Case, Johnny, 1947-

Instrument(s) Piano
Brief Bio
Johnny Case had become a pianist playing country swing in various dance bands until mid 1966, when a jazz trio gig gave him his first opportunity to publicly perform the music that had inspired him to become a pianist. In 1969, Johnny Case began to issue his own recordings of modern jazz and related genres. Johnny Case has played club dates and concerts with such name jazz artists as James Clay, Billy Hart, Dewey Redman, Colin Bailey, Marchel Ivery, David Newman and Randy Brecker. He performed a reception for Ornette Coleman at the opening of Fort Worth’s best-known jazz venue, the Caravan of Dreams. Most remarkable is his 28-year stint as house pianist at Sardines Italian restaurant where he provided live jazz six nights a week. Johnny Case has been inducted into three halls of fame related to Texas music.

Hidden Beauties : Jhon Kasen : Don Anderson (sax) John Case (p,vib) [aka Jhon Kasen (p,vib) ], Jerry Case (g) Maurice Anderson (pedal-steel-g) Chris Clarke (b,perc,kalimba) Brian Warthen (b) Jim Perkins (el-b) Bill Miner, Don Sowell (d) Mark Lignell (perc) Donna Thompson (vcl) collective pers.

Johnny Case was born into a musical family on August 24, 1947 in Fort Worth, Texas. Both parents (J.C. and Floy Case) had been active in early country music during the 1930's and 1940's. The music activities resumed in the mid-1950's in Paris, Texas where Johnny and his older brother Jerry Case were child performers on regional country music shows. An intense interest in R&B led to Johnny's obsession with modern jazz while in his early teens. This is when Johnny Case began to teach himself to play piano. Jerry was already a guitarist in a local dance band and soon had his younger brother playing professionally. By 1964, the Cases had moved to Dallas where Johnny found work in honky tonks while dreaming of the time when he would be ready to play the music he loved: modern jazz. After moving to Fort Worth, his first trio gigs were in 1966 and this was followed by several years paying dues in society bands. In 1980 Johnny began his first six-night-a-week jazz gig, where he met Kitty Keever who would become his wife. Since that time Johnny Case has earned his living playing modern jazz in Fort Worth, most notably at Sardines Ristorante Italiano, where he provided quality acoustic jazz for 28 years! Johnny has performed in club and concert settings with such established jazz artists as James Clay, Billy Hart, Dewey Redman and David “Fathead” Newman. All the while, Johnny Case has kept ties with western swing musicians whom were among his early mentors. His recordings as sideman on numerous albums of western swing have been highly praised by devotees of this genre. In 2003, Dr. Peggy Brown conducted an Oral History with Johnny. It resulted in a 100-page hardcover book accessible to students and the public alike at the University of North Texas. The jazz recordings of Johnny Case often feature his brother Jerry Case, now an established jazz guitarist on the Los Angeles scene. Other noteworthy projects include the “peace and justice suite” entitled Love's Bitter Rage, issued in 2005 under Johnny's assumed Muslim name Jhon Kahsen as a protest against United States foreign policy. The wide spectrum of Johnny's musical interests can be seen in the many recordings he has issued. These include avant garde jazz, musique concrete, other forms of experimental music alongside the very conventional music of his upbringing and the mainstream jazz that originally inspired Johnny Case to become a musician. Johnny Case is the recipient of the 2020 D'JAM Jazz Legend Award (Artist category) presented by the Dallas Jazz Appreciation Month Committee on December 5, 2020 in a virtual awards ceremony. More info is available from Sammons Center for the Arts and from Johnny's “Jazz Award Acknowledgement” blog : www.johnnycasemusic.com.

I was born into a musical family on August 24, 1947 in Fort Worth, Texas. During the 1950’s I was a child performer with my older brother, guitarist Jerry Case. We played country music shows in northeast Texas, primarily the Red River Jamboree beginning in 1955. Jerry and I were fully aware of our parents’ musical activities from the mid-1930’s until the late 1940’s. Ernest Tubb, Carrie Rodgers and other famous personalities were among their friends.

By 1960, after the childhood music phase, exposure to rhythm & blues and popular music via radio, had a great impact on my music tastes and subsequently led me to explore modern jazz. For the first time in my young life, I began teaching myself to play my mother’s piano. At age 15 I knew that jazz was my true calling.

