Jones, Jimmy (actually, James Henry)
Jones, Jimmy (actually, James Henry)
Jones, Jimmy (actually, James Henry), jazz pianist, arranger, composer; b. Memphis, Term., Dec. 30, 1918; d. Burbank, Calif., April 29, 1982. He was primarily an accompanist and chord player, of a high order. Originally a guitarist, he switched to piano, and worked in Chicago with Stuff Smith. He moved to N.Y. as part of that group. He worked with J. C. Heard (1946–47), then as an accompanist for singer Sarah Vaughan from October 1947 until April 1952. He had a period of inactivity while ill, then resumed working with Sarah from October 1954 until January 1958. During the 1960s, he did prolific freelance work as a player and arranger, and also led own trio. He worked as a musical director and accompanist for Ella Fitzgerald during the late 1960s; in 1969, he moved to Los Angeles, where he composed for television and movies as well as played gigs with jazz groups through the late 1970s.
—John Chilton, Who‘s Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter