J.J. Johnson dove into jazz as a teenager in the ‘30s and would go on to become one of bebop and hard bop's premier trombonists. Coming up in the bands of Count Basie and Benny Carter, Johnson developed a lightning-quick melodic style that mirrored the playing of Charlie Parker and Lester Young. Recordings like “Turnpike” and “Minor Blues”—with their speedy runs and bluesy croons—see Johnson as a wholly versatile and unique artist; the brilliant timbres and harmonies of “Blues for Trombones” and the jittery-yet-clear-headed solos of “Coffee Pot” reveal Johnson as a groundbreaking brass voice.