First Place contains material from several atypical sessions in J. J. Johnson's discography. While he was usually featured in either a quintet format, a sextet with co-leader and fellow trombonist Kai Winding, or playing as a guest soloist with larger combos or big bands, he is the only horn featured on these dates. His accompanists are all great musicians who had already made a name for themselves: Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Max Roach on drums. Even if the initial idea was to record this single album, the sessions went so well that it was decided to go on producing material for still another album, which would be titled Blue Trombone. This quartet would never record again. It's Only a Paper Moon (Rose-Harburg-Allen), Paul's Pal (Sonny Rollins), For Heaven's Sake (Meyer-Bretton-Edwards), Commutation (J. J. Johnson), Harvey's House (J. J. Johnson), That Tired Routine Called Love (Matt Dennis), Be My Love (Cohn-Brodszky), Cry Me a River (Arthur Hamilton), Nickels and Dimes (J. J. Johnson)
