Samuel Jonathan Johnson
Samuel Jonathan Johnson is an American soul, funk, and jazz musician, singer, and songwriter from Des Moines, Iowa, best known for his rare 1978 album My Music.
Johnson started playing organ at age 14 in his church, E. 17th St. C.O.G.I.C., where his mother served as choir director and pianist; he soon became the youngest State Minister of Music in the denomination's history.
At 19, he joined the Army, where he discovered jazz and performed in piano bars and college parties off-duty. After service, he returned to New York, formed the multi-ethnic band Spontaneous Combustion, and opened for acts like The Jackson 5.
In 1978, Columbia Records released My Music, produced by legendary executive John Hammond, blending gospel, jazz, and soul; the single "You" hit No. 28 on the Billboard R&B chart, though the album saw limited U.S. release.
Dealing with his mother's illness and mixed feelings about the album, Johnson took a sabbatical from recording, worked with jazz singers, wrote poetry in Greenwich Village, contributed to Broadway theater, and directed music for Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee's theater. His songs have been sampled by artists like Jadakiss and Big Sean.
My Music
A2 What The World Needs Now Is Love 4:27
A3 Sweet Love 2:34
A4 Because I Love You 4:09
A5 It Ain't Easy (Trombone – Jun Takash) 3:52
B1 You 4:11
B2 Just Us 2:58
B3 Yesterdays And Tomorrow 4:24
B4 Thank You Mother Dear 2:58
B5 Reason For The Reason 3:01
Label: Columbia – JC 35323
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Disco, Funk
Samuel Jonathan Johnson's 1978 album My Music is widely regarded as a cult classic and an "unheralded Soul/Jazz-Funk gem". His only full-length album, it is praised for its seamless blend of soul, funk, jazz, and romantic disco, with lush instrumentation and a genuine emotional warmth.
The album successfully navigates various styles, falling "halfway between the romantic disco opuses of Barry White and the seductive smooth jazz of Donald Byrd and Roy Ayers". It incorporates elements of spiritual soul, disco, quiet storm, and Philly soul.
Johnson, a keyboardist and singer, heavily utilizes wonderful keyboards, lush cinematic strings, horns, and a piano-assisted groove, often giving the music a spacey, orchestral feel.
Reviewers consistently describe the album as warm, enveloping, and sincere. The overall tone is one of love—for family, music, and romance—providing an emotional resonance that has helped it endure as a favorite among deep soul and funk enthusiasts.
Though it didn't achieve mainstream success upon release, the album found an audience steadily over time and has been sampled by various artists, including Q-Tip and Jadakiss. Reissues have helped it reach a wider audience beyond its original cult following.