Hank Jones RIP May 16, 2010

[sidewinder]

Obituary for Hank in today's Daily Telegraph:

Hank Jones obit

[Free For All]

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."

Wow, that is interesting. I did not know that.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

THAD JONES, DIED AUG 21, 1986

ELVIN JONES DIED MAY 14, 2004

HANK JONES DIED MAY 16, 2010

LONG LIVE THE JONES BROTHERS

[Daniel A]

Thanks for all the wonderful music, Hank.

R.I.P.

[John L]

RIP What a career he had!

[alocispepraluger102]

RIP What a career he had!

to me, listening to any hank jones performance leaves me with kind of the same feelings as when i listen to bach.

hank jones world is really sacred and special to me.

[AndrewHill]

Man, too many people dying at once. RIP Hank.

[ghost of miles]

Man:

A Jazzman's Final Refuge

[agriffith]

Beautiful music and beautiful spirit. Thank God for Hank Jones. RIP

Time to listen to "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" and "It's Me Oh Lord"; Hank Jones solos.

[Free For All]

Listened to this today. Great music.

[clifford_thornton]

Man:

A Jazzman's Final Refuge

Yeesh.

[Hardbopjazz]

Man:

A Jazzman's Final Refuge

What a wondeful story.

[Free For All]

Man:

A Jazzman's Final Refuge

What a wondeful story.

His kindness towards others is indeed nice, but I'm not sure what to make of the isolation aspect of the story. It almost seems s little sad, but maybe it's what he wanted. Did he not have a house somewhere? I thought I remember Gene Lees writing about visiting him at his home.

[BFrank]

Man:

A Jazzman's Final Refuge

Whoa..........what a surprise!

[JSngry]

Man:

A Jazzman's Final Refuge

What a wondeful story.

His kindness towards others is indeed nice, but I'm not sure what to make of the isolation aspect of the story. It almost seems s little sad, but maybe it's what he wanted....

That's what I took away from it. I mean, the guy outlived (and played with) damn near everybody of several generations older and younger, including his younger brothers...what else would he really want to do at this stage of his life besides travel the world playing and practicing in his crib? Sounds like the gigs were all the "social" activity he really wanted/needed after some point.

Did he not have a house somewhere? I thought I remember Gene Lees writing about visiting him at his home.

Oh yeah, this part...if his wife was/is(?) in an assisted living facility, who knows what that did to the need for a house, mentally and/or financially?

[ghost of miles]

I thought the story was incredibly moving as an almost Zen-like biography of Hank Jones in his last years--and I actually didn't find it particularly sad. Rather the opposite, in some ways, that he was still so into music. My grandmother's a 92-year-old ragtime piano player and entertainer, and she still has that same kind of devotion (though she probably doesn't practice as much as Jones evidently did).

[BruceH]

A long and productive life, to be sure. RIP

[Teasing the Korean]

He had a hell of a run. God knows how many albums I have that he played on. He is easily in my top 10 favorite piano players.

[lesterperkins]

We will miss you Hank!

A legendary Jazz pianist and a

true master.

a 10 live video tribute/bio in of honor of Hank.

http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/hank-jones/in-memory-of-hank-jones.html

Edited May 19, 2010 by LesterPerkins

[AllenLowe]

genuinely nice man, I met him through Al Haig many years ago. And what a pianist -

[mikeweil]

So sorry to read this ..... we've lost one of the greatest pianist around, so much musical wisdom and elegance ... I regret I didn't take any of his CDs on my vacation. Being able to listen to him would make it a bit easier. 

[Shrdlu]

Very sad news. He was such a superb pianist, with a very recognizable touch.

I can't count the number of times I've listened to him. He certainly always sounded great.

The first album I heard him on was "Bags and Trane", an excellent session.

[papsrus]

He surely lived a rich life, something to be celebrated. RIP.

[Fer Urbina]

I was very saddened by Jones' passing. I met him twice, and he was a gentleman in every way. As a musician, I've always though he was taken for granted. He was "there" for ever and his piano playing seemed an excellent version of a rather standard way of playing, only he was a terrific piano player and maybe he was a main contributor to what we consider standard today (I elaborate on this in my blog anyway).

What's becoming even more saddening is the saga in the NYT blog. Last comment I've seen is from Jones' relatives. This is getting unpleasant, and if there's someone who didn't deserve this, that's Hank Jones.

F

[Free For All]

I was very saddened by Jones' passing. I met him twice, and he was a gentleman in every way. As a musician, I've always though he was taken for granted. He was "there" for ever and his piano playing seemed an excellent version of a rather standard way of playing, only he was a terrific piano player and maybe he was a main contributor to what we consider standard today (I elaborate on this in my blog anyway).

What's becoming even more saddening is the saga in the NYT blog. Last comment I've seen is from Jones' relatives. This is getting unpleasant, and if there's someone who didn't deserve this, that's Hank Jones.

F

Wow, thanks for posting that, I hadn't revisited the blog since I first read it. Lots of light shed on the situation now. I understand the point of him keeping the apartment, that makes sense now. The sad part of the story is instead the apparent exploitation of the situation by the landlord and reporter.

The great Hank Jones deserves better.