1945–1981
Biography · Music
Chaino
1927–1999
United States
BIOGRAPHYPortrait not availableExplore the life, work and source references.
Biography
Leon "Chaino" Johnson (1927 – July 8, 1999, pronounced: "Cha-ee-no"), the self-styled "percussion genius of Africa," was an American bongo player. After touring for several years on the Chitlin' Circuit, he released several albums and became popular with listeners of exotica music in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In the promotion of his albums, a fictional biography was developed, depicting Chaino as an orphan from a lost tribe in central Africa who had been rescued by a missionary after his tribe had been massacred.
Sources & collection details
Wikipedia contributors — original record ↗
Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13
Continue exploring Series 1
Explore all Series 1 cards →Keep exploring
1925–2003
1938–1997
