J.J. Johnson (born James Louis Johnson) in Indianapolis, Indiana, (January 22, 1924 - February 4, 2001), was a United States jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. By his early twenties, Johnson developed a technique characterized by flawless precision, and he was the first trombonist to rise to the challenge of bebop music. He remained essentially unchallenged at the forefront of modern jazz throughout his career. Johnson has long been regarded as the leading trombonist of the Post-Swing Era, exerting a pervasive influence on other jazz musicians. Johnson was commonly ranked among the first order of modern jazz musicians who came to prominence during the 1940s. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop style, but also worked extensively in other genres, notably in third stream, which blended classical music and jazz. Johnson co-led a quintet with trombonist Kai Winding which toured extensively and recorded several successf