Jack Johnson (album)

Jack Johnson
Original LP (Columbia S 30455)[1]
Studio album / Soundtrack album by
ReleasedFebruary 24, 1971
RecordedFebruary 18 and April 7, 1970
Studio30th Street (New York)
Genre
Length52:26
LabelColumbia
ProducerTeo Macero
Miles Davis chronology
Miles Davis at Fillmore
(1970)
Jack Johnson
(1971)
Live-Evil
(1971)
Alternate cover
Subsequent reissues

Jack Johnson (also known as A Tribute To Jack Johnson on reissues) is a studio album and soundtrack by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis. It was released on February 24, 1971, by Columbia Records.

The album was conceived by Davis for Bill Cayton's documentary of the same name, on the life of boxer Jack Johnson. Its two 25-minute-plus tracks were produced from recordings made on February 18 and April 7, 1970, at 30th Street Studio in New York City. Davis was inspired by the political and racial subtext of Johnson's saga as well as the hard rock and funk sounds of his own era, leading a rock-inspired line-up of musicians in the studio: guitarists John McLaughlin and Sonny Sharrock, keyboardists Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, bass clarinetist Bennie Maupin, and drummers Jack DeJohnette and Billy Cobham.

Jack Johnson performed modestly on the record charts and was generally well received by contemporary critics. It has since been regarded as one of the best albums from Davis' career and the jazz-rock genre, as well as his most overt venture into rock music. In 2003, the original album was reissued as part of The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions, a five-disc box set featuring previously unreleased music from the recording sessions.

  1. ^ "Album Reviews". Billboard. March 20, 1971. p. 44. Retrieved June 8, 2013.