Jerry Case was already playing professionally. He wisely advised me to enter the music profession by way of country dance bands, as this was the only real option available in our locale. My initial gigs were in Oklahoma, near Paris, Texas where our family lived. After moving to the Dallas area in mid-1964, I played with Jimmy Sarver at Brand’s Log Tavern. The sudden death of my father in November 1964 prompted our family’s relocation to Fort Worth in mid-1965. I found work with Ray Chaney’s band at the Stagecoach Inn (formerly the historic Crystal Springs Dance Pavilion – see link) where I accompanied guest stars Loretta Lynn, Jimmy C. Newman and Connie Smith. Never for a moment did I lose sight of my desire to someday play jazz. I listened to it and practiced every day. At the time, I couldn’t fully appreciate those special moments I was experiencing in the music that was my family’s musical heritage. Such is the nature of one who is determined to take another path.

Near the close of 1965, vocalist Joe Andrews (of Bob Wills fame) hired me to play piano in a newly-formed band to begin January 1966 at the Aragon Ballroom in Dallas, Texas. This 10-piece ensemble was the finest western swing band I had played with, and I only left the Aragon in late summer to realize the beginning of my dream.

My first jazz gig was with the Adrian Watts Trio at Fort Worth’s historic Hotel Texas . This led to a few other jazz gigs, but their scarcity eventually forced me to take jobs playing in pop combos. In 1969, I returned to the Aragon (Art Guinn’s band) until I left to join Maurice Anderson’s combo playing various pop music venues. I recorded and issued my first LP in 1969 while gigging with Anderson. It is truly an anomaly: unaccompanied vibraharp free improvisations recorded at home, under a spell of mystical creativity. I loved the avant garde and the ideal of a totally improvised music that could sustain interest and prove to be of lasting value.

My debut recording as a sideman also occurred in 1969 on volume two of Maurice Anderson’s five-volume set of LPs. Jerry Case plays bass on that record, and he’d already recorded on guitar in 1966 with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys (Kapp LP: From the Heart of Texas KL-1506).

Throughout the 1970’s I found little work in jazz but stayed afloat by playing commercial music, mostly in society bands. All the while I issued LPs of free-wheeling jazz, usually featuring guitarist Jerry Case along with myself and other gifted improvisers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I also kept in contact with several superlative western swing musicians whose abilities I greatly admired. My recordings as a sideman have been with these artists.

In mid-1980 I landed a six-night-a-week jazz gig at a newly opened club, J.R.’s Place. My skills as an improviser benefited greatly from nightly public performance. It was while working at this jazz club that I met Kitty Keever, whom I would marry in April of 1981. She’s truly my soul mate and my greatest inspiration in life. During this time I also realized my dream of recording avant garde “free jazz” with other adventurous musicians. The 1981 LP Creative Explosions was followed in 1982 with the realization of my first musique concrete piece, entitled Remnants. Other high points include working various gigs with tenor saxophonist James Clay, and sporadic jazz concerts with other name artists such as Billy Hart, Dewey Redman, David Newman, and more recently with Randy Brecker.

My 28-year stint at Sardines Ristorante Italiano began in September 1983. I took off one night to play a reception for Ornette Coleman at the opening of Fort Worth’s premier jazz club, the Caravan of Dreams. The longevity of my restaurant gig has drawn many remarks. The last time I saw James Clay in the early 1990’s, he told me: “That has to be some kind of record”. It’s true, I probably hold the record for longest running nightly jazz gig, playing solo piano weeknights and trio on weekends. When the restaurant closed in November 2011, a beautiful tribute by writer/musician Ken Shimamoto was posted on his Stash Dauber blog site. Thereafter I free-lanced in several jazz groups until I began a happy affiliation with Lili’s Bistro in Fort Worth, which lasted almost nine years. Currently I am performing jazz at Pinky's Champagne Room, Arts Fifth Avenue and Stage West, with addition bookings at Shady Oaks and Ridglea Country Clubs.

Other artistic interests in which I have indulged include painting in oils and writing poetry. In summary, to live a life filled with love and music has such joyous rewards that I can’t imagine any greater human experience than the one I am so grateful to have known.

Real Name:
John William Case
Profile:
American pianist born into a musical family August 24, 1947 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. His career as a pianist began with western dance bands in 1963. Eventually Johnny headed his own jazz groups and issued his own series of recordings from 1969 to 2008. In addition to piano, Johnny has recorded on acoustic bass, various keyboards, and his initial release was an album of unaccompanied vibraharp free improvisations. As a sideman, Johnny made numerous other recordings, mostly for western swing musicians with whom he felt a special affinity. Johnny Case performed modern jazz for Ornette Coleman (1983), and played gigs with James Clay, Billy Hart, Dewey Redman, Randy Brecker, David "Fathead" Newman and others. After a 28-year stint at an Italian restaurant ended, Johnny now freelances in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area. Johnny Case is in three Halls of Fame related to Texas music.
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In Groups:
John & Jerry Case, John & Jerry Case Sextet
Variations:
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John Case, Johnny "Fingers" Case