I hadn’t listened to much of the jazz stylings of the legendary pianist Hank Jones before he died Sunday at age 91. But since then, I’ve devoured his music because after the saxophone, the piano is my second favorite instrument.
Jones outlived most of the band leaders he played with – Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Billy Eckstine, Benny Goodman, Milt Jackson and Artie Shaw – and the singers he accompanied – Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Marilyn Monroe. The photo above is from the UCLA Friends of Jazz website.
It’s not surprising that he’d accompany some of jazz’s greatest singers, but I was surprised when Monroe’s name kept popping up in his obituaries. He’s the pianist who softly played behind Monroe when she wore that sultry tight-fitting dress that she had to be sewn into and sang the even sexier “Happy Birthday” to John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in 1962. There had always been talk – and much written – that she and the president had a thing going on.
That was one of two historical moments in Jones’ life that stood out for me. The other was his being among the 57 jazz musicians in the iconic photograph “A Great Day in Harlem,” shot by Esquire freelance photographer Art Kane in 1958. I have a copy framed and hanging on my wall at home. Only a few of Jones’ obituaries mentioned that he was in that famous photo.
Rightfully, most of the obituaries recounted his musical legacy. He was one of three talented jazz musician-brothers (Elvin was a drummer and Thad, a trumpeter and composer). Born in Vicksburg, MS (must be something in the southern water to produce so many great musicians) and raised in Pontiac, MI, he moved to New York in 1943, starting out with Eckstine’s band. By 1959, he was a staff pianist at the CBS-TV studios, playing for the Jackie Gleason and Ed Sullivan shows.
When he died, Jones was still making music and garnering awards: Last year, he recorded his final CD and received a lifetime achievement award from the Grammys.
In the “Great Day” photo, Jones is second from the left in the first row, standing full figure, staring straight out into the Harlem morning. It was around 10 a.m. August 1958, the backdrop a brownstone on 126th Street in Harlem. The photo was significant in that it brought together a well-known collection of jazz greats and it drew a cadre of people whose overnight gigs did not make for early-morning wakeups. Click on the photo above to see the full image.
The photo was published in a special jazz issue of Esquire magazine in January 1959. Those who were there that day, including jazz pianist Marian McPartland, remembered the historic occasion in this 2009 article in All About Jazz magazine.
Jones accompanied Monroe in May 1962 on her two-minute tribute to Kennedy, who was turning 45 at the time. In a video from that appearance, you can’t see Jones at the piano. On his website is a small photo of him on the stage.
I wondered what he had to say about that experience, and I found some comments in a 2009 interview with NPR. Jones said a friend from California had called to say that “somebody” was coming to New York and needed an accompanist. The friend didn’t say who this someone was. Jones said they rehearsed for six hours, apologizing for having to reveal that.
“Actually she was a very good singer,” he offered. “However, on this particular occasion I think she was somewhat hampered by having imbibed rather freely. And it was very interesting. See, I didn’t know that Kennedy was in the audience until she sang this song, ‘Happy Birthday to You, Mr. President.'”
The next time a group of jazz albums come up for auction – and it happens pretty often – I’ll be on the hunt for Hank Jones. Listen to him playing Monk’s “Round Midnight” at the Blue Note last year.
