Alphonso Johnson

Alphonso Johnson (born 2 February 1951) is an American jazz bassist who has been influential since the early 1970s. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Johnson started off as an upright bass player, but switched to the electric bass in his late teens. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, Johnson showed innovation and fluidity on the electric bass. He sessioned with a few jazz musicians before landing a job with Weather Report, taking over for co-founding member Miroslav Vitous. His playing was featured on the Weather Report album Mysterious Traveller, on the songs "Cucumber Slumber" and "Scarlet Woman". Johnson appeared on two more albums for Weather Report before he would leave the band to work with drummer Billy Cobham. During...