941 The mooche Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-066788 10-in. 10/14/1941 Laughin' in rhythm Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers Jazz/dance band, with laughing and vocal chorus instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-067791 10-in. 9/13/1941 I'm coming, Virginia Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers Jazz/dance sextet instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-067792 10-in. 9/13/1941 Limehouse blues Artists vary Jazz/dance sextet instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-067793 10-in. 9/13/1941 Georgia cabin Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers Jazz/dance sextet instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-067794 10-in. 9/13/1941 Texas moaner Artists vary Jazz/dance sextet instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 62442 10-in. 7/23/1937 Lindy hop Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 62443 10-in. 7/23/1937 When I went back home Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 62444 10-in. 7/23/1937 Let's call it love Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band instrumentalist, drums  
(Results 1-25 of 34 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Manzie," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107077.

Johnson, Manzie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107077.

"Johnson, Manzie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107077

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.