Song:Boogie Woogie on the St. Louis Blues
Album:1942-1945
Earl "Fatha" Hines was a pioneer of jazz piano who also changed with the times when he needed to. These recordings are from the early 40s when bebop was emerging. Hines was born Dec. 28, 1903 in the Pittsburgh suburb of Duquesne, PA. His father played cornet and led a local band. His mother was church organist. Hines studied classical piano and left home at age 17. He first recorded with Lois Deppe in 1921 and he met Louis Armstrong when he moved to Chicago in 1925. Hines replaced Lil Hardin in Armstrong's Hot Five. Hines started a big band in the 30s and continued in the 40s. By the early 40s, there were two issues, WWII and the emergence of bebop. But Hines adapted very well and embraced the new music instead of resisting it. Hines first recorded Boogie Woogie on the St. Louis Blues in the 30s and it remained part of his repertoire for years. The song is Hines' riff on the WC Handy classic St. Louis Blues. You can get Hines' 40s version on this CD. The two who helped Hines modernize in the 40s were singer Billy Eckstine and sax player Budd Johnson. Others on this CD include singer Betty Roche, Paul Baron, Big Sid Catlett, Bob Crowder, Wardell Gray, Johnny Hodges, Jo Jones, Ray Nance, Oscar Pettiford and Flip Phillips. Hines closed his band in 1948 and joined Louis Armstrong and his All Stars until 1951. Hines was set to retire when he was rediscovered in the 60s and toured and recorded constantly until his death on Apr. 23, 1983 at age 79. He's a true pioneer of jazz. Here's Earl Hines performing Boogie Woogie on the St. Louis Blues in France 1965.
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