Listen here:
"Combination of Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Erroll Garner, Bud Powell, Nat Cole"
~Don L. McIver
"His execution is still something to make most pianists want to put their head in a gas oven."
~Bob Dawbarn, critic
Phineas Newborn Jr.
& Stephanie Aaron
b. December 14th, 1931 Whiteville, Tennessee
d. May 26th, 1989 Memphis Tennessee
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Father was a bandleader that performed at the Flamingo Club on Memphis' Beale Street
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Brother was a guitar player
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Was a child prodigy. Could also play saxophone, trumpet, and vibes
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Wrote an arrangement for his high school ballet that got written up in several Memphis papers
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Toured with the army service band 1945-53
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In 1952, Count Basie heard him playing with the army service band after Benny Powell convinced him to let Phineas sit-in
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Basie arranged for his first New York performance in May 1956
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performed on early BB King albums and is credited as introducing BB to jazz
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Earned a Grammy nomination for "Solo Piano" 1974
"The greatest pianist playing today."
~Gene Harris, pianist
Here is Phineas
recorded May 3rd and 4th, 1956
Phineas Newborn Jr. - piano
Oscar Pettiford - bass
Kenny Clarke - drums
Calvin Newborn - guitar
Atlantic LP 1235
A World of Piano
recorded October 16th (1-4) and November 21st (5-8), 1961
Phineas Newborn Jr. - piano
Paul Chambers (1-4) and Sam Jones (5-8) - bass
Philly Joe Jones (1-4) and Louis Hayes (5-8) - drums
Contemporary Records S7600
Solo Piano
recorded January 1974
Phineas Newborn Jr. - piano
Atlantic SD1672
Music featured in episode:
Check out Stephanie's performance schedule on her website: