Rudolph Johnson

Tenor saxophonist Rudolph Johnson was a heady and deeply focused improviser, recognized for his huge tone and long architectural phrases in the John Coltrane tradition. A member of organist Jimmy McGriff's hard-swinging group of the early 1960s, Johnson came into his own in the '70s, releasing a two albums on the Black Jazz Records label, including 1972's Spring Rain, before spending the latter part of his career as a member of Ray Charles' orchestra. Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Johnson started playing saxophone in junior high. There, he cultivated a love of jazz, playing al...