Just prior to the start of Johnson's career , the Jamaican-born Leslie Thompson was a prominent London-based 1930s jazz and stage musical trumpeter, who played in Louis Armstrong's 1934 European band. It is no surprise he was hired by the American jazz legend, for he had by that time built his reputation in the pit orchestras of many high-profile West End stage musicals, bringing them a contemporary credibility.

One of his contacts was the African-American choreographer, Buddy Bradley, who had already taught Fred Astaire and other Hollywood screen dancers. That dancing and jazz were linked was not lost on him and he longed to unite the two.

Thompson was further influenced by Marcus Garvey, who had been deported from America and, although known as the 20th century's first important pan-Africanist, was no stranger to the music business himself, having written an American hit, Keep Cool. By the 1930s Thompson was well aware of Garvey's messages, delivered frequently at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, and his British newspaper, The Black Man. Consequently Thompson was inspired to form an all-black dance band and, although there were African-American jazz musicians who frequented Europe, his ideal ensemble would be a solely West Indian one.

By coincidence, the Guyanese student, Ken Johnson's first show business aspiration was London cabaret dancer. The lure of the Jazz Age drew him to study tap dancing with Buddy Bradley, and between 1934-1935 he went to the United States where he studied this art and mastered film star Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson's stairs-dance routine.

Like Leslie Thompson's Garvey-inspired dream, Ken Johnson, now known as 'Snakehips', saw that all-black swing-jazz success need not be limited to the United States. He returned to the Caribbean, where he formed a touring band with prominent musicians including the Barbados trumpeter Dave Wilkins, the Trinidad clarinettist Carl Barriteau and fellow Trinidadian saxophonist, Dave 'Baba' Williams, all of whom would later feature prominently at a key juncture in Johnson's career.

In January 1936, Johnson went to England to further his dream. While he had been abroad his tap-and-shuffle dance had been well received in the1935 film, Oh Daddy!. Johnson needed a seasoned musician, a so-called 'straw boss', to rehearse the group, and the real work was done by Leslie Thompson, who worked hard to form the band.

Alto/tenor sax and clarinet star Bertie King, alto sax and clarinet expert Louis Stephenson, fellow saxophonist Joe Appleton, trumpeter Leslie 'Jiver' Hutchinson and pianist Yorke de Souza were all from Jamaica. Trumpeter Wally Bowen arrived from Trinidad, the alto sax and clarinet specialist Robert Mumford-Taylor's father was from West Africa, guitarist Joe Deniz moved down to London from Cardiff, double-bassist Abe 'Pops' Clare was also from the Caribbean. Another bassist, Bruce Vanderpoye, was a South African, and drummer Tommy Wilson was from Birmingham.

Thompson said he could only find one good Black trombonist when he was forming the Ken Johnson-fronted orchestra. However, the Black British musician, possibly Ellis Jackson , who also sang both conventionally and with Negro stereotype dialect in the Billy Cotton band, wouldn't go on tour.

But this difficulty was overcome in the Johnson Orchestra . After all, despite their contrasting backgrounds they were foremost a Black British band working in white Britain.

Like white musicians, Black jazz players were drawn to London by the opportunity to play in small nightclub bands but the Black artists could not get work in the white bands. A typical place of work was The Nest Club, which was frequented by Black performers from visiting American jazz attractions such as The Mills Brothers and Fats Waller.

Generally musicians who made up the house bands in such niteries received up to £5 a week for their work, a reasonable rate, but not stable employment. As a result the Black musicians found that having their own orchestra was a more secure means of employment.

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