Search - Hank Jones :: For My Father

Truly beautiful, truly audiophile

B. G. Erico | Miami, Florida USA | 10/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mr Hank Jones is a magician. His fingers are magic. His spirit is gold. This record is the most beautiful thing in these days. In adition, the sound of this one in a hi-end audio equipment is splendid.

Thanks Hank & your team (incluiding crew's studio recording).

"

The most recorded pianist of all time?

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 05/21/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Only Oscar Peterson might come close. But Hank preceded him at Jazz at the Philharmonic, made his first commercial recordings in 1944 and his last in 2010. Moreover, for more than the first half of his career he was characteristically (as the self-effacing, modest, all-business member of the Jones' family) content to be a supernumerary, an accompanist for musicians of every stripe and style rather than a featured soloist (though his contributions in this capacity were incalculable). He came to New York City thoroughly familiar with the immaculate stride styles of Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson and frequently demonstrated that capability in his playing (in the late seventies I heard him at Carnegie Hall, replacing the ailing Teddy Wilson in a concert featuring Benny Goodman's trio and sextet). But unlike Art and Teddy, he was able to adapt to the modernists and, after serving as accompanist for Ella (for 5 years) and Billie, his impeccable artistry and distinctive touch became essential to the groups of Bird & Dizz, Sonny Stitt and Dexter Gordon; Cannonball, Al Cohn, Kenny Dorham and Lee Morgan; Bags and Coltrane and, in the present millennium, Joe Lovano and Roberta Gambarini--still playing close to his peak as late as 2009.



Most people don't realize what an extraordinary feat it is for a journeyman modest musician such as this to decide to become a "headliner," leading his own trio, at the age of 60! But that's what this recessive, reserved, relatively "uncolorful" student of the piano accomplished--and with a trio that included Tony Williams who, like his brother Elvin Jones 20 years earlier, was considered #1 drummer in jazz at the time (how could Hank not have recorded more with his kid brothers--Elvin and Thad?). Usually his groups were called "The Great Trio" or simply "The Trio," in keeping with Hank's desire not to be in the limelight. But to listen to "The Great Trio at the Village Vanguard," and especially the track "Moose the Mooche," is to hear a Hank Jones who is on fire, thanks in great part to the youthful energy supplied by Tony Williams.



There still is one member of the legendary school of Detroit pianists--contemporaries all of whom absorbed the innovations that Bud Power brought to the music--and that's Barry Harris. Of the four (Hank, Roland Hanna, Tommy Flanagan, Barry), possibly only Tommy, who possessed a touch rivaling if not surpassing Hank's (and every other pianist's), was in Hank Jones' league, but Hank outlasted and recorded even him.



Try to get through as many as ten records in your collection without seeing the name of Hank Jones. And if the pianist's name isn't listed, you can practically bet your house on its being Hank Jones. The present recording is far from essential, nor is it Hank's best, but it's characteristic Hank jones, which is good enough. My favorite is the out-of-print "The High and Mighty Hawk," a recording Hank made with Coleman Hawkins and Ray Brown back in 1958, at about the same time the historic album featuring Hank with Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis, "Somethin' Else," was released. (Miles' quotation about Hank Jones in the liner notes of this album is not to be missed.)



Hank Jones was a musician's musician, a pianist's pianist, the Dean of all pianists. Consequently, his passing at the age of 92 (in July) represented the end of a dynasty, and we are both the richer and, now, the poorer for it.



(Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Hank Jones was not superhuman. On this album and some of his other recordings of the last 5-6 years, I detect occasionally "mushiness" in his formerly crystalline piano tones along with uncharacteristic slowness in opportunistically picking up on passing tones and alternate harmonies. But even on the Nixon White House recording (1969) honoring Duke Ellington on the occasion of Duke's 70th birthday, Hank shows he was made of human materials: he loses track of the chord changes to the bridge of Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge"! Thank goodness Paul Desmond wasn't thrown for a moment, remaining confident and true to the melody throughout. And thank you, Hank, for providing encouragement to all the rest of us piano hopefuls, for whom such moments, far from being exceptional, occur on a regular basis.)"