Jimmy Jones is probably best known as a singer's arranger, even though his first credited orchestration on a jazz vocal session didn't come until a live Sarah Vaughan performance in 1955 (though he had been accompanying her since the late 1940s). His first jazz vocal album as a credited arranger was Beverly Kenney Sings With Jimmy Jones and the Basie-Ites for Roost Records a year later. Going forward, his name often popped up on album covers of albums he had arranged.
But Jones was also a prolific and superlative pianist dating back to recordings with bassist Stuff Smith in 1943. A product of the swing era, Jones recorded mostly with swing instrumentalists and jazz-pop vocalists rather than beboppers. Perhaps his first standout session with a modern feel was with the Frank Wess Quintet on an album for Commodore in 1954.
As a pianist, Jones became known for his elegant playing style, an approach that was increasingly in demand as pop singers ascended to stardom with the rise of the LP in the late 1940s. Vocalists looked good on covers and were favored by listeners who didn't have to get up as often to turn over a record.
These vocalists were increasingly in need of tasteful accompaniment and ensemble arrangements as LP fidelity and phonographs improved in the mid-1950s. Pianists who joined Jones in the vocalist accompaniment lane included Stan Freeman, Buddy Cole, Jimmy Rowles, Joe Harnell and Ronnell Bright.
Now, Fresh Sound has released The Splendid Mr. Jones, a collection of early Jones recordings in the solo and trio formats. The nine solo tracks were recorded in 1947 and show off Jones's chord voicings, ear for drama and self-arranging sensibility. These tracks originally turned up on the French Chronological Classics series some years back, but they sound a lot better now with Fresh Sound's 24-bit remastering.
There are two trio sessions on the new compilation. The first featured Jones's four tracks for Escape!, a 1952 álbum for the Gene Norman Presents label that showcased Jones and several other artists. This trio session feature Jones (p), Billy Hadnott (b) and J.C. Heard (d) playing "Moonlight in Vermont", "London in July", "Autumn in New York" and "Cool in Cuba".
The second trio session is the 10-inch Jimmy Jones Trio album for the French Swing label. Recorded in Paris in 1954, the Jimmy Jones Trio was comprised of Jones (p), Joe Benjamin (b) and Roy Haynes (d). The tracks are "Easy to Love", "Little Girl Blue", "Lush Life", "Just Squeeze Me", "My Funny Valentine" and "Good Morning Heartach".
It's a shame Jones didn't record more often as a leader. Instead, he opted to sit in as a sideman or accompanist with just about every marquee jazz player and singer of the post-war period. I suspect his arranging responsibilities were too time-consuming for much more.
There were few pianists as delicate, lush and as assertive as Jones. He'd coddle songs patiently with a full understanding of their lyrics and musical personalities, using those factors to direct how he'd frame their melodies and then take them apart during his gentle, swinging improvisation.
*Marc Myers*
Jimmy Jones
The Splendid Mr. Jones
Trio & Solo
James Henry Jones (1928-1982) was born in Memphis but spent his formative years in Chicago. "I always liked music", he said. "Guess that was only natural as my father was a choir director and my mother played a little piano".
His first attempt at creating music was at the age of 13 when he started playing the guitar. Later, Jimmy became interested in harmony and began experimenting at the family piano at the age of sixteen. During his formative years, Jimmy Jones developed a deep appreciation for two influential figures in jazz: Art Tatumand Duke Ellington. He had a natural ability to play the right chords and provide accompaniment for singers in the ensembles he worked with. Gradually, he developed the necessary technique and became a proficient pianist.
Jimmy Jones first gained attention in 1943 at Chicago's Garrick, playing with Stuff Smith. His intense expression accompanied a technical skill at the piano that was bound to capture the listener's attention, whether alone or in combination with others. This talent proved to be a great asset when, later that year, he moved to New York and became exposed to the vibrant jazz scene on 52nd Street.
Primarily occupied by his celebrated and continuous work as an accompanist and arranger for Sarah Vaughan, as well as many other great voices, Jimmy Jones had limited opportunities throughout his career to showcase his remarkable abilities as a soloist. Thus, the recordings featured here serve as a testament to his uncanny ability to strike a delicate balance of restraint and richness, showcasing his nuanced playing and artistic mastery as a highly sensitive musician.
The genesis of his chordal style is the story of his musical beginnings, and it is through this journey that The Splendid Mr. Jones leaves an indeliblemark on the history of jazz and piano performance. *Jordi Pujol*
1 - Easy To Love
(Cole Porter)
2 - Little Girl Blue
(Rodgers, Hart)
3 - Lush Life
(Billy Strayhorn)
4 - Just Squeeze Me
(Ellington, Gaines)
5 - My Funny Valentine
(Rodgers, Hart)
6 - Good Morning Heartache
(Higginbotham, Drake, Fisher)
7 - Moonlight In Vermont
(Blackburn, Suessdorf)
8 - London In July
(Duke, Kahn)
9 - Autumn In New York
(Vernon Duke)
10 - Cool In Cuba
(Jimmy Jones)
11 - New World A-Comin'
(Duke Ellington)
12 - Lazy River
(Carmichael, Arodin)
13 - When I Walk With You
(Ellington, Latouche)
14 - Empty Space
(Renfrow)
15 - Zigeuner
(Noel Coward)
16 - What's New?
(Burke, Haggart)
17 - I’ll See You Again
(Noel Coward)
18 - Mad About The Boy
(Noel Coward)
19 - Someday I’ll Find You
(Noel Coward)
20 - Clair De Lune
(Claude Debussy)
21 - Lover Man
(Davis, Sherman, Ramirez)
22 - New York City Blues
(Duke Ellington)
23 - On A Turquoise Cloud
(Ellington, Brown)
24 - Bakiff
(Juan Tizol)
#1 to #6: from the 10-inch album Jimmy Jones Trio (Swing M.33.3336)
Jimmy Jones (piano), Joe Benjamin (bass), Roy Haynes (drums).
Recorded in Paris, October 28, 1954.
#7 to #10: from the 12-inch album Escape! (GNP-27)
Jimmy Jones (piano), Billy Hadnott (bass), J.C.Heard (drums).
Recorded in Los Angeles, 1952.
#11 to #24: from 78 rpm records released on Wax Records
#11:
Jimmy Jones (piano), John Levy (bass), Denzil Best (drums).
Recorded in New York City, 1947.
#12 to #15:
Jimmy Jones (piano); Al Hall (bass); Denzil Best [#12], Bill Clark [#13, #14] (drums); Al Casey (guitar [#12]); Lynn Warren (vocals [#14]).
Recorded in New York City, 1947.
#16 to #24:
Jimmy Jones (solo piano).
Recorded in New York City, 1947.
