Why J.J. Johnson worked for a few years during the ‘50s as a blueprint inspector is so far beyond my realm of understanding as to not comment upon it. The fact was just too good to not include somehow and this seemed the best why by which to do it.

Regardless of his brief break from playing music, Johnson is today considered the foremost proponent of bop on the trombone. Surely, the work that he did with Kai Winding is notable, but Johnson’s career out stripes all but the very top tier jazzbos of the era, little loan Winding (no offense, but it’s undeniably true).

Beginning as a member of some localized touring acts during the ‘40s, Johnson would eventually go on to perform with Miles Davis amongst some other big names of the genre. But even if Johnson’s recording career wound up not being as impressive as it remains today, his ability to work his instrument into a bop setting would make him a memorable character.

Beyond that era of jazz music, the ‘70s saw a new demand for film scores directed at black audiences. Johnson was more than happy to work in that mold and concocted soundtracks that were as funky and appropriate for the burgeoning blaxploitation genre as anyone else in the field. A few of the OSTs have been re-issued, but those that haven’t fetch some hefty collector’s price tags.

Johnson isn’t best known for his filmic work, though, it’s the fifties’ bop stuff that people most associate with this player – which makes complete sense. And in 1957 Johnson, along with Tommy Flanagan on keys, Paul Chambers with his bass and Max Roach sitting behind the drums, recorded First Place.

The album, made up of nine tracks, is certainly not going to blow listeners away. The music isn’t horrendously advanced or difficult to sit through – although Roach’s occasional drums solos aren’t all that enticing – but in that it renders the music a bit bland.

Of course, contrasting this work with other jazz stuffs that were occurring simultaneously might make First Place a bit more entertaining. But just two years after this date was recorded, Ornette Coleman would begin his ascent into the avant garde.

Regardless of that, though, some of First Place is worth taking a listen to. Despite the fact that most of the compositions here come from sources outside of this ensemble, the one Sonny Rollins (who previously performed with Johnson) number is pretty listenable even as sections of it come off like so much dinner music.

Elsewhere, there are three Johnson penned tunes. The first of which, “Commutation,” comes in hot as the piano leads the ensemble through an upbeat number. Moving a bit past that tune “Harvey's House” is a bluesy workout that again prominently features the keys as Johnson’s trombone lines make up at least a third of the piece.

It’s not that First Place isn’t a decent work. But understanding that trombone isn’t tremendously well suited to playing bop and given the fact that there are countless entertaining bop discs from the era to listen to, Johnson’s effort winds up being less than indispensible.