Jimmy Jones is probably best known as a singer's arranger, even though his first credited orchestration on a jazz vocal session didn't come until a live Sarah Vaughan performance in 1955 (though he had been accompanying her since the late 1940s). His first jazz vocal album as a credited arranger was Beverly Kenney Sings With Jimmy Jones and the Basie-Ites for Roost Records a year later. Going forward, his name often popped up on album covers of albums he had arranged. [Photo above of Jimmy Jones and the great John Levy, with his white bass, by William P. Gottlieb]
But Jones was also a prolific and superlative pianist dating back to recordings with bassist Stuff Smith in 1943. A product of the swing era, Jones recorded mostly with swing instrumentalists and jazz-pop vocalists rather than beboppers. Perhaps his first standout session with a modern feel was with the Frank Wess Quintet on an album for Commodore in 1954.
As a pianist, Jones became known for his elegant playing style, an approach that was increasingly in demand as pop singers ascended to stardom with the rise of the LP in the late 1940s. Vocalists looked good on covers and were favored by listeners who didn't have to get up as often to turn over a record.
These vocalists were increasingly in need of tasteful accompaniment and ensemble arrangements as LP fidelity and phonographs improved in the mid-1950s. Pianists who joined Jones in the vocalist accompaniment lane included Stan Freeman, Buddy Cole, Jimmy Rowles, Joe Harnell and Ronnell Bright.
Now, Fresh Sound has released The Splendid Mr. Jones, a collection of early Jones recordings in the solo and trio formats. The nine solo tracks were recorded in 1947 and show off Jones's chord voicings, ear for drama and self-arranging sensibility. These tracks originally turned up on the French Chronological Classics series some years back, but they sound a lot better now with Fresh Sound's 24-bit remastering.
There are two trio sessions on the new compilation. The first featured Jones's four tracks for Escape!, a 1952 album for the Gene Norman Presents label that showcased Jones and several other artists. This trio session feature Jones (p), Billy Hadnott (b) and J.C. Heard (d) playing Moonlight in Vermont, London in July, Autumn in New York and Cool in Cuba.
The second trio session is the 10-inch Jimmy Jones Trio album for the French Swing label. Recorded in Paris in 1954, the Jimmy Jones Trio was comprised of Jones (p), Joe Benjamin (b) and Roy Haynes (d). The tracks are Easy to Love, Little Girl Blue, Lush Life, Just Squeeze Me, My Funny Valentine and Good Morning Heartache.
It's a shame Jones didn't record more often as a leader. Instead, he opted to sit in as a sideman or accompanist with just about every marquee jazz player and singer of the post-war period. I suspect his arranging responsibilities were too time-consuming for much more.
There were few pianists as delicate, lush and as assertive as Jones. He'd coddle songs patiently with a full understanding of their lyrics and musical personalities, using those factors to direct how he'd frame their melodies and then take them apart during his gentle, swinging improvisation. [Photo above of Jimmy Jones]
Jimmy Jones died in 1982.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find The Splendid Mr. Jones (Fresh Sound) here.
JazzWax clips: Here's Jones playing solo on New World a-Comin'...
Here's Autumn in New York from his 1952 trio date...
And here's Lush Life from his 1954 session...