James Carroll Booker III (December 17, 1939 - November 8, 1983) was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, son and grandson of Baptist ministers, both of whom played the piano. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. He spent most of his childhood on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where his father pastored a church. The Mississippi Gulf Coast refers to the three Mississippi counties which lie on the Gulf of Mexico: Hancock, Harrison and Jackson Booker received a saxophone as a gift from his mother, but he demonstrated a stronger interest in the keyboard. The saxophone (commonly referred to simply as sax) is a conical- bored transposing Musical instrument considered a member of the Woodwind He first played organ in his father's churches. Booker also recalled being hit by an ambulance at age nine, and being treated for multiple broken bones; the pianist speculated that the nearly fatal experience and treatment was linked to his later drug use.
After returning to New Orleans in his early adolescence he attended the prestigious Xavier Academy Preparatory School. He was playing Frédéric Chopin, Erroll Garner, and Liberace, and could play their solos from memory. Erroll Louis Garner ( June 15 1921 &ndash January 2 1977) was an American Jazz Pianist and Composer Wladziu Valentino Liberace He had a twin who died at birth and he was born with a Caul, which in his family as in many societies was taken as a sign of genius and an exceptional
Booker was a diverse player who explored a variety of popular songs, ranging from jazz standards to rock. A jazz standard is a Jazz tune that is held in continuing esteem and which is widely known performed and recorded among jazz musicians as part of the jazz musical repertoire Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Rather than playing tunes in their original idioms, he integrated this repertoire into a virtuosic style that combined elements of blues, boogie-woogie, gospel, stride, latin, and classical piano. The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Boogie-woogie is a style of Piano -based Blues that became very popular in the late 1930s and early 1940s but originated much earlier and was extended from piano Gospel music is Music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life as well as (in terms of the varying music styles to Latin music, includes the music of all countries in Latin America (and the Caribbean) and comes in many varieties Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Ironically, his rendition of standards has influenced many jazz pianists, and can be compared to Erroll Garner and other straight ahead jazz men. Booker's left hand used various polished blues basses, repeated walk-ups, and unusual stride patterns, both in straight and shuffle rhythms. He also played entire chords in steady groups, divided by a lower note in the bassline. This article describes musical chords in traditional Western styles A bassline (also spelled bass line) is the term used in many styles of Popular music, such as jazz blues funk and electronic Music for the low-pitched He was noted for his abilities on the organ, and examples of his organ playing can be found on the album United Our Thing Will Stand. Booker also had a powerful, wide-ranged singing voice. Professor Longhair and Ray Charles were among his important influences. Professor Longhair (born Henry Roeland Byrd, also known as Roy "Bald Head" Byrd and as Fess) ( December 19, 1918 - January Ray Charles Robinson ( September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his Stage name Ray Charles, was an American
In 1958, Arthur Rubinstein gave a concert in New Orleans. Arthur Rubinstein KBE ( January 28 1887 &ndash December 20 1982) was a Polish - American pianist who is widely Afterwards, eighteen-year-old Booker was introduced to the concert pianist and played several tunes for him. Rubinstein was astonished, saying "I could never play that. . . never at that tempo. " (The Times-Picayune, 1958)
His album Junco Partner was produced by Joe Boyd, who had previously recorded Booker on sessions for the Muldaurs' records. The Times-Picayune is a daily Newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Joe Boyd (born August 5, 1942) is an American Record producer and former owner of the Witchseason production company [1]
During 1976 he played and toured with the Jerry Garcia Band.
Booker recorded a number of albums while touring Europe in 1977 including New Orleans Piano Wizard: Live!, which was recorded at his performance in the "Boogie Woogie and Ragtime Piano Contest" in Zurich, Switzerland This album won the Grand Prix du Disque for Jazz. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Grand Prix du Disque is the premier French award for musical recordings Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States He played at the Nice and Montreux Jazz Festivals in 1978. Nice (nis Niçard Occitan: Niça norm or Nissa, Italian: Nizza or Nizza Marittima, Greek The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music Festival in Switzerland, Europe's most prestigious Fourteen years later a recording in Leipzig from this tour would become the last ever record to be produced in the former GDR. This sort of fix restores section edit linkpoints to where they belong The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state It was entitled Let's Make A Better World!.
