Died yesterday at age 79. Led his own bands and played with Mingus, Gil Evans, Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, Jack DeJohnette, Jaco Pastorius . . . the list goes on. Also led the SNL band and backed up Taj Mahal, The Band, and even John Lennon (Walls and Bridges).
https://www.npr.org/2021/01/12/956145720/tuba-virtuoso-howard-johnson-dies-at-79
https://www.npr.org/2021/01/12/956145720/tuba-virtuoso-howard-johnson-dies-at-79