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Artist
Earl Hines
12+ albums
jazzpianoswingjazz pianopiano jazz
about
Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, (28 December 1903 – 22 April 1983) was a jazz musician, often referred to as "the first modern jazz pianist". In 1928 (on his 25th birthday) Hines began leading his own big band. For over 10 years his was "The Band" in Al Capone's Grand Terrace Cafe — Hines was Capone's "Mr Piano Man". Hines recorded for Victor in 1929, then after a gap for Brunswick from 1932-1934, Decca from 1934-1935, then after another gap, Vocalion from 1937-1938 and Bluebird from 1939-1942 (nearly all among the best Black Jazz of the era). From the Grand Terrace, The Earl Hines Orchestra (or "Organization" as he more happily referred to it) broadcast on "open mikes", sometimes five nights a week and over many years, coast to coast across America — Chicago being well placed to deal with the U.S. live-broadcasting time-zone problem. Hines's band became the most broadcast band in America. Sometimes Nat "King" Cole was Hines's relief pianist (though Cliff Smalls was his favorite) and it was here with Hines that Charlie Parker got his first professional job...until he was fired for his time-keeping — by which Hines meant Parker's inability to show up on time despite Parker resorting to sleeping under the Grand Terrace stage in his attempts to do so. Hines led his big band until 1947, taking time out to front the Duke Ellington orchestra in 1944 while Duke was ill...but the big-band era was over. (Thirty years later, Hines's 20 solo "transformative
top songs
albums
Once Upon A Time
Piano Man!
Tour De Force
An Evening With Earl Hines 1
In New Orleans 1975
Fatha
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Giants Of Jazz - Brilliance Of Piano, Vol.1 (Ragtime, Harlem Stride Piano, Blues Piano, Swing Piano)
Paris One Night Stand
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Jazzuela. Julio Cortázar y el jazz
Worlds Of Jazz - The Jazz Piano
Live at the Crescendo: Volume 2
Classic Earl Hines Sessions (1928-1945) - Vol. 1 & 2