Earl Washington (musician)

[1] Earl Edward Washington was born, the third child (two older sisters before him), on Sunday, April 3, 1921, in the Prairie Avenue District neighborhood on the near Southeast Side of Chicago.

His parents experienced hard economic times in the pre- and post-Depression era, moving their ever-expanding family to the small neighborhood of Morgan Park where they could afford a home.

Washington attended Washburn High School, also on the South side of Chicago, that his mother enrolled him in due to his interest in "art".

After dropping out of high school in his junior year, he worked as a laborer at Inland Steel located in nearby East Chicago, Indiana.

Before his death, Washington worked at The Inn Place, taught private jazz-piano lessons and lectured on "The History of Jazz" at Indiana University.

In his spare time he listens to some of his favorites, which include Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Quincy Jones, plus contemporary composers such as Ravel, Stravinsky, and Bernstein.

"At present Earl is engage in composing a suite entitled, “Omen Portend.” This work will feature the piano with orchestral background.

"Mr. Washington’s treatment of “After Hours” is quite unique, due to the fact that he first does a rendition quite close to the original Avery Parrish version.

He also acts on Okeh Records and Workshop Jazz label; wrote and scored “Shaft In Africa,” which became a theme backdrop for Jay Z’ 2006 platinum award winning CD Show Me What You Got.