Description
Release Date: 2023
Label: Enlightenment
Notes
Henry ”Hank” Jones Jr, the American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer, recorded more than 60 albums under his own name, and countless others as a sideman, including Cannonball Adderley’s celebrated Somethin’ Else. On May 19, 1962, he played piano as actress Marilyn Monroe sang ‘Happy Birthday, Mr. President’ to then U.S. president John F. Kennedy. Jones was signed to Savoy as a bandleader, performer and recording artist in his own right in 1955, and he would go on to make numerous albums for the label as leader, co-leader or as part of a group. His first record for Savoy, The Trio (Savoy, 1955) was also one of his finest. Joined by Wendell Marshall on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums, allmusic.com awarded the set 4½ stars and stated; This is a superb Hank Jones date; highly recommended for fans of piano trio music. Hank made further classic albums for the label between 1956 and 1958, including Quartet-Quintet and Bluebird (both Savoy, 1956) which featured Donald Byrd, plus – on the latter – Herbie Mann. In ’58 he contributed to the only record made by all three musical Jones brothers, Hank, Thad and Elvin, Keeping Up with the Joneses (MetroJazz, 1958). This new collection brings together eight of Hank Jones’ finest LPs, all presented here in deluxe re-mastered sound, and all from the period when the great man’s star shone brightest, between 1955 and 1964
