{{short description|American singer (born 1957)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Johnny Sansone | image = Johnny Sansone (7314701954).jpg | caption = Sansone at the 2012 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival | alt = | image_size = | birth_name = John Sansone | alias = Jumpin' Johnny Sansone | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|09|27}} | birth_place = Orange, New Jersey, U.S. | origin = | death_date = | death_place = | instrument = Harmonica, accordion, guitar, piano, vocals | genre = Electric blues<ref name="AMG"/> | occupation = Singer, songwriter, harmonicist, accordionist | years_active = 1980s–present | label = Various | website = {{URL|johnnysansone.com/}} }}

'''John Sansone''' (born September 27, 1957),<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.wwoz.org/programs/wwoz-interviews/228454 |title=Johnny Sansone, September 27, 2013 &#124; WWOZ New Orleans 90.7 FM |website=Wwoz.org |date=2013-09-27 |accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2013/09/new_orleans_music_hot_picks_fo_157.html |title=New Orleans music 'Hot Picks' for Friday, Sept. 27, 2013: Funky Meters, Ana Popovic |website=Nola.com |date= 27 September 2013|accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://metunes.ru/maxsite/gacjhb/Jumpin-Johnny-Sansone |title=Jumpin' Johnny Sansone all the albums and all the songs |website=Metunes.ru |date= |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref> also known as '''Jumpin' Johnny Sansone''', is an American electric blues singer, songwriter, harmonicist, accordionist, guitarist and piano player. He was nominated for seven music awards in 2012, including a Blues Music Award which he won.<ref name="Home">{{cite web|url=http://www.johnnysansone.com/#!home/mainPage|title=Johnny Sansone Homepage|website=Johnnysansone.com|accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref> To date, he has been involved in the release of twelve original albums.

==Early life and education== Born in Orange, New Jersey, Sansone was raised in nearby West Orange,<ref name="Rate">{{cite web |title=Crescent City Moon : Jumpin' Johnny Sansone |url=http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/jumpin_johnny_sansone |accessdate=2016-01-12 |website=Rateyourmusic.com}}</ref><ref>Skelly, Richard. [http://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/06/30/jumpin-johnny-sansone-bringing-blues-red-bank/103314442/ "Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone bringing the blues to Red Bank"], ''Asbury Park Press'', June 30, 2017. Accessed November 21, 2017. "Harmonica player-vocalist-accordionist “Jumpin’ " Johnny Sansone, a West Orange native, will be accompanied by guitarist John Fohl, who rose to prominence as an excellent ensemble lead guitarist with Dr. John's Lower 911 small group."</ref> and attended West Orange High School, where he took up swimming.<ref>Hicks, Robert. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114623087/johnny-sansone-of-west-orange/ "Odyssey to New Orleans; Johnny Sansone started in New Jersey but wound up in the Big Easy"], ''Daily Record'', August 19, 2001. Accessed December 14, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Sansone, a native of Orange, began his music career on saxophone under the watchful eye of his father, Al Sansone, who played sax with jazz pianist Dave Brubeck.... Sansone, started guitar around the same time and began performing on harp and guitar in local blues bands in West Orange, where he later became a star swimmer at West Orange High School."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://old-friends.co/school.php?s=16986 |title=West Orange High School class lists – contact old friends |website=Old-friends.co |date= |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref>

His father had played the saxophone in Dave Brubeck's band during World War II, and by the time he was age 12, his son had learned to play the saxophone, guitar and harmonica and seen Howlin' Wolf in concert.<ref name="Johnny">{{cite web|url=http://www.johnnysansone.com/#!bio/cq1g|title=Johnny Sansone Bio|website=Johnnysansone.com|accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref> He later studied blues harmonica playing by studying both Junior Wells and James Cotton. He left New Jersey in 1975 on a swimming scholarship at a college in Colorado.<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|author=Richard Skelly |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jumpin-johnny-sansone-mn0000304268/biography |title=Jumpin' Johnny Sansone &#124; Biography & History |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref>

== Career == Sansone toured in the 1980s supporting Robert Lockwood, Jr., David "Honeyboy" Edwards and Jimmy Rogers.<ref name="Johnny" />

Sansone moved between Colorado, Austin, Texas, Florida, Chicago, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, before settling in 1990 in New Orleans, which has been his home base ever since. His original touring band, known as Jumpin' Johnny & the Blues Party, recorded their debut album, ''Where Y'at'' in 1987, which was released by the independent record label, Kingsnake Records, based in Sanford, Florida.<ref name="AMG"/> ''Mr. Good Thing'' (1991) followed, before Sansone got inspired to try his hand at playing the accordion after attending the funeral of Clifton Chenier.<ref name="Johnny"/>

