Hank Jones

The oldest of the three Jones brothers (Hank, Thad and Elvin), Henry "Hank" Jones was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi and grew up in Pontiac, Michigan, where he studied piano at an early age and came under the influence of Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. By the age of 13 Jones was performing locally in Michigan and Ohio.

While playing with territory bands in Grand Rapids and Lansing he met Lucky Thompson, who invited him to New York City in 1944 to work at the Onyx Club with Hot Lips Page. In New York, Jones regularly listened to leading bop musicians, and was inspired to master the new style. While practicing and studying the music he worked with John Kirby, Howard McGhee, Coleman Hawkins, Andy Kirk, and Billy Eckstine.

In autumn 1947 he began touring in Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts, and from 1948 to 1953 he was accompanist for Ella Fitzgerald, developing a harmonic facility of extraordinary taste and sophistication. During this period he also made several historically important recordings with Charlie Parker for Norman Granz's labels. After several years as a freelance player, which included engagements with Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, and recordings with such artists as Lester Young, Milt Jackson, Cannonball Adderley, and Wes Montgomery, in 1959 Jones joined the staff of CBS where he stayed until the staff was disbanded 17 years later. With his rare combination of talents as a strong soloist, sensitive accompanist, and adept sight-reader, Jones has always been in great demand for recording sessions of all kinds.

By the late 1970s his involvement as pianist and conductor with the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin' (based on the music of Fats Waller) had informed a wider audience of his unique qualities as a musician. During the late 1970s and the 1980s Jones continued to record prolifically, as an unaccompanied soloist, in duos with other pianists (including John Lewis and Tommy Flanagan), and with various small ensembles, most notably the Great Jazz Trio. The group took this name in 1976, by which time Jones had already begun working at the Village Vanguard with its original members, Ron Carter and Tony Williams (it was Buster Williams rather than Carter, however, who took part in the trio's first recording session in 1976); by 1980 Jones' sidemen were Eddie Gomez and Al Foster, and in 1982 Jimmy Cobb replaced Foster. The trio has also recorded with other all-star personnel, such as Art Farmer, Benny Golson, and Nancy Wilson.

Steve Davis: Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones, Vol. 1

Read "Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones, Vol. 1" reviewed by Dave Linn

by Dave Linn
December 20, 2023

Trombonist Steve Davis was born in Worcester, MA, in 1967, and in 1989 graduated from Hartt School's Jackie McLean Institute. It was McLean's guidance and recommendation which allowed Davis to land his first major performance with Art Blakey in NYC. His lyrical, hard-swinging style gained him broad recognition and, in 1998, he won the TDWR (Rising Star) Trombone Category. He was later named in the top five of the Trombonist of the Year by The Jazz Journalist Association from 2010-2013, ...

Album Review

Art Farmer: Portrait of Art Farmer

Read "Portrait of Art Farmer" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci

by Richard J Salvucci
November 13, 2023

When a recording that is over six decades old sets a listener to thinking many different things, it is clearly something special. Art Farmer was something special. With a bump or two along the way, virtually everyone--except perhaps Art--knew it too. He and his twin brother, bassist Addison Farmer, began their careers in jny:Los Angeles in the '40s, where the Central Avenue bop scene was an especially vibrant and creative one. As if total immersion there was not enough, Art ...

Radio & Podcasts

Hanksgiving: A Tribute to Hank Jones, Part 2

by Ludovico Granvassu
December 18, 2021

This year our seasonal Hanksgiving episode celebrates a musician of sumptuous elegance and sophisticated narrative and harmonic feel like pianist Hank Jones. As usual, we play a mix of albums that feature him as a leader, co-leader or sideman and renditions of his work by other musicians. Happy listening. PlaylistBen Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Hank Jones “Winchester Cathedral" Happenings (Impulse!) 0:16 Host talks 2:39 Ella Fitzgerald “Rough Ridin'" Rhythm ...

Radio & Podcasts

Hanksgiving: A Tribute to Hank Jones, Part 1

by Ludovico Granvassu
December 14, 2021

For our seasonal Hanksgiving show, this year we pay tribute to Hank Jones, both as a pianist and a composer, by playing music from his albums as a leader and sideman, and renditions of his music by musicians that came after him. The collaboration with Malian master musician Cheick Tidian Seck kicks off a playlist which includes albums ranging from leader projects and solo work, to collaborations with some of the top Miles Davis alumni or with an avangardist with ...

Album Review

Hank Jones: In Copenhagen - Live at Jazzhus Slukefter 1983

Read "In Copenhagen - Live at Jazzhus Slukefter 1983" reviewed by Chris Mosey

by Chris Mosey
March 18, 2018

Hank Jones' pianistic style was born out of a fusing of Harlem stride piano with the virtuoso approach of Art Tatum and the harmonic daring of bebop. Jones played with just about everyone in a long and illustrious career but remained modest concerning his musical achievements. When French journalist Francis Marmande, interviewing him in 2010, suggested that he was a giant of jazz, Jones begged to differ, describing himself rather as “a dwarf in the service of the music." Marmande ...

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Film Review

A Great Day in Harlem: The Spirit Lives - 50 Years On

by Ian Patterson
May 30, 2013

This encore presentation from January 2009 celebrates Jean Bach, director of A Great Day in Harlem. Ms. Bach died on May 27th at her home in Manhattan. She was 94.It is probably the most celebrated ensemble jazz portrait of all time. Fifty-seven of the greatest jazz musicians gathered together on the steps of a Harlem brownstone early one morning in August 1958--a living family tree of the history of jazz.And yet, the absentees from photographer Art ...

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Album Review

Tyree Glenn / Hank Jones Quintet/Sextet: Complete Recordings

Read "Complete Recordings" reviewed by Joe Alterman

by Joe Alterman
September 25, 2010

In the history of jazz, few pianists have been as prolific as the recently deceased Hank Jones. His tasteful and subtle playing is documented on literally thousands of recordings. Many of them are today known as jazz classics--benchmarks to the greatness of this music--and Jones' playing and support on all of them were crucial in creating those historic, beautiful and legendary legacies. For whatever reason, many of Jones' recordings have long been either forgotten, out of print, ...

Birthday