Interviewing Hank Jones

[Joe M]

I'll be interviewing Hank Jones on Monday. (the interview won't air live, but I'll let everyone know when it airs, and it will be archived on the net).

Does anyone have any questions that they've been dying to have answered? I have plenty in mind, but thought I'd open it up to everyone here who's a fan of Hank's playing.

[Chuck Nessa]

Hank, all those chords are lovely and placed impeccably - why don't you EVER take a friggin' chance?

Is "good taste" always the answer?

Thanks for all the lovely music, and I mean that.

[JSngry]

How did he keep clean while his brothers didn't? Did he plan on outliving them by as long as he has?

Maybe that goes to the "never taking a chance" thing.

I will say that his comps on the Dexter Prestige date often raise an eyebrow. The exception to the rule, perhaps, but still...

[wolff]

Any more dates on the Eighty-Eight's label?

[Robert J]

I heard a couple of cuts from the recent "For My Father" - will probably buy the CD. Amazing still at 85. I agree with the "safe" mode he's in, but man, it works so well. Still, if you were nearing the end of this mortal coil wouldn't you want to "rage, rage against the dying of the light"?

Also, I have loved his duo recordings with Tommy Flanagan. Geoff Keezer has recently paid an homage with his new Sublime. I always listen to the two Fantasy Studios piano recordings, but I don't know much about how they came about, etc. I have the live MPS date in Germany too, I'm all smiles - Rocking in Rhythm smokes!. (I think he did something with John Lewis as well). Also, who would he pair up with if he could again? Why not with his friend Barry Harris?

Tell him I think he's the best!

[Brad]

I'd like to know if there's more of those Great Jazz Trios out there. At that age, I'm not wondering about ragin' against the light. Just takin it easy would be my motto.

[brownie]

I'ld be interested in finding out how the 'Somethin' Else' session go. Hank Jones is the sole survivor from that date. Did Miles Davis have any suggestions before or during the recording date even if Cannonball was the leader? And specifically did Miles have special suggestion for Hank Jones?

'Somethin' Else' was the album that made me realize the excellence of this gentleman!

[robviti]

i'd be interested in hearing him talk a little bit about tommy flanagan. they're both from detroit, and they're sometimes compared to each other. what does he see as the similarities and differences in their respective styles. what was it like to finally record together in 1978 (our delights, more delights)? perhaps you could also ask him to talk about the significance of the detroit jazz scene on the development of the music, especially in respect to hard bop. i think he left for new york in the mid-forties, but he still might have played and been an influence there and may have some stories to tell.

btw, thanks for asking for our input.

[mjzee]

Maybe ask him to talk a little about his contemporaries - an open-ended question, see what he has to say. People like John Lewis, Elmo Hope, Bud Powell (did he ever meet him?), Dodo Marmarosa, Al Haig, etc.

[tooter]

How does he rate the album "I Remember You" with George Duvivier and Oliver Jackson amongst his recorded output? To me it seems a superlative tour de force of jazz piano.

Review by Scott Yanow

Made for the French Black & Blue label and released in the U.S. on a Classic Jazz LP, this outing features pianist Hank Jones emphasizing the swing side of his flexible musical personality. Teamed up with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Oliver Jackson, Jones adds beauty and melodic ideas to such veteran numbers as "You Took Advantage of Me," "Love Walked In," "Like Someone In Love" and (easily the most recent tune) Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere." A fine set that will be difficult to find.

1 I Remember You Mercer, Schertzinger

2 Young No More Metis

3 Love Walked In Gershwin, Gershwin

4 Dat Dere Timmons

5 I'll Be Around Wilder

6 Like Someone in Love Burke, VanHeusen

7 Theme for Jobim Mulligan

8 You Took Advantage of Me Hart, Rodgers

9 Let's Fall in Love Arlen, Koehler

10 It's the Talk of the Town Livingston, Neiburg, Symes

[brownie]

Tooter, trust you aware that the superb Hank Jones 'I Remember You' album was reissued on CD by Black & Blue a couple of years ago. The reissue adds four alternate tracks ('I Remember You', 'Young No More', 'Love Walked In' and 'Like Someone in Love') to the original release.

[Joe M]

Hank, all those chords are lovely and placed impeccably - why don't you EVER take a friggin' chance?

Is "good taste" always the answer?

