Pookie Johnson

Alonzo “Pookie” Johnson (b. Indianapolis, 1927 – d. Indianapolis, September 3, 2005) – Tenor Saxophonist and singer. A graduate of Crispus Attucks High School and a former student of Butler University’s Jordan Conservatory of Music, Pookie Johnson was a well-known and well-liked Indy saxophonist for nearly sixty years, spanning from the Indiana Avenue Heyday of the 1950s to appearances at the Indy Jazz Fest in the last year of his life. Following time in the Air Force (started in 1945), he traveled with the Eddie Byrd Sextet, Kink Kolax Band, and Montgomery-Johnson Quintet, which included his brother Robert (Sonny Johnon, no relation?) and the three Montgomery brothers. In fact, he played on some of Wes Montgomery’s recordings from the late 1950s. Instead of relocating to a bigger stage like New York or Chicago, Johnson stayed local—working for the U.S. postal service for thirty years—and eventually became an Indy jazz legend, who served as a mentor to younger players. Furthermore, he and fellow sax man Russell Webster volunteered to teach children to play instruments at their Eastside church in Johnson’s last year. He also volunteered his time speaking to children in the Indianapolis Public Schools. He often worked with Jimmy Coe’s big band and in the last several years of his life was a regular in the Hampton Sisters quartet, which recorded a CD in 2003 and played at the Indy Jazz Fest in the same year.