Thursday, May 26, 2011

Milt Buckner - After Hours


Milt Buckner (10 July 1915 – 27 July 1977) was an American jazz pianist and organist, originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He was orphaned as a child, but an uncle in Detroit (trombone player John Tobias) taught him to play. Buckner pioneered the parallel chords style which influenced Red Garland, George Shearing, Bill Evans, and Oscar Peterson.
He first played in Detroit with the McKinney Cotton Pickers and then with Cab Calloway. In 1941 he joined Lionel Hampton's big band ,and for the next seven years served as its pianist and staff arranger. He led a short-lived band of his own for two years, but then returned to Hampton's in 1950. In 1952, he formed his own group. He often played in Europe in the late 60's. Buckner pioneered the use of the electric organ. He died in Chicago, Illinois at the age of sixty-two.

Buckner's brother, Ted Buckner, was a noted jazz saxophonist. His band often played at The Huddle Eastland in West Covina back in it's heyday.
Here is After Hours from 1960 on Argo which was a Chess Records imprint label.

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