Thanks for all the lovely music, and I mean that.

←

You mean there's only ONE answer? I didn't know that. I though diversity, even in music, was a good thing. There's plenty of people doing everything else, very few doing what Hank does. So I think he has the right to rely on his good taste, just as much as so many other artists have a right to rely on their bad taste.

[tooter]

Tooter, trust you aware that the superb Hank Jones 'I Remember You' album was reissued on CD by Black & Blue a couple of years ago. The reissue adds four alternate tracks ('I Remember You', 'Young No More', 'Love Walked In' and 'Like Someone in Love') to the original release.

←

Thanks for the info, Brownie - no, I didn't know - only have the Black and Blue.

[RonF]

Joe, It may be a question too often asked but why, after 50 some years, did he record only one album as a leader? (A Love Song (2003) That seems incredible to me.

[Chuck Nessa]

Hank, all those chords are lovely and placed impeccably - why don't you EVER take a friggin' chance?

Is "good taste" always the answer?

Thanks for all the lovely music, and I mean that.

←

You mean there's only ONE answer? I didn't know that. I though diversity, even in music, was a good thing. There's plenty of people doing everything else, very few doing what Hank does. So I think he has the right to rely on his good taste, just as much as so many other artists have a right to rely on their bad taste.

←

If I understand you correctly, my response is "HUH?".

[AllenLowe]

ask him about the Marilyn Monroe incident - as nobody believed me when I re-told it -

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Joe, It may be a question too often asked but why, after 50 some years, did he record only one album as a leader? (A Love Song (2003) That seems incredible to me.

←

Somebody seems to have confused Hank Jones with Percy Heath. It's quite unlikely that a Percy Heath interview will happen. So Percy doesn't have to endure that oft-asked question ever again. Hank Jones, on the other hand, has almost certainly *never* been asked that question about Love Song, his only album as a leader, so maybe that will be a nice curve ball. Then again.....

Mike

[RonF]

Joe, It may be a question too often asked but why, after 50 some years, did he record only one album as a leader? (A Love Song (2003) That seems incredible to me.

←

Somebody seems to have confused Hank Jones with Percy Heath. It's quite unlikely that a Percy Heath interview will happen. So Percy doesn't have to endure that oft-asked question ever again. Hank Jones, on the other hand, has almost certainly *never* been asked that question about Love Song, his only album as a leader, so maybe that will be a nice curve ball. Then again.....

Mike

←

Thanks Mike. Duh.

[RonF]

Joe, Ask him what he eats for breakfast.

[wolff]

I'd like to know if there's more of those Great Jazz Trios out there.

←

I may being too sensitive, but I doubt I'd ask him this question, as Elvin was on the last 3 or 4.

[MartyJazz]

As far as questions go, I'd like to know anything he can relate about working with Artie Shaw as a member of the Gramercy 5, the last recordings made by Shaw who was only 44 at the time in '54.

Also, perhaps I missed something but in his long career, Hank Jones has certainly recorded quite a few albums as leader. QUARTET-QUINTET (Savoy) in '55 and THE ORACLE (Emarcy) in '89 are two that readily come to mind.

[Dan Gould]

As Mike Fitzgerald pointed out, Ron had mistaken Percy Heath's sole album as a leader for Hank Jones.

[alankin]

I'd like to know if there's more of those Great Jazz Trios out there.

←

I may being too sensitive, but I doubt I'd ask him this question, as Elvin was on the last 3 or 4.

←

I think this is safe to ask, since the answer is "yes."

Recorded June 4 & 5, 2004, Avatar Studios, NYC:

The Great Jazz Trio – S'Wonderful (Columbia/Eighty-Eights) June 28, 2005

— Hank Jones (piano), with John Patitucci (bass) & Jack DeJohnette (drums)

[AllenLowe]

maybe mention his best album - solo on Savoy -

[RonF]

As far as questions go, I'd like to know anything he can relate about working with Artie Shaw as a member of the Gramercy 5, the last recordings made by Shaw who was only 44 at the time in '54.  Also, perhaps I missed something but in his long career, Hank Jones has certainly recorded quite a few albums as leader.  QUARTET-QUINTET (Savoy) in '55 and THE ORACLE (Emarcy) in '89 are two that readily come to mind.

←

Sorry Marty, I was an absent-minded......

Two of my favorite Hank Jones albums.