George Roland Bohanon, Jr. (born August 7, 1937) is a jazz trombonist and session musician from Detroit, Michigan.^[1]

In the early 1960s, he participated in Detroit's Workshop Jazz ensemble, with Johnny Griffith, Paula Greer, David Hamilton, Lefty Edwards and Herbie Williams.^[2] After appearing on several Motown recordings, together with leading musicians such as Hank Cosby, of the Funk Brothers, he went to live in California.^[3]

In 1962, he replaced Garnett Brown in the Chico Hamilton Quintet.^[4] In 1963 and 1964, he recorded two albums for Motown's unsuccessful jazz Workshop label.

In 1971, he was a member of the Ernie Wilkins Orchestra, playing alongside fellow trombonist Benny Powell, that backed Sarah Vaughan on her A Time in My Life album, recorded in Los Angeles.^[5]

Between 1984 and 1993, he played in orchestras backing Frank Sinatra.^[6]

Discography

As leader

• Boss: Bossa Nova (Workshop Jazz, 1963)
• Blue Phase (Geobo Music, 1991)

With Karma

• Celebration (Horizon/A&M, 1976)^[7]
• For Everybody (Horizon/A&M, 1977)^[8]

With Monk Higgins

• Piping Hot (Phono, 1981)

With Miles Davis and Michel Legrand

• Dingo (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1991)

As sideman

• 1966: The Dealer, Chico Hamilton (Impulse!)
• 1971: A Time in My Life, Sarah Vaughan (Mainstream)
• 1972: Woga, Charles Kynard (Mainstream)
• 1973: Your Mama Don't Dance, Charles Kynard (Mainstream)
• 1974: Northern Windows, Hampton Hawes (Prestige)
• 1974: Live'n Well, Bert Myrick (Strata)
• 1974: Slow Dancer, Boz Scaggs (Columbia Records)
• 1975: Stratosonic Nuances, Blue Mitchell (RCA)
• 1975: Black Miracle, Joe Henderson (Milestone)
• 1975: Places and Spaces, Donald Byrd (Blue Note)
• 1976: Eternity, Alice Coltrane (Warner Bros.)
• 1976: Everybody Come On Out, Stanley Turrentine (Fantasy)
• 1976: School Days, Stanley Clarke (Epic)
• 1976: Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder (Tamla)
• 1978: Jazz, Ry Cooder (Warner Bros.)
• 1978: Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela (Horizon)
• 1979: We're the Best of Friends, Natalie Cole and Peabo Bryson
• 1992: GRP All-Star Big Band (GRP)
• 1992: Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live!
• 1995: All Blues
• 1997: Theme for Monterey, Gerald Wilson Orchestra
• 1998: 12 Songs of Christmas, Etta James (Private Music)
• 2005: Christmas Songs, Diana Krall

References