George Bohanon obit

Remembering George Bohanon

August 7, 1937 – November 8, 2024

 

He was not on the list.

Trombonist George Bohanon passed away on Nov. 8, 2024 at the age of 87.

He was born on Aug. 7, 1937 in Detroit and began playing the trombone when he was eight.

Bohanon attended Wayne State University and the Detroit Institute of Musical Arts.

His main influence was J.J. Johnson and he mastered bebop.

Bohanon was the first call trombonist for the Motown label for seven years, performing on a countless number of recordings; he was also a member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet (sharing the frontline with Charles Lloyd) in 1962-63.

After moving to Los Angeles in 1968, Bohanon was active on the local jazz scene and also stayed very busy in the studios, performing with many different ensembles and orchestras.

Among his more significant recordings were sessions with Jimmy Witherspoon, Richard Boone, Joe Hutcherson, Charles Kynard, Freddie Hubbard, Blue Mitchell, Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, Tom Scott, Ernie Andrews, Dave Grusin, and Buddy Collette.

Bohanon, a longtime member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, also led four albums of his own: Boss – Bossa Nova (1962), Elation (1981), Tribute (mid-1980s), and Blue Phase (1990).

From 2014, George Bohanon is featured in a duet with pianist Theo Saunders on “I Thought About You.”

In the early 1960s, he participated in Detroit's Workshop Jazz ensemble, with Johnny Griffith, Paula Greer, David Hamilton, Lefty Edwards and Herbie Williams. After appearing on several Motown recordings, together with leading musicians such as Hank Cosby, of the Funk Brothers, he went to live in California.

In 1962, he replaced Garnett Brown in the Chico Hamilton Quintet. In 1963 and 1964, he recorded two albums for Motown's unsuccessful jazz Workshop label.

In 1971, he was a member of the Ernie Wilkins Orchestra, playing alongside fellow trombonist Benny Powell, that backed Sarah Vaughan on her A Time in My Life album, recorded in Los Angeles.

Between 1984 and 1993, he played in orchestras backing Frank Sinatra.

Discography

As leader

 

Boss: Bossa Nova (Workshop Jazz, 1963)

Blue Phase (Geobo Music, 1991)

With Karma

 

Celebration (Horizon/A&M, 1976)[8]

For Everybody (Horizon/A&M, 1977)[9]

With Monk Higgins

 

Piping Hot (Phono, 1981)

With Miles Davis and Michel Legrand

 

Dingo (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1991)

As sideman

1966: The Dealer, Chico Hamilton (Impulse!)

1971: A Time in My Life, Sarah Vaughan (Mainstream)

1972: Woga, Charles Kynard (Mainstream)

1973: Your Mama Don't Dance, Charles Kynard (Mainstream)

1974: Northern Windows, Hampton Hawes (Prestige)

1974: Live'n Well, Bert Myrick (Strata)

1974: Slow Dancer, Boz Scaggs (Columbia Records)

1975: Stratosonic Nuances, Blue Mitchell (RCA)

1975: Black Miracle, Joe Henderson (Milestone)

1975: Places and Spaces, Donald Byrd (Blue Note)

1976: Eternity, Alice Coltrane (Warner Bros.)

1976: Everybody Come On Out, Stanley Turrentine (Fantasy)

1976: School Days, Stanley Clarke (Epic)

1976: Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder (Tamla)

1978: Jazz, Ry Cooder (Warner Bros.)

1978: Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela (Horizon)

1979: We're the Best of Friends, Natalie Cole and Peabo Bryson

1992: GRP All-Star Big Band (GRP)

1992: Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live!

1995: All Blues

1997: Theme for Monterey, Gerald Wilson Orchestra

1998: 12 Songs of Christmas, Etta James (Private Music)

2005: Christmas Songs, Diana Krall