The trumpeter Bunk Johnson has received plenty of press, including several features and a full profile—written last year by Scott Yanow—in this magazine. This coverage was all but ensured by his habit of massaging truth to make it fit his narrative: he claimed to have played with Bolden, taught Armstrong, and introduced jazz to England, Australia, and Asia.
Little about Johnson’s life or early career has been well established. As Yanow explains, had Johnson not finally caught a break in 1942—then his fifties or sixties—the world would know even less about this allegedly international man of mystery. But he did catch a break, unlike the woman who played piano for him from 1943. Thus even less is truly known about Bertha Gonsoulin: when she was born, when she died, and what she was up to between 1922 and 1940 are just some of the mysteries surrounding this obscure accompanist.
In her fascinating Feminist Perspective on New Orleans Jazz Women, historian Sherrie Tucker compiled what little is known across just five double-spaced pages—work to which this summary is very much indebted. Tucker offered a short reading list comprising snippets drawn from various jazz histories, in none of which Gonsoulin gets her own chapter. So read on for all there is to know about this long forgotten musician and teacher, who shared stages with the greats and helped drive the New Orleans Reviv
