Tom 1960 Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 You sometimes forget just how good this guy was. I'm presently playing The Great Jazz Piano of Phineas Newborn and enjoying the heck out of it. When it comes to mentioning the greats of jazz piano, I'm sure many overlook Phineas Newborn. I know I'm guilty of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 This has just been added on eMusic. Is it previously unreleased? eMusic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmce Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 (edited) I'm fine pulling out A World of Piano every now and again. I never warmed to We Three, honestly. Just not my cup. Edited November 4, 2012 by colinmce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 This has just been added on eMusic. Is it previously unreleased? eMusic New material coming from the archives of former Newborn friend/producer Fred Ford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stryker Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 (edited) Does anyone know what his "mental illness" was about? I just finished listening to Marian McPartland's show featuring Phineas. Apparently it was recorded in 1987 which would be only 2 years before he died. Perhaps the most striking thing is his voice when he speaks. Did he always sound like that? As Marian says on the show, he hasn't lost his chops, but there is a certain sloppiness to his playing, typically for someone who doesn't work much. But he plays some beautiful things, including a left-hand-only version of Embraceable You. There was a long profile of Newborn by Stanely Booth under the headline "Fascinating Changes" published in the Village Voice rock and roll (!) quarterly in 1989 that went into great detail about his illness, quoting at length from hospital clinical records, interviews with family, friends, etc. I have the piece in my old-fashioned clip file (just pulled it out). The internet tells me that it's been reprinted in Booth's collection "Rhythm Oil" http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_10/184-4148179-7328161?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=rhythm oil I don't recall all the specifics at this point, and don't have time today to go back through the piece in detail, but there were hints of problems as early as a late '50s visit to Bellevue and then issues really mushroomed from the mid '60s forward with numerous stays in hospitals, etc. Symptoms were pretty severe delusions (thought he was Christ at times), paranoia, withdrawn behavior. Alcohol abuse exacerbated the mental problems. I don't remember what (if any) specific diagnosis was given. You wonder if today's doctors/knowledge/drugs might have made a difference. Mostly what I recall was a truly tragic life tragectory. Edited November 4, 2012 by Mark Stryker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 One of the few pianists whose LPs I'd buy without a second thought. I found him more interesting to listen to than Oscar, because he played more percussively (I wonder if Eddie Costa listened to him?) and more irregular phrases than OP. He'd always show some classical influence on his LPs. I bought his brother's CD, hoping to hear the equivalent of PN on the guitar, but it wasn't happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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