Plas Johnson In Session – Various Artists
Released March 2025 on Jasmine Records - Home - Jasmine Records (jasmine-records.co.uk)
Reviewed March 2025 by Jailhouse John
If you grew up listening to music in the golden age of rock 'n' roll during the 1950s and into the early 1960s, it's highly unlikely you ever heard the name Plas Johnson . That said, you definitely heard him in your record collection, with his sax gracing the grooves of literally hundreds of records for a myriad of record companies during that exciting period.
He is perhaps best remembered today for contributing to Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther Theme” as well as “Peter Gunn”; however on this collection the focus is on his more rockin’ output.
This unique compilation presents 33 tracks on which Plas lent his excellent sax work, with artists like Duane Eddy, Fats Domino, Dodie Stevens, Eddie Cochran, Ricky Nelson, Sam Cooke, The Coasters to name a few.
Although a mere glimpse into his career it is easy to see why Plas Johnson was arguably one of the top tenor saxophone soloists of the rock ‘n’ roll era, and at the time of writing is still with us today at 93!
Review
I always think it’s a good idea to start an album with an absolute belter, and it seems that the compilers of this set feel the same. We kick off in style with the sad story of a fictional ape from 1957 – the wild and excellent rocker “King Kong” by Big ‘T’ Tyler. Track two, “Here Comes Henry” could well be referring to the same man that Etta James wanted to dance with. Young Jessie’s 1956 recording for the Modern label does have a similar feel to it. “Tll The Well Runs Dry” by Wynona Carr is a great jiver. Plas comes in at the start of “Hot Rod Queen” with his sax opening this novelty track that has some odd sound effects of a hot rod car. Track five, “Ring A Ling” by “Dimples” Jackson (Marcene Harris) is another good rocker with Plas working his usual magic. Big ‘T’ Tyler makes a second appearance with the other side of “King Kong”, “Sadie Green” that doesn’t get the same attention despite being another fine tune. In 1957 the Hollywood Flames hit No. 5 on the R&B chart and No. 11 on the pop chart in the States with the classic “Buzz-Buzz-Buzz”. Track eight “Hum Ding A Ling” has the Johnny Otis band at their rocking best. In 1958 Specialty records released a great double sider from Larry Williams, “Dizzy Miss Lizzie” and the ninth track here, “Slow Down” two wild rockers. “Koko Joe”, “the coolest little monkey in town” by Don and Dewey and written by Sonny Bono provides the second track about primates on this collection. It’s a great rocker but sadly didn’t get any chart success. At track eleven the pace drops a little to a fine stroller by Larry Williams, “The Hootchy-Koo.
“Goodbye Baby Goodbye” by Sonny Lowery is one of the few rockabilly tracks on the Speciality label and if you’re wondering if a sax can work on a rockabilly track? This shows it definitely can! Track thirteen has the master of Twang, Duane Eddy, at his best and the rasping sax from Plas goes so well the classic guitar sound on “Movin’ ‘n’ Groovin’”. Staying on the theme of rocking instrumentals, we have “Wiggle Tail Pt. 1” from Googie Rene as released on the Class label in 1958. The Lone Ranger was a massively successful TV series during the 50s and the novelty track “Lone Ranger Gonna Git Married” is obviously an attempt by Jimmy Johnson to cash in on the show’s success, but his single on Class in 1958 didn’t make it. Track sixteen, “Cerveza” is a “Tequila”- inspired sax instrumental that was credited to Boots Brown (Shorty Rogers), but was actually a Plas Johnson recording. It went to number 23 in 1958, on RCA. “Tequila” by the Champs also was first released in 1958. The same year saw the release of “Jeannie Lee” by Jan & Arnie which reached No. 3 on the Cash Box charts on June 21, 1958, and No. 8 on the Billboard charts on June 30, 1958. Rock and Roll superstar, Fats Domino gives us track 18 with “Margie”, a track that has that classic New Orleans R&B feel. Dodie Stevens was only twelve years old when she recorded “Pink Shoelaces” a pop rocker that was a top 10 hit in 1959. At track twenty we have “Big Fat Sally” recorded for Capitol by Ronnie and Roy sounding a lot like the Coasters. “Bourbon Street Beat” by Don Ralke is good to stroll to. “Hot Rod Rock” by Edd Byrnes with Joanie Sommers is another recording that is based in the fad for hot rod cars that was sweeping the USA in the 50s and 60s. It’s a bit poppy but a good rocker nonetheless. Track 23 is a slightly eerie rocking instrumental.
