THIS IS BOP
Jon Hendricks and the Art of Vocal Jazz
Written by Peter Jones
Published by Equinox
This is more than an enjoyable book; it is an essential book. Written in an engaging way, you soon realise that you are being guided by an author who can see all sides of a complex character. The writer’s honesty is impressive.
Hendricks inhabited the jazz world from around 1930 to 2017. Peter Jones has researched the life and the period bringing out new stories, new insights and new incidents. This period of the jazz story was a time peopled with jazz legends and Hendricks moved amongst them angering some, learning from some and idolising others. As a young man he sang with Art Tatum and was profoundly affected by the great pianist. Tatum was just the first in a long line of major figures who touched Hendricks or who were touched by him.
Putting words to jazz solos was pioneered by King Pleasure, inspired by a James Moody tenor saxophone solo on “I’m in the Mood for Love,” for which Eddie Jefferson had written new words. Annie Ross had used Wardell Gray’s solo on Twisted’ to create her own sophisticated lyrics. The bringing together of Hendricks, Dave Lambert and Ross happened slowly. Lambert was a cult figure on the New York scene. Lambert had an interest in new ways of singing. Together with Hendricks they developed some early vocal arrangements of big band pieces. Eventually, they realised that Ross would supply a missing ingredient with her unique voice.
For many, Hendrick’s main achievement was the work that he did with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. The account of the recording of their first album ‘Sing a Song of Basie’ which was done without digital technology is fascinating. It took three months to record the album. The first thing that they did was to record the Basie rhythm section with Nat Pierce substituting for Basie. They then started to add voices to the tape. The only problems was each taping also added tape hiss. The engineers eventually figured how to eradicate the hiss. Ross’ flexibility and her ability to reach high added an edge to the arrangements. Hendricks, of course, was the one who devised the lyrics to the original pieces. Here was a man who could not read music directing one of the most gifted technically adept groups in jazz.
Hendricks often had a loose arrangement with the truth. After an engagement at Ronnie Scott’s during the time when Hendricks was living in London, he told people that he was voted the number one male singer in the world by the Melody Maker magazine. Not true. Readers voted for Mel Torme, Mark Murphy and Frank Sinatra. Hendricks was not on the list.
Also at Ronnie’s, bassist Dave Green remembers Hendricks paying him £5 for a session. Hendricks confided in an interview. ‘’I love working in Britain because I get some of the finest jazz musicians in the world and don’t have to pay them very much.’
There was one incident in Birmingham when Hendricks wanted to be paid in cash. He was so insistent he sought out the promoter and banged on his door in the early hours.
Hendricks was his own man; his unusual views are detailed. He was convinced that Francis Bacon wrote all the Shakespeare plays as well as the Bible. He also believed that the killing of Kennedy and 9/11 were inside jobs.
Jones’ investigates the differences between scat singing and vocalese. Hendricks could do both. He claimed that his early association with Tatum had given him an insight into melody, harmony and rhythm. Hendricks was the first to adapt vocalese for multiple voices. He would go on to claim that vocalese was ‘a new cultural art form on the planet’.
The final part of the book details Hendricks’ efforts to bring to fruition his dream to record lyrics to Miles Davis Gil Evans album ‘Miles Ahead’. The struggle to present the music so that Hendricks could hear it just before he died is a very moving final part of the story.
What the book achieves is to bring out all the contradictions and yet convey, the humour, joy, the hustling, the vivacity, the hip literacy and the love of family.
‘When a man like that dies,’ said his friend the broadcaster Claude Carrierre, ‘it’s like a museum burning down.’
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Jon Hendricks and the Art of Vocal Jazz
Written by Peter Jones
Published by Equinox
This is more than an enjoyable book; it is an essential book. Written in an engaging way, you soon realise that you are being guided by an author who can see all sides of a complex character. The writer’s honesty is impressive.
Hendricks inhabited the jazz world from around 1930 to 2017. Peter Jones has researched the life and the period bringing out new stories, new insights and new incidents. This period of the jazz story was a time peopled with jazz legends and Hendricks moved amongst them angering some, learning from some and idolising others. As a young man he sang with Art Tatum and was profoundly affected by the great pianist. Tatum was just the first in a long line of major figures who touched Hendricks or who were touched by him.
Putting words to jazz solos was pioneered by King Pleasure, inspired by a James Moody tenor saxophone solo on “I’m in the Mood for Love,” for which Eddie Jefferson had written new words. Annie Ross had used Wardell Gray’s solo on Twisted’ to create her own sophisticated lyrics. The bringing together of Hendricks, Dave Lambert and Ross happened slowly. Lambert was a cult figure on the New York scene. Lambert had an interest in new ways of singing. Together with Hendricks they developed some early vocal arrangements of big band pieces. Eventually, they realised that Ross would supply a missing ingredient with her unique voice.
For many, Hendrick’s main achievement was the work that he did with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. The account of the recording of their first album ‘Sing a Song of Basie’ which was done without digital technology is fascinating. It took three months to record the album. The first thing that they did was to record the Basie rhythm section with Nat Pierce substituting for Basie. They then started to add voices to the tape. The only problems was each taping also added tape hiss. The engineers eventually figured how to eradicate the hiss. Ross’ flexibility and her ability to reach high added an edge to the arrangements. Hendricks, of course, was the one who devised the lyrics to the original pieces. Here was a man who could not read music directing one of the most gifted technically adept groups in jazz.
Hendricks often had a loose arrangement with the truth. After an engagement at Ronnie Scott’s during the time when Hendricks was living in London, he told people that he was voted the number one male singer in the world by the Melody Maker magazine. Not true. Readers voted for Mel Torme, Mark Murphy and Frank Sinatra. Hendricks was not on the list.
Also at Ronnie’s, bassist Dave Green remembers Hendricks paying him £5 for a session. Hendricks confided in an interview. ‘’I love working in Britain because I get some of the finest jazz musicians in the world and don’t have to pay them very much.’
There was one incident in Birmingham when Hendricks wanted to be paid in cash. He was so insistent he sought out the promoter and banged on his door in the early hours.
Hendricks was his own man; his unusual views are detailed. He was convinced that Francis Bacon wrote all the Shakespeare plays as well as the Bible. He also believed that the killing of Kennedy and 9/11 were inside jobs.
Jones’ investigates the differences between scat singing and vocalese. Hendricks could do both. He claimed that his early association with Tatum had given him an insight into melody, harmony and rhythm. Hendricks was the first to adapt vocalese for multiple voices. He would go on to claim that vocalese was ‘a new cultural art form on the planet’.
The final part of the book details Hendricks’ efforts to bring to fruition his dream to record lyrics to Miles Davis Gil Evans album ‘Miles Ahead’. The struggle to present the music so that Hendricks could hear it just before he died is a very moving final part of the story.
What the book achieves is to bring out all the contradictions and yet convey, the humour, joy, the hustling, the vivacity, the hip literacy and the love of family.
‘When a man like that dies,’ said his friend the broadcaster Claude Carrierre, ‘it’s like a museum burning down.’
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
