John Dennis

[Hardbopjazz]

Today I was listening to "Out to Lunch" on WKCR. The theme was 1955. They played a tune by John Dennis, a piano player. It was from his only album called "New Piano Expressions." It was with Charles Mingus and Max Roach. The tune they played was really good.

What ever happen to this guy? It doesn't appear that he recorded anything else in his career as a leader or a sideman.

[Chuck Nessa]

He's on a Thad Jones' Debut date available on OJC.

[kh1958]

Both those sessions are in the Mingus Debut box, I believe.

[Hardbopjazz]

Thanks for the replies. Wasn't Debut records Chiles Mingus' label?

[Chuck Nessa]

Yup.

[jazzbo]

Yes, it was "Chiles'" and for a large period part-owned by Max Roach. (All the time?)

[kh1958]

The notes to the box describe him as "a pianist from Philadelphia about whom not much is known." Both dates are ascribed to March 10, 1955.

[JSngry]

AMG shows that Willie Dennis was also from Philly. Any relation? Both played w/Mingus, so maybe?

[Joe]

I may be mis-remembering this, but I seem to recall McCoy Tyner citing Dennis -- who've I've also seen referred to as "the fat genius" of Philly piano players -- as an early influence or at least inspiration.

[brownie]

The Mingus biographies have very brief notes on John Dennis. Obscure is usually the word to describe him.

Harvey Pekar mentions somewhere that he died in 1963 at the age of 33.

[Hardbopjazz]

The Mingus biographies have very brief notes on John Dennis. Obscure is usually the word to describe him.

Harvey Pekar mentions somewhere that he died in 1963 at the age of 33.

Dead at 33. That can exlpain the small output from him.

[JSngry]

So, was he related to Willie Dennis?

[Chuck Nessa]

Likely related to Dennis Day and all the other Days, like Doris and Green.

[JSngry]

Doris Green could PLAY!

[Joe]

"Oh, Dennis!"

[ghost of miles]

Drug problems, maybe? A bit of a prejudiced assumption, perhaps, but that might explain the small output and early death...

[Joe]

Re: Tyner...

I must have been mis-remembering.

From the Fantasy web-site:

In a 1990 article by Gene Santoro, Jimmy Heath recalled that pianist John Dennis was nicknamed “Fat Genius” by Philadelphia musicians and Muhal Richard Abrams praised Dennis’s “full pianistic approach,” which blended a cocktail style with jazz and classical strains.

Will see if I can track down the Santoro article in question.

[ghost of miles]

Re: Tyner...

I must have been mis-remembering.

From the Fantasy web-site:

In a 1990 article by Gene Santoro, Jimmy Heath recalled that pianist John Dennis was nicknamed “Fat Genius” by Philadelphia musicians and Muhal Richard Abrams praised Dennis’s “full pianistic approach,” which blended a cocktail style with jazz and classical strains.

Will see if I can track down the Santoro article in question.

Re-printed in DANCING IN YOUR HEAD, maybe?

[brownie]

In his Charles Mingus biography 'Myself When I'm Real', all Santoro had to say about John Dennis was:

Philadelphia pianist John Dennis teamed with Mingus, Roach, and Thad Jones, and then without Jones. For 'All the Things You Are', a standard boppers often recomposed, Denis played a baroque intro, explicitly connecting bop improvisation and fugue.'

Not a single mention of John Dennis after that.

[Joe]

Re: Tyner...

I must have been mis-remembering.

From the Fantasy web-site:

In a 1990 article by Gene Santoro, Jimmy Heath recalled that pianist John Dennis was nicknamed “Fat Genius” by Philadelphia musicians and Muhal Richard Abrams praised Dennis’s “full pianistic approach,” which blended a cocktail style with jazz and classical strains.

Will see if I can track down the Santoro article in question.

Re-printed in DANCING IN YOUR HEAD, maybe?

More than likely. Santoro was cotributing regualr to the VOICE and the ATLANTIC MONTHLY then, was he not?

[JSngry]

So, was he related to Willie Dennis?

Still wondering...

[brownie]

So, was he related to Willie Dennis?

Still wondering...

As far as I know, John Dennis was black. Willie Dennis was not.

[Dmitry]

As some of you folks might remember I did an interview with Walt Dickerson a couple of years back. He spoke about John Dennis quite a bit. They were childhood friends. It may still be available online?

[JSngry]

So, was he related to Willie Dennis?

Still wondering...

As far as I know, John Dennis was black. Willie Dennis was not.

Well, that narrows the chances, but doesn't eliminate them entirely...

[ghost of miles]

Even though I already have the trio sessions on the Mingus Debut box, I went ahead & picked up NEW PIANO EXPRESSIONS as part of the $2.98 blowout Concord sale... and am I glad that I did. This CD is wonderful to listen to. I'm going to hunt around for Dmitry's interview online. Man, I wish JD had recorded more!