Hank Jones Said It

"During the initial period when I first came to New York, Al Haig was the pianist. His style was quite a departure from what I had previously been trying to play, which was more oriented towards the Teddy Wilson school with hints of Art Tatum, only hints, faint hints. [Bop] was a different style. I suppose the style came about mainly because these pianists rarely, if ever, played solo. I think they played with groups, and with groups it was not necessary for them to use a lot of left hand, with the moving tenths that most solos of the day utilized—pianists like Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson.

"These [bop] pianists all worked with groups. And the bassist in those groups took care of the bass hand, or the left hand, or the bass support for the horns and when the piano was playing a solo. So it wasn't necessary for the piano to carry a full fleshed-out sort of bass style.

"This didn't occur to me at the time. In retrospect, it seems that's probably what happened. But Al [Haig, pictured] was the first of the New York pianists that I heard—later on, of course, Bud Powell. And I don't recall any other [pianists] at the moment, but these two made quite an impression on me. First Al and then Bud...

"Al and Bud Powell were the most outstanding pianists of bebop. Most people, American writers, even today, don't realize what a great contribution Al and Bud made."

—Hank Jones, in Death of a Bebop Wife, by Grange (Lady Haig) Rutan

Comments

[Ed Leimbacher]

Hey, Al was way more than strictly for the Bird--so quick and hip and elegant, in fact, that they named a Scotch after him... twice.

[Grange Lady Haig Rutan]

Enigmatic Al, humble Al, savvy Al Haig never tooted his horn, hence I must set the record straight, even at this late date.

Alan Warren Haig is a direct descendant of the Earl of Haig who was the major architect of the strategy of World War One and owned a distillery which made Haig & Haig, something that Al alluded to but never flaunted...he was too busy being the architect of staying connected to bebop.

*Al is also a direct descendant of Alexander Selkirk who is the actual person legendary English author Daniel Defoe based "Robinson Crusoe."

[Grange Lady Haig Rutan]

Stranger than fiction but EJAZZTIMES is selling my book: Death of a Bebop Wife by Grange Lady Haig Rutan for $37.98 while I am selling it for $28.00, as is Cadence Jazz Books; if anyone wants an autographed copy please write to me at alhaigbebop@aol.com - it is a disgrace that amazon.com is selling used copies for $150.00 and up truth be told.

Thanks Marc for your support.
LH