From 1977 to 1982 he was the house pianist at the Maple Leaf Bar in the Carrollton neighborhood of uptown New Orleans. The Maple Leaf Bar is a music performance venue in New Orleans Louisiana. Carrollton is a Neighborhood of uptown New Orleans Louisiana, USA. Recordings during this time made by John Parsons were released as Spider on the Keys and Resurrection of the Bayou Maharajah[2]. John Parsons could refer to John Whiteside (Jack Parsons (1914&ndash1952 John Parsons Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University 1807&ndash1810
His last recording, Classified, was recorded in 1982 — in four hours according to the producer, Scott Billington[2]. Scott Billington (born October 27, 1951 in Melrose Massachusetts) is an American Grammy award-winning producer songwriter and blues musician
Booker died November 8, 1983 while sitting in a wheelchair, waiting to be seen at the emergency room at New Orleans Charity Hospital. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The cause of death, per autopsy, was liver failure. (Orleans Parish Coroner's Death Certificate). His death was widely mourned by music lovers, but was unsurprising to those who were aware of his life-long history of serious drug abuse and chronic alcoholism.
Harry Connick Jr., a student and close friend of Booker, is probably his most renowned disciple. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, Pianist, Composer, Actor, Connick, Henry Butler, and Dr. John, among others, have recorded songs with titles and musical styles referencing Booker. Henry Butler (born September 21, 1949) is an American jazz pianist. Dr John (also Dr John Creaux) is the Stage name of Malcolm John Rebennack Jr
Transcriptions by Joshua Paxton of Booker's playing are available in "The James Booker Collection" and "New Orleans Piano Legends", both published by The Hal Leonard Corporation. Hal Leonard Corporation is a US music publishing company headquartered in Milwaukee WI
Patchwork: A Tribute to James Booker is a 2003 release consisting of a compilation of his songs performed by various pianists[2].
The latest Booker album, released in June of 2007, is Manchester '77, which consists of a live performance recorded in October of 1977 at The Lake Hotel, Belle Vue, Manchester with Norman Beaker on guitar. Belle Vue is a district of Manchester (post code M12 England between Longsight and Gorton. Norman Beaker (born 1950 Manchester England) is an English Blues guitarist vocalist songwriter and producer who has been involved in the British blues
Contents |
Discography
(Title, Release Date: Record Label)
Junco Partner, 1976: Island, 1993: Hannibal (re-issue)
The Piano Prince Of New Orleans, 1976: Aves
Blues & Ragtime From New Orleans, 1976: Aves
New Orleans Piano Wizard: Live!, 1977: Gold, 1983: Rounder (re-issue)
Classified, 1982: Demon, 1993: Rounder (re-issue)
King of New Orleans Keyboard Vol. I & II, 1984-1985: JSP, 2005: JSP (re-issue)
Mr. Mystery, 1984: Sundown
Let's Make A Better World!, 1991: Amiga
Resurrection Of The Bayou Maharajah, 1993: Rounder
Spiders On The Keys, 1993: Rounder
The Lost Paramount Tapes, 1995: DJM
More Than All The 45's, 1996: Night Train International
New Orleans Keyboard King, 1996: Orbis
Live At Montreux, 1997: Montreux Sounds
United Our Thing Will Stand, 2000: Night Train International
A Taste Of Honey, 2000: Night Train International
Manchester '77, 2007: Document
(Albums listed are with James Booker as main artist. For a complete discography which includes Booker's other album credits, see "External Links". )
Quotes
"I'm better than all of 'em. "
"Music is a mysterious art. . . and people that's really good at it. . . they get a little taste of the mysterious. . . sometimes mysticism, too. In fact, all of the time they have mystical, mysterious attributes, but it's whether or not they're aware of it that's important. "
- James Booker
References
External links
- "Booker's Mad Muse", April 23, 2006 at the San Francisco Chronicle
- "Booker: A Pianist's Perspective", by Joshua Paxton
- "Making The Insipid Sublime", January 17, 2007 at NPR
- Beat Street Magazine 2004 James Booker Special
- "Maharajahs in the Mist" from Blues Access Summer, 1997
- James Booker Bio from "Blues Notes", February, 2002
- Producer Scott Billington on Booker
- Singer Rickie Lee Jones on Booker
- Illustrated James Booker Discography
- Jerry Garcia & James Booker Sessions Info
- Harriet Blum's Original Booker Photos
- Document Records James Booker Podcast
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