cliffpeterson Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 Reported on Alvin Queen's Facebook page that Junior Mance died earlier today at home. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 RIP, Junior. Thanks for all the music. Quote
Brad Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 Sorry to hear. A legend. Fortunate to see him once. Quote
ghost of miles Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 Dammit. One of the last of that 1950s/60s generation--of the pianists, at least.  Quote
mjzee Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 RIP. Â Another great one gone. Â I hope he was able to put out that last album for which he was raising money. Quote
GA Russell Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 RIP. A buddy of mine in Ottawa was an amateur drummer, and he was very proud of the fact that he once played with Junior Mance! Quote
Gheorghe Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 a great loss, such a great piano player. I first heard him on some Savoy Sides with Lester Young. Quote
Pim Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 What a loss. One of the last remaining pianists from that classic era. Quote
BillF Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 Sad news! I saw him twice, not long before he became a leader and soon after. The first time was at the St George's Hall, Bradford in 1959 with the Have Trumpet Will Excite Gillespie quintet. It was a package show with the Brubeck quartet and a Buck Clayton group that included Emmett Berry, Dicky Wells, Earl Warren and Buddy Tate. Quite a night! The second was a few years later in Leeds when the Mance trio with Bob Cranshaw was packaged with the George Shearing group, much to the dismay of me and my cool friends. Quote
EKE BBB Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 R.I.P. 2 hours ago, Gheorghe said: a great loss, such a great piano player. I first heard him on some Savoy Sides with Lester Young. Yes! Very enjoyable Prez on Savoy... Quote
Kevin Bresnahan Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 RIP Junior. I took part in the Go Fund Me or whatever he used to raise funds for his last recording. I was glad I was able to help him out with that last one. Quote
Dan Gould Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 Sad news but a great and quite lengthy career. Quote
mhatta Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 (edited) Ten (maybe 20?) years or so ago, Junior Mance did a concert in Tokyo. Some tunes were played as piano duo with Cyrus Chestnut. I don't remember anything except the music was fine, and Junior and Cyrus somehow looked like two bumble bees... Anyway, my personal favorite Junior Mance are: Junior (Verve) -- Well, Ray Brown steals the show, but Junior's piano is still very good. Soulful Piano (Jazz Land) -- Very nice mature Junior. Holy Mama (East Wind) -- That Mellow Feeling. Deep (JSP) -- A little known gem. Softly As in Morning Sunrise (Enja) -- Good playing & recording. RIP.   Edited January 18, 2021 by mhatta Quote
Gheorghe Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 4 hours ago, EKE BBB said: R.I.P. Yes! Very enjoyable Prez on Savoy... That´s the same I have. Quote
JSngry Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 My first exposure to him was on some Atlantic record that did not reach me at all, so I filed him away in my mind as one of those commercial guys who just took a pop song and played "bluesy" over it and that was supposed to be all that was needed....years later, reality came calling. OOPS! MY BAD! RIP. Quote
jlhoots Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 4 hours ago, soulpope said: R.I.P .... Great album he's holding here. Quote
king ubu Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 Yes, great photo anyway! Been revising the bunch of early trio albums of his I have for my remote working day today. Most enjoyable. Quote
Dan Gould Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 2 minutes ago, king ubu said: Yes, great photo anyway!  Would be even better if it were the same sweater but not quite ... And get a load of that CD collection behind him. Quote
cliffpeterson Posted January 18, 2021 Author Report Posted January 18, 2021 There is a swing dance club here in the Albany NY a/k/a Capital Region area.  About 10-15 years ago that club hired Junior Mance to appear with a trio at a local Elks-type club building (now gone).  There were 10-20 jazz fans on folding chairs up close to the stage while the club members dance behind us. The dancers were not happy that we took some of the dance floor away from them.  The dancers did not seem to appreciate who they had playing for them that day.   Don't remember what Junior played but it was all good.  I still find it funny to think about seeing him for the only time in such a venue. Quote
JSngry Posted January 18, 2021 Report Posted January 18, 2021 Wait - a dance club hired the band to play for their dance, right? Quote
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