Hank Jones RIP May 16, 2010

[Free For All]

A classy man and a great musician. Sad to see all the Jones brothers are gone now. RIP Hank.

[B. Goren.]

This is a very sad day for me.

RIP Mr. Jones. You have done enough and now you deserve the rest.

[Hardbopjazz]

This is very sad indeed. But I will remember him by pulling out some of his music. That's the best way to keep his spirit alive. God bless you Hank, and thank you for the wonderful music you gave the world.

Edited May 17, 2010 by Hardbopjazz

[Hardbopjazz]

WKCR has a memorial broadcast going on right now.

WWW.WKCR.ORG

[BFrank]

A giant and gentleman to the end.

RIP, Hank.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

That's a shame......but what a fabulous life!!! Coincidentally, just picked up all 5 volumes of the Great Jazz Trio 'Great Standards' (Alfa) from Hiroshi's online shop. Glad I did. Will spin this Savoy a bit later.

[jazzkrow]

My all time favorite pianist.

Finally got a chance to see him 2 times in the last five years.

In person, as kind and as gracious man, as you'd ever find...

RIP, Hank!

[Cyril]

Swinging until the very end...

R.I.P. Hank Jones.

[Late]

One of the classiest acts in the biz.

[mmilovan]

RIP Mr. Jones!

One of my favourite pianists, anytime...

[Hardbopjazz]

One of the classiest acts in the biz.

He was always so dapper in his suits.

Edited May 17, 2010 by Hardbopjazz

[clifford_thornton]

Shit. RIP - certainly a full life and certainly, of late, not unexpected.

[sidewinder]

RIP - A great musician and absolute gent and, has been already said - total class and elegance. And what a great life ! Just announced on the BBC main radio news as I was driving home. Not often that jazz even gets a mention on Beeb radio and a great and fitting testament to Hank that he was given a feature.

I'll be sure to spin some of his vinyl tonight in recognition. Something that seems to be happening damn too often of late.

Edited May 17, 2010 by sidewinder

[srellek]

Another great one left town. Not too many cats have recorded with Lester Young, Rahsaan, and Sam Cooke -- among a galaxy of others. Thought I might share a funny story about Hank that Charlie Haden told some of us in Cleveland a few weeks ago. A bit of good news is that they recorded a follow-up to the STEAL AWAY record. Haden related that in the planning of the album he had asked Hank to come west to LA to record so he (Haden) could record with his primo bass (which he can't travel with anymore). Hank replied, telling him how busy he was gigging and recording on the east coat and that it would just be too hard for him to fly out for a couple days, adding, "...you know, Charlie, I'm not 75 anymore." The music lives.

[Hardbopjazz]

From the NY Times

Hank Jones, Versatile Jazz Pianist, Dies at 91

By PETER KEEPNEWS

Hank Jones, whose self-effacing nature belied his stature as one of the most respected jazz pianists of the postwar era, died Sunday at a hospice in the Bronx. He was 91.

Mr. Jones spent much of his career in the background. For three and a half decades he was primarily a sideman, most notably with Ella Fitzgerald; for much of that time he also worked as a studio musician on radio and television.

More Arts News

His death, at Calvary Hospital Hospice, was announced by his longtime manager, Jean-Pierre Leduc. Mr. Jones lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and also had a home in Hartwick, N.Y.

NY Times

Edited May 17, 2010 by Hardbopjazz

[save0904]

I'm so glad that I had the chance to see Hank Jones in a duo concert with Joe Lovano at the Jazzbaltica Festival 2008 in Germany! It was one of the most emotional concerts I have ever attended. Sad to hear that he passed away- RIP Mr. Jones, we will miss you!

[gmonahan]

Sad news indeed. I was just playing Live at Maybech Recital Hall yesterday and enjoying the wit and wisdom of his playing. A great jazz life well lived.

gregmo

[Mark Stryker]

Detroit Free Press obituary posted this afternoon.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100517/ENT04/100517032/1320/Legendary-jazz-pianist-Hank-Jones-dies

Edited May 17, 2010 by Mark Stryker

[ValerieB]

thanks to the "powers that be" that we had Hank with us as long as we did, but it is still very sad.

i have an especially "warm" memory from a few years ago at Monterey (which i may have told here before). after Hank finished playing in Dizzy's Den one evening, he was playing a duet on the Arena stage with Dave Brubeck. he hadn't prepared for the very cool night air and was just wearing a suit. i put my cashmere scarf around his neck and he was extremely grateful. i like to think he got use out of my scarf since that evening as well.

[LWayne]

RIP Hank and God Bless! Sure glad I got to hear him twice: once with Joe Lovano about six or seven years ago (2004) debuting the “Joyous Encounter” album at the Iridium and also last August celebrating his 91st birthday at Birdland.

Both were great sets, full of fun, and innovative takes on treasured standards.

After the Iridium show, I went backstage to get an autograph and spent a little while talking to Hank. He was very gracious and kind and spoke to me about the recent passing of his brother Elvin. He spent several minutes reminiscing about the abundance of talent of his younger siblings, Elvin and Thad. He stated that he missed them and how difficult it was for him to see them go, being the oldest. He managed a smile, looked me in the eyes and declared that he was merely the “lucky one” to have survived and played so long. His sense of humility was moving.

This was truly an elegant and classy man. I will mourn his passing but celebrate his life as well.

Regards,

LWayne

[mjzee]

We'll still have all the wonderful music he made. RIP, Mr. Jones.

Interesting little bit of trivia from the NY Times obit: "He also participated in a celebrated moment in presidential history when he accompanied Marilyn Monroe as she sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy, who was about to turn 45, during a Democratic Party fund-raiser at Madison Square Garden in May 1962."

[ghost of miles]

Detroit Free Press obituary posted this afternoon.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100517/ENT04/100517032/1320/Legendary-jazz-pianist-Hank-Jones-dies

This is excellent, Mark--the best piece I've read so far on Jones. Many thanks for posting it here.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

great to have met you, now youre once again with Thad & Elvin

[alocispepraluger102]

http://tinyurl.com/38w52sq

[JSngry]

You mean they're both dead now?