“Bullfrog", Johnny Moore & His New Blazers has the sax of Plas at the fore. “Teenage Heaven” is a classic Eddie Cochran track from 1959, why it only reached 99 in the top 100 is a mystery to me. Finally, at track 25, we get a track actually credited to Plas Johnson! His version of O Solo Mio was no doubt done in the hope of getting some success on the back of Elvis Presley’s hit version. I am more familiar with Sammy Masters’ version of track twenty-six, “Rockin’ Red Wing” than Ernie Freeman’s. Both are good rockers and in Ernie’s case, to quote the song, “man can he blow that horn”! “Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Ernie Fields Orchestra has a pop feel to it, but it does give Plas a good vehicle to display his talents. Teenage idol, Ricky Nelson, gives us track twenty-eight with version of “Yes Sir, That's My Baby” a song that dates back to the 1920s the highlight of Ricky’s version is definitely the sax solo. Sandy Nelson a hit making drummer in his own right teams up with Plas for an instrumental version of “My Girl Joesphine”. Of all the great tracks in this set, the one with possibly the most success in terms of sales is track thirty “Twistin' The Night Away” by Sam Cooke. I wish they hadn’t faded it out so soon as Plas sounds great. “Ridin’ Hood” dates from 1962 when the Coasters had it released on the Atco label. It is in their classic style but with Plas on sax as opposed to King Curtis. “Balboa Blue” is an easy going instrumental that got to 48 in the US Hot 100 when the Marketts had it issued in 1962. The final track is a lesser known version of the classic rock ‘n’ roll track “Shake, Rattle And Roll” by The Big Sound Of Don Ralke and for me this version from 1962 deserves more attention.
Summary and recommendation
This is a fantastic collection of work from a truly remarkable musician that goes to show that just about any song, in any style, can be better with some great saxophone playing! Go buy it and enjoy it.
Reviewed by Jailhouse John Alexander
Track List
Track, Title, Artist
1, King Kong, Big 'T' Tyler
2, Here Comes Henry, Young Jessie
3, Till The Well Runs Dry, Wynona Carr
4, Hot Rod Queen, Roy Tann
5, Ring A Ling, Dimples Jackson
6, Sadie Green, Big 'T' Tyler
7, Buzz-Buzz-Buzz, Hollywood Flames
8, Hum Ding A Ling, Johnny Otis Show
9, Slow Down, Larry Williams
10, Koko Joe, Don And Dewey
11, Hootchy-Koo, Larry Williams
12, Goodbye Baby Goodbye, Sonny Lowery
13, Moovin' 'n' Groovin', Duane Eddy
14, Wiggle Tail Pt. 1, Googie Rene
15, Lone Ranger Gonna Git Married, Jimmy Johnson
16, Cereveza, Boots Brown
17, Jeannie Lee, Jan & Arnie
18, Margie, Fats Domino
19, Pink Shoelaces, Dodie Stevens
20, Big Fat Sally, Ronnie And Roy
21, Bourbon Street Beat, Don Ralke
22, Hot Rod Rock, Edd Byrnes with Joanie Sommers
23, Bullfrog, Johnny Moore & His New Blazers
24, Teenage Heaven, Eddie Cochran
25, O Sole Mio Rock, Plas Johnson
26, Rockin' Red Wing, Ernie Freeman
27, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Ernie Fields Orchestra
28, Yes Sir, That's My Baby, Ricky Nelson
29, My Girl Josephine, Sandy Nelson
30, Twistin' The Night Away, Sam Cooke
31, Ridin' Hood, Coasters
32, Balboa Blue, Marketts
33, Shake, Rattle 'n' Roll, Big Sound Of Don Ralke
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