Biography
Cee Pee Johnson enjoyed a short-lived moment in the spotlight as a bandleader whose group featured in multiple Hollywood pictures devoted to novelty numbers, vocal ensembles, and jumping jive. His work invites comparison to Cab Calloway, though it lacked that artist’s exceptional songbook; the sides he cut later surfaced on anthologies centered on reefer themes and other gritty topics, among them West Coast Jive, Man That’s Groovy: Early Vocal Groups, and Honkin’ the Boogie.
Johnson’s habit of supporting his own singing with tom-toms and assorted percussion of vaguely African character echoed Lionel Hampton’s approach and proved largely successful; his drumming skills were sufficient to place him beside bassist Slam Stewart on Slim and Slam sessions for Columbia. Two of his own compositions, “The ‘G’ Man Got the ‘T’ Man” and the nagging, negative “Don’t Forget to Say No, Baby,” illustrated the results of his songwriting efforts, the second of these numbers bearing the additional credit of co-writer Hoagy Carmichael.
Johnson’s habit of supporting his own singing with tom-toms and assorted percussion of vaguely African character echoed Lionel Hampton’s approach and proved largely successful; his drumming skills were sufficient to place him beside bassist Slam Stewart on Slim and Slam sessions for Columbia. Two of his own compositions, “The ‘G’ Man Got the ‘T’ Man” and the nagging, negative “Don’t Forget to Say No, Baby,” illustrated the results of his songwriting efforts, the second of these numbers bearing the additional credit of co-writer Hoagy Carmichael.