The fonds consists of materials assembled by Herb Johnson. It reflects his career as a musical performer, combo and dance band/orchestra leader, and musicians' union member and executive, as well as his personal interests and personal life.
The fonds documents the dance band and jazz music scene from the 1930s through the 1980s, primarily in Montreal. It is a valuable source of documentation on the bebop style of jazz that emerged in the 1940s, and of documentation related to the Senior Musicians' Association and Orchestra.
The fonds consists of manuscript and print music, including arrangements by Herb Johnson; personal correspondence; saxophone and clarinet technique books and articles; books and articles on arranging, harmonizing, and other facets of music; photographs; notebooks; personal financial records; programs, clippings, and other memorabilia; and magazines. The fonds includes sound recordings as well as objects including music portfolios, pocket handkerchiefs, and a record carrying case. There are also union-related correspondence, financial documents, contracts and other documents related to musicians' pay and benefits, founding documents, constitutions and by-laws, questionnaires, ballot papers, agendas, minutes, and address books.
The fonds is arranged in the following series and sub-series:
P0088/1 Correspondents
P0088/1A Family and friends
P0088/1B Music colleagues
P0088/1C Personal business correspondents
P0088/2 Personal files
P0088/2A Personal interests and personal affairs
P0088/2B Music industry
P0088/2C Music technique
P0088/2D Photographs
P0088/3 Union activity
P0088/3A Musicians' Guild of Montreal
P0088/3B Senior Musicians' Association
P0088/4 Print and manuscript music
P0088/5 Technique books, manuals, tutors, methods
P0088/6 Magazines and promotional literature
P0088/7 Collection of sound recordings
P0088/7A Privately recorded sound recordings
P0088/7B Commercial sound recordings.