HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Earl "Fatha" Hines

Birth of Swing Jazz: Earl Hines

Earl Hines

Born on 28 December 1903 in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, extraordinary pianist, Earl "Fatha" Hines, left home at age seventeen to play piano in Philadelphia at a nightclub called the Liederhaus with a band named the Symphonian Serenaders led by Lois Deppe. He was paid board, two meals a day and $15 per week. Hines first recorded per 'Falling' and 'Congaine' on October 23, 1923, with Deppe's Serenaders at the Gennett studio in Richmond, Indiana. Personnel rosters below are per session, not necessarily track.

'Congaine' Earl Hines (piano) w Lois Deppe's Serenaders

Session 3 Oct 1923 in Richmond IN Hine's 2nd recording to issue Gennett 20012

Trumpet: Leon Smothers Trombone: Frank Brassfield

Reeds (clarinet / sax): Vance Dixon / Harry Jackson / Charles Stoner

Violin: Emmett Jordan Banjo: Dison

Tuba: Joe Watts Drums: Harry Williams

Composition: Earl Hines

In 1925 Hines moved to Chicago to play at the Elite No. 2 Club, then toured to Los Angeles with Carroll Dickerson's band. Upon his return he laid a couple unissued tracks with Kathryn Perry ('Mandy' and 'Sadie Green') in July of 1926 before recording with Johnny Dodds' Black Bottom Stompers in April of 1927. That was fortuitous because Johnny was the brother of Baby Dodds, both of whom were partners of Louis Armstrong and Bud Scott, all of whom had first recorded together with Lil Armstrong and King Oliver in 1923. Also in Dodds's Black Bottom Stompers were Roy Palmer on trombone and Barney Bigard on trombone. Hines and Armstrong had met in 1926 in the pool room at the musician's union local #208, with whom he began playing at the Sunset Cafe. Following Dodds's Stompers came a session with Armstrong's Stompers on May 9 of 1927.

Hines joined Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra in 1928, with whom he recorded 14 tracks that year, along with additional sides by Louis Armstrong into December adding up to 38 with the latter that year. In the meantime, on 1 December Hines punched a string of eight piano rolls in Long Island City for QRS. Ten days later on the 11th he put up a couple piano solos for Okeh titled 'Caution Blues' ('Blues In Thirds') and 'A Monday Date'. December also witnessed sessions with Red McKenzie and Little Delk Christian.

'Skip The Gutter' Earl Hines (piano) w Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five

Session 27 June 1928 in Chicago Okeh 8631

Trumpet: Louis Armstrong Trombone: Fred Robinson

Clarinet / tenor sax: Jimmy Strong

Banjo: Mancy Carr Drums: Zutty Singleton

Composition: Clarence Williams

It was 1928 that Hines had begun to lead his own orchestra at the Grand Terrace Cafe (aka The Sunset) owned by Al Capone. This was a "black and tan" venue, meaning a desegregated mix of black and white clientele. His first issues as a bandleader are thought to have been from a session on February 13, 1929, yielding two takes of 'Sweet Ella May' and three of 'Everybody Loves My Baby'. With his orchestra to employ as many as 28 members, Hines began broadcasting nationally on radio from the Grand Terrace. Hines toured with his orchestra during summer months until the Grand Terrace closed in 1940, after which he traveled with his band year round.

'Everybody Loves My Baby' Earl Hines (piano) & His Orchestra

Session 13 Feb 1929 in Chicago One of 3 takes:

All 3 takes issued on Raretone RTR 24003 in 1973

3rd take issued on Victor V38042

Cornet: Shirley Clay / George Mitchell Trombone: William Franklin

Reeds (clarinet / sax): Lester Boone / Toby Turner / Cecil Irwin

Banjo / guitar: Claude Roberts Tuba: Hayes Alvis

Drums / vibraphone: Benny Washington Scat vocal: Hines

Composition: Spencer Williams / Jack Palmer

'Glad Rag Doll' Solo piano by Earl Hines

Session 25 Feb 1929 in Chicago 2nd of 2 takes Bluebird B10555

Composition: Dan Dougherty / Jack Yellen / Milton Ager

'That's a Plenty' Earl Hines (piano) & His Orchestra

Session 12 Sep 1934 in Chicago Decca 182

Arrangement: Quinn Wilson (tuba)

Music: Lew Pollack 1914 Lyrics: Ray Gilbert

'Angry' Earl Hines (piano) & His Orchestra

Session 13 Sep 1934 in Chicago Decca 183

Arrangement: Quinn Wilson (tuba)

Composition: Dudley Mecum / Jules Cassard / Josef Myrow

'Please Be Kind' Earl Hines (piano) & His Orchestra

Session 7 March 1938 in NYC Vocalion 4008

Trumpet: Freddie Webster / Pee Wee Jackson / George Dixon / Ray Nance

Trombone: Louis Taylor / Kenneth Stuart / Joe McLewis

Reeds (clarinet / sax):

