Classic Albums 1956-1962

5 CD SET COVERING THE PIVOTAL RECORDINGS OF THIS JAZZ LEGEND American jazz pianist Phineas Newborn, Jr. was widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted piano players of the genre, famous for his extended, virtuoso solos, often consisting of brisk, complex phrases using both hands in unison. Born on 14th December 1931, Newborn grew up in a musical family; his father was a blues musician and his younger brother, Calvin, a jazz guitarist. Phineas himself was multitalented; from an early age he studied trumpet as well as tenor and baritone saxophone, alongside his trademark piano. Although better known for his work in the jazz idiom, Newborn s first band was an RB outfit featuring his father and brother on drums and guitar respectively, alongside bassist Tuff Green, saxophonist Ben Branch and vocalist Willie Mitchell (whose work producing Al Green in the 60s and 70s was hugely acclaimed). The group would go on to be house band at the Plantation Inn Club in West Memphis, Arkansas, from 1947 to 1951, and they would provide accompaniment for B.B. King on some of his earliest recordings. They left West Memphis in 1951 to tour with singer and saxophonist Jackie Brenston, supporting his then-recent single and Chess Records debut Billboard number one, Rocket 88 a cut considered by many to be the first rock n roll record. As the 1950s progressed, Newborn struck out on his own, moved to New York and began working and recording with other notable musicians, such as Sun Records blues harmonica player Big Walter Horton, as well as Roy Haynes and Paul Chambers on the album We Three in 1958. His first album as frontman Here Is Phineas, released on RCA Victor in 1956, was greeted with positive reviews, one such by Scott Yanow later intoned; some listeners may shake their heads at his constant outpouring of technically impossible runs (those speedy octaves are ridiculous) - but if one has chops on this level, one should feel free to display them. This is a dazzling debut from an ill-fated but classic pianist. Although predominantly known for his work in smaller groups, Newborn would experiment with larger lineups throughout the following year, employing a full string section on While My Lady Sleeps and brass on Phineas Newborn, Jr. Plays Harold Arlen s Music from Jamaica (both RCA, 1957). His newfound success also provided access to the international stage; he performed in Stockholm in 1958 and Rome in 1959. In 1960, a 29 year old Phineas filled in for Thelonious Monk on ABC-TV s Music for a Spring Night, performing the Cole Porter classic It s Alright with Me . The following year he relocated to Los Angeles, where he recorded a string of albums for Contemporary Records, including the much-celebrated The Great Jazz Piano of Phineas Newborn, Jr. (1961). In the 1960s Newborn developed a range of emotional problems, and was periodically admitted to hospital as a result. This condition, alongside a serious hand injury, greatly hindered his career for the rest of his life. He all but disappeared from public view throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, producing no recorded music at all. He would stage something of a comeback in the late 1970s, and released Look Out Phineas Is Back! (Pablo, 1978), but he never regained the status he had enjoyed in his earlier career. He passed away on 26th May, 1989, at the age of 57. Although an intermittent figure in his later years, Phineas Newborn left a lasting legacy in the world of jazz. In his prime he was regarded as one of the three greatest jazz pianists of all time, alongside Bud Powell and Art Tatum, and while he looked set for fame in the early 1960s his mental problems - alongside a growing dependency on drugs and alcohol - sadly prevented such an occurrence.