By the second half of the 1990s, Sansone had embraced Cajun, Southern soul, Chicago and Delta blues into his style and songwriting.<ref name="Crescent">{{cite web|author=Cub Koda |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/crescent-city-moon-mw0000092010 |title=Crescent City Moon – Jumpin' Johnny Sansone &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref> The resultant recording, ''Crescent City Moon'' (1997), was mainly his own work; although it included a cover version of Ted Hawkins' "Sweet Baby", which featured Sonny Landreth playing slide guitar. The collection included liner notes from Greg "Fingers" Taylor.<ref name="Crescent"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/crescent-city-moon-mw0000092010/credits |title=Crescent City Moon – Jumpin' Johnny Sansone &#124; Credits |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref> It received widespread critical approval and several awards,<ref name="AMG"/> including scooping several ''Offbeat'' magazine's 'Best of the Beat' accolades.<ref name="Johnny"/> Rounder Records subsidiary label, Bullseye Blues, issued ''Waternelon Patch'' (1999), which saw guest appearances by Jon Cleary (piano) and Joe Krown (organ).<ref>{{cite web|author=Ann Wickstrom |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/watermelon-patch-mw0000248363 |title=Watermelon Patch – Jumpin' Johnny Sansone &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=1999-10-26 |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref>

Sansone lost momentum in the early 2000s, although he continued to perform in various musical ensembles, as well as working during the week in construction.<ref name="AMG"/> He started to play in a trio with Joe Krown and John Fohl. They played traditional blues with Krown on piano, and Fohl and Sansone sharing the vocal duties. This trio Sansone, Krown & Fohl released a self-titled album from Sansone's label ShortStack Records in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|author=Chris Ryan |url=http://www.joekrown.com/bio.htm |title=Bio |website=Joekrown.com |date= |accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref><ref name="allmusic1">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/sansone-krown-and-fohl-mw0001430318 |title=Sansone, Krown and Fohl – John Fohl &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref>

In 2005, Sansone joined the Voice of the Wetlands Allstars (which variously incorporated Dr. John, Cyril Neville, Monk Boudreaux, Johnny Vidacovich, Anders Osborne, George Porter Jr., Waylon Thibodeaux, and Tab Benoit),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://baevents.com/mardigrasfestivalrun/JohnnySansone.html|title=Details |website=Baevents.com |date=|accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref> who were interested in promoting local environmental issues. The band became a regular feature at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/jazzfest/index.ssf/2011/05/voice_of_the_wetlands_allstars.html |title=Voice of the Wetlands Allstars perform and persuade at New Orleans Jazz Fest |website=Nola.com |date=2011-05-07 |accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref> Having to vacate his home in the legacy of Hurricane Katrina, Sansone continued to tour and perform with the Voice of the Wetlands Allstars, wherein he befriended Anders Osborne.<ref name="Johnny"/> ''Poor Man's Paradise'' (2007) was Sansone's first solo album for eight years and was produced by Osborne who also played clavinet and slide guitar on two of the tracks. Joe Krown also contributed on the electric organ.<ref>{{cite web|author=Hal Horowitz |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/poor-mans-paradise-mw0001592399 |title=Poor Man's Paradise – Jumpin' Johnny Sansone &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=2007-03-19 |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref> In 2009, Sansone played the accordion on Mike Zito's album, ''Pearl River''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesinthenorthwest.com/index.php/2009/11/11/review-mike-zito-pearl-river/ |title=Review: Mike Zito – Pearl River |website=Bluesinthenorthwest.com |date=2009-11-11 |accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pearl-river-mw0000827794/credits |title=Pearl River – Mike Zito &#124; Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=2009-09-22 |accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref>

By then playing in another acoustic trio setting, this time with Osborne and Fohl, Sansone was inspired to write the track, "The Lord Is Waiting and The Devil Is Too". It turned in to the title track of his 2011 album, and won the 'Song of the Year' title at the 2012 Blues Music Awards.<ref name="Johnny"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://communityvoices.post-gazette.com/arts-entertainment-living/blue-notes/32944-2012-blues-music-award-winners |title=2012 Blues Music Award winners |website=Communityvoices.post-gazette.com |date=2012-05-12 |accessdate=2016-01-12 |archive-date=2016-01-14 |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20160114091414/http://communityvoices.post-gazette.com/arts-entertainment-living/blue-notes/32944-2012-blues-music-award-winners |url-status=dead }}</ref> It provided a release from the stresses of a marital break-up, and the record's producer Osborn pushed Sansone's music towards a more commercial, rock influenced, direction.<ref name="Nola">{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2011/05/johnny_sansone_digs_deep_on_hi.html |title=Johnny Sansone digs deep on his excellent new CD of harmonica blues |website=Nola.com |date=2011-05-12 |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref> In October 2012, Sansone performed at the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans, and in December that year, Sansone appeared at the inaugural Bradenton Blues Festival.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.bradenton.com/entertainment/river-festival/article34567839.html |title=Bradenton Blues Festival musicians elate capacity crowd &#124; Bradenton Herald |website=Bradenton.com |date=2012-12-02 |accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref>

