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James Booker

The Piano Prince.

As a piano player from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys.

James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for his musical gifts at an early age, and was considered a piano prodigy, giving classical recitals at age six, and continued classical training until twelve. He was acknowledged to have perfect pitch, instant musical recall, and a photographic memory in sight reading. He was playing Chopin, Erroll Garner, and Liberace, and could play their solos from memory. He would sneak out and play boogie woogie, and also learned local music from Tuts Washington, a family friend.

His sister took him along to her gospel show on WMRY in New Orleans, and he so impressed the staff at an audition, that he had his own show on Saturday afternoon at age eleven, playing blues and gospel piano. He would remain there for a few years even putting a band together, Booker Boy and the Rhythmaires.

By age of fourteen he auditioned for Dave Barthololmew at Imperial Records, where he cut a couple of sides as Little Booker. The records didn’t do much but Bartholomew recognized his talent for imitating any style, so he hired him as studio pianist to fill in and overdub piano parts, which he did for Fats Domino.

He would amass quite a long list of credentials in the recording and touring categories with a variety of artists. These would include between the years of 1956 to 1960 sessions and tours with Amos Milburn, Joe Tex, Shirley and Lee, Huey Smith, Dee Clarke, Earl King, Bobby Blue Bland, Junior Parker, and Smiley Lewis. In 1961 he recorded “Gonzo” which became a local hit, and is his cult classic. Then it was back on the road and in studios with B.B. King, Little Richard, Lloyd Price, and Wilson Pickett. There is a grey area in the mid sixties when he did time at Angola State Penitentiary, then returned to New Orleans to play in the local bars and clubs. He would reemerge again in 1968 doing the piano work on “Fat’s Is Back” for Fats Domino, and would continue to work and record for the next several years with Freddie King, King Curtis, Aretha Franklin, T Bone Walker, Ringo Starr, Maria and Geoff Muldaur, Labelle, and John Mayall.

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Radio & Podcasts

Live at The Royal Room: Improvisation in Music and Life

Read "Live at The Royal Room: Improvisation in Music and Life" reviewed by Lawrence Peryer


Today's episode is a recording of our recent live event, which took place at The Royal Room in jny: Seattle, WA, on June 22, 2024. The event, Improvisation in Music and Life, featured Spotlight On host Lawrence Peryer in conversation with and performances by James Falzone's Division Ensemble. The Division Ensemble is a group of master improvisers that includes James Falzone on clarinet, Ray Larsen on trumpet, Wayne Horvitz on piano, Abbey Blackwell on bass and Rocky Martin ...

7
Film Review

Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker

Read "Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker" reviewed by Wade Luquet


James Booker Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker Lily Keber 2013 Ask jazz fans outside of New Orleans if they have heard of James Booker and most will lean back, rub their chin and say they know they have heard the name. Unless you lived in Europe in the seventies and eighties, where he was loved--or were lucky enough to hear him or play with him in his hometown of New Orleans--the name ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today!

The Piano Prince. As a pianist from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today!

The Piano Prince. As a pianist from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today!

The Piano Prince. As a pianist from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today!

The Piano Prince. As a pianist from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today!

The Piano Prince. As a pianist from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today!

The Piano Prince. As a pianist from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today! The Piano Prince. As a pianist from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today! The Piano Prince. As a pianist from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known for ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Jazz Musician of the Day: James Booker

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating James Booker's birthday today!

The Piano Prince. As a piano player from New Orleans, he has no peers,though there is legion of those who have tried to imitate, duplicate and emulate his phenomenal approach on the keys. James Carroll Booker III was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. It was his sister’s music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. He was known ...

Recording

James Booker's 'Classified: Remixed & Expanded' on Rounder Records

James Booker's 'Classified: Remixed & Expanded' on Rounder Records

Source: conqueroo

The Bayou Maharajah. The Piano Pope. The Ivory Emperor. The Bronze Liberace. Music Magnifico. Gonzo. The Piano Prince of New Orleans. James Booker coined more than a few extravagant nicknames for himself, and he lived up to every one of them. James Carroll Booker III was also an unheralded genius of American music, a New Orleans pianist whose dizzying technique and mastery of the keyboard was matched only by his imagination and his soulfulness. His short and often flamboyant life ...

Charlie Wood
organ, Hammond B3
David Witham
keyboards
Rev Chris
piano
New Orleans High Society
band / ensemble / orchestra

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Let's Make A Better...

Warner Bros. Records
1991

buy

King Of The New...

Warner Bros. Records
1985

buy

King Of The New...

Warner Bros. Records
1984

buy

Classified

Rounder Records
1982

buy

New Orleans Piano...

Warner Bros. Records
1981

buy

Madison

Warner Bros. Records
0

buy

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