Earl Hines was one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. Most biographies on Hines go something like this: In the 1920s he developed into the first “modern” jazz pianist in that he did not strictly state the time by striding with his left-hand all of the time. Instead he took occasional wild death (or time) defying breaks with his left-hand that suspended the beat until he magically found it again.
His solo piano recordings were way ahead of his contemporaries as was his innovative playing with Louis Armstrong’s Savoy Ballroom Five in 1928. Hines led several fine big bands during 1928-48, a period that was followed by a musically unsatisfying three years as a member of the Louis Armstrong All-Stars (1948-51) that found Hines demoted to the role of a sideman.
After a few years of heading short-lived swing combos, Hines settled in Oakland, leading a trad band that was a bit beneath him, playing music from the past. It was not until 1964 when a pair of solo concerts in New York alerted critics to his continued brilliance that he made a comeback. Hines spent his last 19 years (up until his death in 1983) leading a quartet and recording prolifically, often as a solo pianist.
The only problem with this narrative is that it greatly underrates Hines’ work in the 1950s. During 1955-59, Hines’ San Francisco band usually featured trombonist Jimmy Archey, clarinetist Darne
