Cee Pee Johnson


Cee Pee Johnson was an American jazz composer, bandleader, singer and multi-instrumentalist.

Early life and career

Johnson was born in Marshall, Texas in February 1910 and raised in Algiers, New Orleans. He first appeared in published sources in Dallas early in the 1930s, billed as C. B. Johnson, playing in his brother Bert Johnson's band The Sharps and Flats. Johnson danced and sang with this ensemble, and also played banjo and tom-toms.
He moved to Los Angeles in the middle of the decade, and played with Emerson Scott's band at the Onyx Club in Hollywood. He eventually became the group's bandleader, and played at several high-profile West Coast clubs, including the Paradise Club, the Del Mar Club, the Rhumboogie, and Billy Berg's Swing Club. His sidemen included Teddy Buckner, Karl George, Buddy Banks, Marshal Royal, Jack McVea, Johnny Miller, and Buddy Collette. His backup drummer was Alton Redd. The ensemble appeared in many films, and was active until at least 1954; he toured South America in 1953.
Johnson worked as a sideman with Slam Stewart and Slim Gaillard on their Slim and Slam sessions.

Filmography

All entries drawn from Library of Congress except where otherwise noted.Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 – N/A The Music Goes 'Round – N/A Woodland Café – Chorus voice Mystery in Swing – With his orchestraCitizen Kane – Drummer in beach party sequence Tom, Dick and Harry – N/A Birth of the Blues – N/A Hellzapoppin' – With his orchestra Swing for Your Supper – Leading his orchestra, with Dorothy Dandridge dancingJump In – With his orchestraThe Desert Song – Percussionist in Moroccan cafe sequencesJungle Jig – With his orchestra, accompanying Dorothy DandridgeTo Have and Have Not – Drummer in club group The Jolson Story – Unseen drum soloist in final night club scene The Razor's Edge – Bandleader / Drum soloist in nightclub The Foxes of Harrow – Drummer in voodoo sequence

Articles

Books

  • Royal, Marshal. . London: Cassell. 1996. pp. 55–56..