Jon Hendricks dies at 96

[mikeweil]

The "James Joyce of Jive" has left us ..... 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/22/obituaries/jon-hendricks-96-who-brought-a-new-dimension-to-jazz-singing-dies.html

He made me love vocalese and scat singing - R.I.P.

There may have been better singers, technically, but .....

“I wrote the shortest jazz poem ever heard,” he once wrote by way of explaining his philosophy. “Nothin’ about huggin’ or kissin’. One word: ‘Listen.’ ”

[mjzee]

So sorry to hear this.  I love the interview he did with Ben Sidran for Talking Jazz.  LH&R... one of the greats.  RIP.

[aparxa]

♫♬ And then the joint started jumping ♫♬

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

RIP

 

 

[page]

My God, Della and Jon in the same week. It seems like all our heroes are leaving us. Go see yours while they're still around, really..
R.I.P. thank you for all your lyrical inspiration, Jon.

[sgcim]

RIP, Mr. Hendricks. I hope you're singing duets with Dave up there.

[duaneiac]

A good long life, a very successful career and the admiration & respect of millions of fans and fellow singers/musicians -- Mr. Hendricks enjoyed all of that.  Well done, sir.  May you now rest in peace (or harmony, as the case may be).

[Hardbopjazz]

R.I.P. Jon.

 The first time I saw him live I was 18. I was with my brother and friend.  He bought the three of us beers at the now defiant   club Lush Life. We were clapping so loud.  I believe Michael Weiss was on piano.   

Thanks for all the music.   

[JSngry]

 

[Hardbopjazz]

I really like that album. 

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

If I really really like Al Jarreau, is Jon Hendricks --> Eddie Jefferson where I need to be going? Is that the progression, in reverse?

[Mark Stryker]

  On 11/22/2017 at 11:27 PM, Hardbopjazz said:

R.I.P. Jon.

 The first time I saw him live I was 18. I was with my brother and friend.  He bought the three of us beers at the now defiant   club Lush Life. We were clapping so loud.  I believe Michael Weiss was on piano.   

Thanks for all the music.   

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If Michael was on piano, that was 1982 -- Michael wrote about this a bit today on Facebook. His first NY appearance in a "name" club.

[sidewinder]

RIP, what a stalwart. Fortunately got to see him live in the 1990s in NYC.

[mikeweil]

  On 11/23/2017 at 1:20 AM, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

If I really really like Al Jarreau, is Jon Hendricks --> Eddie Jefferson where I need to be going? Is that the progression, in reverse?

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At least it is a very important part of where Jarreau comes from.

p.s. for an illustration, listen to Hendricks' Telarc CD Freddie Freeloader - with Al Jarreau, George Benson, and Bobby McFerrin joining him singing the solos on the title track. He was the king of vocalese, and everybody acknowledged that.

Edited November 23, 2017 by mikeweil

[Ted O'Reilly]

He got me to quit smoking back in the late '60s. He was appearing as a solo artist at the old Town Tavern in Toronto and when I was interviewing him I had a coughing fit and had to stop the tape.

I explained I had tried to quit before, but always came back to it -- I said "I guess I don't have the will to do it."  He replied "We all have the will, we just don't have the will to use it.  Use your will!"

I took it to heart, went cold turkey and stopped a 50 a day habit.  Thanks for the music, and the advice, Jon... 

[paul secor]

Jon Hendricks probably helped to give you your life back.

[clifford_thornton]

Wow. RIP. 

Great story, Ted, and glad you quit.

[mikeweil]

  On 11/23/2017 at 5:34 PM, Ted O'Reilly said:

"We all have the will, we just don't have the will to use it.  Use your will!"

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What a statement!

A nice photo from this obituary:http://wbgo.org/post/jon-hendricks-genre-pushing-jazz-vocalist-dead-96#stream/0

[gmonahan]

What a marvelous life! RIP

 

 

gregmo

[Hardbopjazz]

 

 

[Justin V]

I remember watching the Smalls live stream a few years ago when Jon Hendricks sat in with Tardo Hammer for the majority of a set to sing Monk tunes.  Hendricks cast new light on familiar material and it was fascinating to hear.  I haven't heard much of his work, but judging from the samples of Lambert, Hendricks and Bavan live albums with top-notch bands, I've been missing out on a lot of fun.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Hendricks, and rest in peace.

Edited December 1, 2017 by Justin V

[sidewinder]

The one time I saw him was on a joint billing with JJ Johnson. Both had their working groups of the time - Hendricks band was more of a small big band.