Plas Johnson on Tampa Records (1956)   This red vinyl LP was reissued as “Bop Me, Daddy”.  The accompanying musicians are: Ray Johnson (piano), Duke Harris (bass) and Sharky Hall (drums).   The songs are:   Makin’ Whoopee/Last Call/Dungaree Hop/Drum Magic/Blue Jean Shuffle/Plasma/Jackpot/Red Cider.

Plas Johnson can be heard on dozens of R&B recordings made in Los Angeles in the late 1950s, including ones by Don and Dewey, Larry Williams, the Cadets, Richard Berry, and many others. Perhaps his first noteworthy solo was the short piccolo figure that stands for the eponymous bird’s call on Bobby Day’s hit, “Rockin’ Robin.”    He was a favorite featured saxman of Lex Baxter who wrote solos specially for him on African Jazz and Tamboo!  And at Capitol he recorded with Nat “King” Cole, Peggy Lee, and Frank Sinatra.  Plas even sat in on most of the early Beach Boys classics and was an integral part of a number of rock groups that existed in name only, such as B. Bumble and the Stingers and the Mar-Ketts.

While he may not be known by name outside music and collector’s circles, his sax intro to the “Pink Panther Theme” and his playing (with Harry “Sweets” Edison) on the soundtrack to “The Odd Couple” have made his playing part of our collective cultural consciousness.

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