Jimmy Jones (pianist)

James Henry Jones (December 30, 1918, Memphis, Tennessee – April 29, 1982, Burbank, California)[1] was an American jazz pianist and arranger.

[1] He also recorded a series of piano solos in 1947, including Debussy's Clair de lune and works by Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol.

"[9] As a pianist and arranger in New York City,[1] he worked in the 1960s with Harry Belafonte, Johnny Hodges, Budd Johnson, Nat Gonella, and Clark Terry, among others.

Although "gravely ill," Jones participated in Burrell's Ellington Is Forever tribute recordings,[12] contributing a brief solo version of Strayhorn's "Take the "A" Train" as the first volume's closer.

"[14] In the course of his career, Jones played piano on recordings by Harry Sweets Edison, Ben Webster, Big Joe Turner, Coleman Hawkins, Frank Wess, Milt Jackson, Sidney Bechet, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, and Thad Jones, among others, and worked as an arranger for Wes Montgomery, Nancy Wilson, Sandler and Young, Shirley Horn, Joe Williams, Billy Taylor, Carmen McRae, and Chris Connor, becoming "[o]ne of the most sought after arrangers in New York.

"[16] Jordi Pujol notes that Jones possessed "an uncanny ability to strike a delicate balance of restraint and richness" in his playing.

"[18] With Kenny Burrell With Johnny Griffin With Illinois Jacquet With Thad Jones With Beverly Kenney With Helen Merrill With Joe Newman With Paul Quinichette With Sonny Stitt With Clark Terry With Ben Webster With Sarah Vaughan With Nancy Wilson With Monica Zetterlund With Johnny Hodges With Milt Jackson With Billy Taylor With Nancy Wilson With Sandler and Young