Articles » Hank Jones on Art Tatum

L-R: Hank Jones, Art Tatum

"Hank Jones on Art Tatum"

Great pianist Hank Jones speaks about the phenomenon pianist Art Tatum in this article. Quoted from the liner notes of the album:
"Ultimate Art Tatum: Selected by Hank Jones (Verve)"

─Click the two parts below to enlarge & read

Articles» The Nimble, "Young" Hank Jones (~npr.org)

The Nimble, "Young" Hank Jones
July 17, 2007 - by Tom Vitale
Audio part of the article

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In a career that spans seven decades, Hank Jones has worked with everyone who's anyone in jazz, including Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Billie Holiday.

Jones celebrates his 89th birthday on July 31 and his new CD, Kids, reflects the nimble playfulness of a young mind.

One of the last of his era, Jones celebrates the legends of his time, seeming to downplay his own genius. He talks about Thelonious Monk, whose compositions he has tried to master.

Videos: Hank Jones - In a Sentimental Mood

Articles: Hank Jones Trio On JazzSet (~npr.org)

» This article Includes ~68min. concert music (see the end)

Hank Jones Trio On JazzSet
by BECCA PULLIAM

June 17, 2010
Hank Jones was born on July 31, 1918, in Vicksburg, Miss., and grew up north of Detroit in Pontiac, Mich. His family was large, loving and religious. Five years behind Hank, brother Thad Jones was born; a few years after Thad, brother Elvin. All three Jones Brothers made magnificent contributions to jazz. Hank lived the longest; he died on May 16, 2010.

Following his death, one of the best tributes was the May 17 re-airing of a conversation between Jones and Terry Gross on Fresh Air. And before this May 2, 1998, performance in from the Gilmore Festival in Kalamazoo, Jones sat down and answered some questions from JazzSet.

He told us that his first tour outside the U.S. took him to Europe in 1948 or '49 with Jazz at the Philharmonic. In 1956, he went to Thailand with Benny Goodman on a State Department tour. Goodman was "a very strict leader, an excellent musician." In that era, Jones was freelance, which he described like this: "A contractor calls you up and says, 'Are you free on Thursday?' Well, I'm not free, but I'm reasonable."

Host Dee Dee Bridgewater adds, "That is so Hank Jones."