{{short description|American jazz drummer (1906–1971)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Manzie Johnson | birth_date = {{Birth date|1906|8|19|mf=yes}} | birth_place = Putnam, CT | death_date = {{Death date and age|1971|4|9|1906|8|19|mf=yes}} | death_place = New York | origin = United States | genre = Jazz | occupation = Drummer | instrument = Piano, violin, drums }}

'''Isham "Manzie" Johnson''' (August 19, 1906&nbsp;– April 9, 1971) was an American jazz drummer.<ref name=brown/>

Johnson was raised in New York City, and played in Harlem in the 1920s with Fats Waller,<ref name=brown/> James P. Johnson,<ref name=brown/> and other stride pianists,<ref name=brown/> before going on to work with Willie Gant (1926),<ref name=brown/> June Clark, Elmer Snowden (ca. 1927),<ref name=brown/> and Joe Steele.

He recorded with Jelly Roll Morton (1928),<ref name=brown/> James P. Johnson, and Horace Henderson (1930) before joining Don Redman's orchestra, where he played from 1931 to 1937,<ref name=brown/> appearing in the film ''Don Redman and his Orchestra'' (1934).<ref name=brown/>

Johnson then spent time as a freelance musician, recording with Red Allen,<ref name=brown/> Benny Morton,<ref name=brown>Brown, T. Dennis; Barry Kernfeld. [https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/browse?page=106&pageSize=20&sort=titlesort&subSite=grovemusic&t=music_Topics%3A42&t0=music_Eras%3A9 "Johnson, Keg."] ''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 29 November 2022.</ref> Willie Bryant, Lil Armstrong, Mezz Mezzrow, Redman and James P. Johnson again, Ovie Alston, and Fletcher Henderson. He served in the military during World War II, then played part-time with Sidney Bechet (ca. 1951), Garvin Bushell, and Happy Caldwell. Johnson never led his own recording session.

==References== ;Footnotes {{reflist}}

;General references *Scott Yanow, [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p91113/biography|pure_url=yes}} Manzie Johnson] at Allmusic

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Manzie}} Category:1906 births Category:1971 deaths Category:American jazz drummers Category:20th-century American drummers Category:American male drummers Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:American male jazz musicians Category:Drummers from Connecticut

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