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A TAV Curator's Pick.

“Jon Hendricks helped to originate vocalese, which is an art form of adding lyrics to existing instrumentals and replacing instruments with vocalists. He is also considered to be one of the best scat performers of all-time. Jazz critic and historian Leonard Feather called him the "Poet Laureate of Jazz" while Al Jarreau has called him "pound-for-pound the best jazz singer on the planet, maybe that's ever been."

After his service in the Army during World War II, Hendricks attended the University of Toledo as a pre-law major. Just as he was about to enter the graduate law program, his G.I. benefits ran out, which forced him to choose a different career path. Recalling that Charlie Parker had encouraged him to come to New York two years earlier to look him up, Hendricks took him up on his offer and moved there and began his singing career.

This spirited 1961 jive and blues set from Columbia finds Hendricks accompanied by the likes of Pony Poindexter (soprano & tenor sax) and Billy Mitchell (tenor sax) among others. Rare, revered and now fully realized on audiophile 180g 45RPM 2LP mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original master tapes.” - Press Release

“The genius of vocalese, Jon Hendricks' ability to write coherent lyrics to the most complex recorded improvisations was his trademark, as were his contributions to the classic jazz vocal group Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Hendricks grew up in Toledo, Ohio, singing on local radio. After a period in the military (1942-1946), he studied law but eventually switched to jazz. He spent a period of time playing drums before becoming active as a lyricist and vocalist. Here on Fast Livin' Blues, we hear Hendricks performing jive and blues vocals. Some poignant cuts in the mix.” – Acoustic Sounds

Musicians:

• Jon Hendricks, vocals
• Pony Poindexter, soprano & tenor sax
• Billy Mitchell, tenor sax
• Joe Newman, trumpet
• Al Grey, trombone
• Gildo Mahones, piano
• Stu Martin, drums

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