John Young (jazz pianist) facts for kids

John Merritt Young (born March 16, 1922 – died April 16, 2008) was a talented American jazz pianist. He played music with many famous artists. These included Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dexter Gordon.

John Young also recorded music with his own group, called a trio. This happened in the 1950s and 1960s. He also played as a "sideman" for other musicians. A sideman is a musician who plays with a band but is not the main leader. He played with Von Freeman and Gene Ammons. John Young was a very active musician in the Chicago jazz scene. He continued to play until a few years before he passed away.

About John Young's Life

John Young was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. His family moved to Chicago when he was a very young child. In the 1940s, he started touring with a big band. This band was called Andy Kirk and His Twelve Clouds of Joy.

After leaving Andy Kirk's band, Young returned to Chicago. He then played with the Dick Davis combo until 1950. In 1950, he started his own music group. This group included Eldridge Freeman on drums and Leroy Jackson on bass. In 1957, he signed with Argo Records. This is when he recorded his first album, called Opus de Funk.

John Young was a very important part of the Chicago jazz music scene. He often played at popular clubs. He performed with artists like Dexter Gordon and Big Joe Turner. He also played with Von Freeman. He appeared more than a dozen times at the Chicago Jazz Festival. He often played there with tenor saxophonist Eddie Johnson.

John Young stopped performing in 2005 due to health issues. He passed away on April 16, 2008, from a type of cancer.

Many people thought John Young was a great musician. Dan Morgenstern, a writer, called him "one of Chicago's several unsung piano originals." This means he was a very original piano player who didn't always get enough credit. Allmusic.com also said he was "criminally underappreciated." This means he was much better than most people outside of Chicago realized.

Music John Young Led

Here are some of the albums where John Young was the leader of the music group:

Music John Young Played On (As a Sideman)

John Young also played on many albums with other musicians. Here are some of them:

With Lorez Alexandria

• Deep Roots (Argo, 1962)

With Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon

• The Chase! (Prestige, 1970)

With Bobby Bryant

• Big Band Blues (Vee Jay, 1961)

With George Freeman

• New Improved Funk (Groove Merchant, 1973)

With Von Freeman

• Doin' It Right Now (Atlantic, 1972)
• Have No Fear (Nessa, 1975)
• Young and Foolish, Von Freeman, (Nessa, 1977)
• Serenade & Blues, Von Freeman, (Nessa, 1979)

With Al Grey

• Boss Bone (Argo, 1963)

With Sonny Stitt and Zoot Sims

• Inter-Action (Cadet, 1965)

With T-Bone Walker

• T-Bone Blues (Atlantic, 1959)