Harold Mabern facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harold Mabern
Mabern in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Harold Mabern Jr.
Born	(1936-03-20)March 20, 1936 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	September 17, 2019(2019-09-17) (aged 83)
Genres	Jazz, soul jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Piano
Years active	1950s–2019
Labels	Sackville, Prestige, DIW, Smoke Sessions

Harold Mabern Jr. (born March 20, 1936 – died September 17, 2019) was an amazing American jazz pianist and composer. He was known for playing styles like hard bop, post-bop, and soul jazz. Many people called him "one of the great post-bop pianists" because of his unique style.

Harold Mabern's Early Life

Harold Mabern was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 20, 1936. He first started learning to play the drums. Later, he switched to the piano. His father, who worked in a lumber yard, saved money to buy him a piano when Harold was a teenager.

Harold learned to play by watching and copying other pianists. He especially looked up to Charles Thomas and Phineas Newborn Jr.. He went to high school in Memphis. During this time, he played with future jazz stars like Frank Strozier and George Coleman.

In 1954, after finishing high school, Harold moved to Chicago. He wanted to go to a music school, but his family's money situation changed. So, he couldn't afford it. Instead, he took private lessons for six months. He also learned to read music better by playing in a big band. He spent five years listening to other musicians and practicing piano for 12 hours a day! He mostly taught himself how to play.

Starting His Music Career (1959–1967)

Harold Mabern moved to New York City in 1959. He arrived there with his friend, saxophonist Frank Strozier. Right away, he went to a famous jazz club called Birdland. There, he met trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, who needed a pianist. Harold got the job!

He quickly became known in New York as a "sideman." This means he played with other famous musicians. He toured Europe with Lionel Hampton's big band in 1960. He also played with the Jazztet and helped many singers, like Betty Carter. He worked with trumpeter Donald Byrd and drummer Roy Haynes.

In 1965, he started playing with Lee Morgan, a great trumpeter. They played together often until 1972. Harold also toured Europe with the legendary guitarist Wes Montgomery in 1965. He played with many other jazz greats, including Freddie Hubbard and Sarah Vaughan.

A Long and Successful Career (1968–2019)

Harold Mabern started recording his own music in 1968. His first album was called A Few Miles from Memphis. He went on to record about 20 albums as a band leader. He also kept playing with many other musicians.

From the 1970s, Harold worked with trumpeters Clark Terry and Joe Newman. He also played electric piano with George Benson. He led his own trio, a group of three musicians.

Harold also played in two special piano groups. One was called the Piano Choir, which had at least six pianists. The other was the Contemporary Piano Ensemble. This group honored his early influence, Phineas Newborn Jr. They toured a lot, playing at big festivals like the Montreal and Monterey Jazz Festivals.

Harold's career became even more popular after his album Straight Street was a big hit in Japan in 1989. He visited Japan in 1990 as part of a group of ten pianists. In later years, he often recorded with his former student, saxophonist Eric Alexander. In 2010, Harold received a special award called the Don Redman Heritage Award.

He was a teacher at William Paterson University for a long time, starting in 1981. He also taught at the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Harold loved playing on a Steinway D piano, calling it his favorite.

In 2015, he released Afro Blue. This album showed how he often played with singers in the 1960s. Harold continued to perform until shortly before his death. He played in Britain in 2017 and 2018. His last four albums were recorded on the label for Smoke (jazz club), a club where he often played.

Harold Mabern passed away from a heart attack on September 17, 2019, in New Jersey.

Harold Mabern's Playing Style

Harold Mabern's piano playing was very powerful and full of energy. People described his style as "aggressive" and "positive." He would hit chords strongly and move quickly up and down the keyboard.

Even with his strong playing, he was also very sensitive. He was a great accompanist, meaning he was excellent at playing along with other musicians. He used special techniques like "blues glisses" (sliding notes) and "tremolos" (quick repeating notes). These helped create his unique sound. He was also influenced by Phineas Newborn Jr., often playing fast lines with both hands in unison.

When he played with singers, Harold changed his style. He would play with "less force" and "less aggression." He used the soft pedal on the piano. He would wait for the singer to finish a phrase, then fill in the empty space with his music.

Discography

Years refer to the date of recording, unless an asterisk (*) is next to the year; this indicates that it is the date of initial release.

As leader/co-leader

As sideman

See also

In Spanish: Harold Mabern para niños