Willie Randall / Leroy Harris / George Dixon / Budd Johnson / Leon Washington

Guitar: Claude Roberts String bass: Quinn Wilson

Drums: Oliver Coleman Vocal: Ida James

Music: Saul Chaplin 1938 Lyrics: Sammy Cahn

'XYZ' Earl Hines (piano) & His Orchestra

Session 6 Oct 1939 in NYC Bluebird B10531

Trumpet: Walter Fuller / Milton Fletcher / Ed Sims / George Dixon

Trombone: Ed Burke / John "Streamline" Ewing / Joe McLewis

Reeds (clarinet / sax):

Omer Simeon / Budd Johnson / George Dixon / Leroy Harris / Robert Crowder

Guitar: Claude Roberts String bass: Quinn Wilson

Drums: Alvin Burroughs Arrangement: Bud Johnson

Music: Saul Chaplin 1938 Lyrics: Sammy Cahn

'Rosetta' Solo piano by Earl Hines

Session 21 Oct 1939 in Chicago One of 2 takes:

Matrix 040480-3 issued on Bluebird B10555

Matrix 040480-4 issued on Meritt 4

Music: Hines Lyrics: Henri Woode

As a jazz artist Hines was little concerned with Billboard's popularity charts, albeit several releases with his orchestra firmly performed, beginning with his composition, '57 Varieties', reaching #20 in 1933. Nine years later he topped the charts in 1942 with Billy Eckstine singing 'Stormy Monday Blues' composed by Hines, Eckstine and Bob Crowder.

'Stormy Monday Blues' Earl Hines (piano) & His Orchestra

Session 19 March 1942 in NYC Bluebird B11567 #1 Billboard R&B

Trumpet: Shorty McConnell Vocal: Billy Eckstine

Composition: Hines / Billy Eckstine / Bob Crowder

In 1943 the draft for World War II made it difficult for Hines to keep a band together. In response he formed an all female orchestra which lasted, however, only a couple of months. No recordings were made of that experiment. This personnel trouble began to seed bebop when in 1943 he put together what is considered the first bebop band with sax man, Charlie Parker, and trumpeter, Dizzy Gillespie. Nor were recordings of that brief configuration made, Parker and Gillespie moving on to Eckstine's band [KSDS Jazz]. Between 1948 and 1951 Hines played with Louis Armstrong's All-Stars, after which he began to tour again in 1954 with the Harlem Globetrotters, an exhibition basketball team.

'Boogie Woogie On St. Louis Blues' Solo piano by Earl Hines

Session 6 Nov 1949 in Paris Royal Jazz 722 (France)

This title by Hines & His Orchestra charted at #14 in 1940

Composition: W.C. Handy 1915

'Steve Allen Show' Earl Hines Television audio

11 Aug 1955

'Stompin' At the Savoy" by Edgar Sampson 1933

'I've Got the World On A String' by Harold Arlen 1932 Lyrics by Ted Koehler

In the early sixties Hines moved to Oakland, California, with his wife and two daughters. As he indulged in cigars and pipes, he there opened a tobacco shop. This reorienting spell was brief, however, and he was quickly back to a busy pace, continuing to record as ever and touring internationally as he moved into the latter third of his career.

'Jazz Casual' Earl Hines NET Television

15 Feb 1963

'The One I Love Belongs to Someone Else' by Isham Jones 1923 Lyrics by Gus Kahn

'Squeeze Me' by Fats Waller 1925 Lyrics by Clarence Williams

'Love Is Just Around the Corner' by Lewis E. Gensler 1934 Lyrics by Leo Robin

String Bass: John Green Drums: Earl Watkins

'Louise' Earl Hines

From the album 'Fatha' recorded in NYC in Nov 1964 Columbia CL2320

String Bass: Ahmed Abdul Malik Drums: Oliver Jackson

Composition: Richard Whiting

'Blues in Thirds' Solo piano by Earl Hines

Album recorded 20 April 1965

Issued as 'Blues In Thirds' on Fontana 1966

Issued as 'Tea For Two' on Black Lion 1971

'Lover Come Back to Me' Earl Hines

From the album 'Live at the Village Vanguard' recorded 29-30 June 1965

String bass: Gene Ramey Drums: Eddie Locke

Composition: Sigmund Romberg / Oscar Hammerstein II

'All of Me' Earl Hines piano duet w Teddy Wilson Film

'Jazz Piano Workshop' Berlin 30 Oct 1965

Composition: Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons 1931

'Memories of You' Solo piano by Earl Hines Film

'Jazz Piano Workshop' Berlin 30 Oct 1965

Composition: Eubie Blake / Andy Razaf

On 29 April of 1969 Hines joined the 70th birthday celebration of Duke Ellington at the White House during the Nixon administration. Five years later he performed at Ellington's funeral in May of 1974. He played at the White House again during the Ford administration on 17 May 1976 at a state dinner for visiting French President, Giscard d'Estaing, performing his 'Rosetta' of 1939 composed with his arranger, Henri Woode. Lord's jazzography traces Hines to as late as 1981 in São Paulo, Brazil, putting away 'One O'clock Jump' among 13 titles on 'Fatha's Birthday' with Marva Josie and the 150 Band.