After a couple of live album releases, Sansone's next studio based creation was ''Once It Gets Started'' (2013).<ref name="Johnny"/> Sansone then gave "one of the best individual performances of the 2014 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival," according to ''Offbeat'' magazine.<ref name="Home"/>

A later issue, ''Lady on the Levee'' (2015), was another Osborne production and included a guest appearance from Monk Boudreaux.<ref name="Johnny"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Swenson |first=John |url=http://www.offbeat.com/music/johnny-sansone-lady-levee-shortstack-records/ |title=Johnny Sansone, Lady On the Levee (Album Review) |website=Offbeat.com |date=2015-04-20 |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref>

== Influences == Sansone's major influence was his fellow blues musician and songwriter, Jimmy Reed.<ref name="Rate" />

==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year || Title || Record label || Credited to |- | 1987 || ''Where Y'at'' || style="text-align:center;"| Kingsnake Records || style="text-align:center;"| Jumpin' Johnny & the Blues Party |- | 1991 || ''Mr. Good Thing'' || style="text-align:center;"| Kingsnake Records || style="text-align:center;"| Jumpin' Johnny & the Blues Party |- | 1997 || ''Crescent City Moon'' || style="text-align:center;"|Rounder Records || style="text-align:center;"| Jumpin' Johnny Sansone |- | 1999 || ''Watermelon Patch'' || style="text-align:center;"|Rounder Records || style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Sansone |- | 2004 || ''Sansone, Krown & Fohl'' || style="text-align:center;"|ShortStack Records|| style="text-align:center;"| Sansone, Krown & Fohl |- | 2007 || ''Poor Man's Paradise'' || style="text-align:center;"|CD Baby || style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Sansone |- | 2011 || ''The Lord Is Waiting and The Devil Is Too'' || style="text-align:center;"|ShortStack Records || style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Sansone |- | 2011 || ''Live at Jazz Fest 2011'' || style="text-align:center;"|Homegrown Distribution || style="text-align:center;"| Jumpin' Johnny Sansone |- | 2012 || ''Live at JazzFest 2012'' || style="text-align:center;"|MunckMix || style="text-align:center;"| Jumpin' Johnny Sansone |- | 2013 || ''Once It Gets Started'' || style="text-align:center;"|ShortStack Records || style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Sansone |- | 2015 || ''Lady on the Levee'' || style="text-align:center;"|ShortStack Records || style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Sansone |- | 2018 || ''Hopeland'' || style="text-align:center;"|ShortStack Records || style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Sansone |- |2022 |''Into Your Blues'' || style="text-align:center;"|ShortStack Records || style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Sansone

|- |}<ref name="allmusic1"/><ref name="Albums">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jumpin-johnny-sansone-mn0000304268/discography |title=Jumpin' Johnny Sansone &#124; Album Discography |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/jumpin_johnny_sansone/where_yat__/ |title=Where Y'at : Jumpin' Johnny Sansone |website=Rateyourmusic.com |accessdate=2016-01-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://monola.net/laba0362.htm |title=Discography: SHORTSTACK Records |website=Monola.net |date= |accessdate=2016-01-13}}</ref>

==See also== *List of electric blues musicians *List of harmonicists

==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links== *[http://www.johnnysansone.com/ Official website] *[http://www.offbeat.com/articles/harmonica-man-johnny-sansone-returns-jazz-fest/ Harmonica Man Johnny Sansone Returns To Jazz Fest (2014 article)]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sansone, Johnny}} Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:21st-century American male singers Category:21st-century American singers Category:American blues singers Category:American blues harmonica players Category:American blues guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:American blues pianists Category:Songwriters from New Jersey Category:Musicians from Orange, New Jersey Category:Musicians from West Orange, New Jersey Category:West Orange High School (New Jersey) alumni Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:Guitarists from New Jersey Category:20th-century American pianists Category:21st-century American accordionists Category:21st-century American pianists Category:American male songwriters Category:20th-century American male pianists Category:21st-century American male pianists