Tommy Flanagan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tommy Flanagan
Flanagan at the Village Jazz Lounge in Walt Disney World, 1978
Background information
Birth name	Thomas Lee Flanagan
Born	(1930-03-16)March 16, 1930 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	November 16, 2001(2001-11-16) (aged 71) New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Bebop, hard bop, mainstream jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Piano
Years active	1940s–2001
Associated acts	Kenny Burrell, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins

Thomas Lee Flanagan (March 16, 1930 – November 16, 2001) was a famous American jazz pianist and composer. He grew up in Detroit, learning from great pianists like Art Tatum and Nat King Cole.

In 1956, he moved to New York City and quickly started recording with jazz legends such as Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. He also played on John Coltrane's important album Giant Steps. From 1962, he became the main pianist for the famous singer Ella Fitzgerald, working with her for many years.

After leaving Fitzgerald in 1978, Flanagan became well-known for his elegant piano playing, often performing in a trio. During his 45-year career, he recorded over 36 albums as a leader and more than 200 as a sideman. By the time he passed away, he was one of the most respected jazz pianists, influencing many musicians.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Flanagan was born in Detroit, Michigan, on March 16, 1930. He was the youngest of six children. His parents, Johnson Sr. and Ida Mae, were from Georgia. His father was a postman, and his mother worked in clothing.

When he was six, Flanagan received a clarinet for Christmas. He learned to read music with it, but soon preferred the piano. His family had a piano, and his brother Johnson and teacher Gladys Wade Dillard taught him. He went to Northern High School with other future musicians.

Flanagan was inspired by pianists like Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, who he heard on the radio. He also liked Nat King Cole and local Detroit pianists. However, he and his friends were more interested in the newer bebop style, especially the music of pianist Bud Powell.

Career Highlights

Playing Around Detroit (1945–1955)

Flanagan's first concert was around 1945, when he was about 15. He played with trombonist Frank Rosolino. Because he was so young, he had to do his homework in another room between sets. As a teenager, he played in a band with Lucky Thompson and Kenny Burrell. He even played piano for some shows by Charlie Parker in Detroit.

In 1949, Flanagan got his first regular job at the Blue Bird Inn in Detroit. He later played with Rudy Rutherford and George Benson. In 1951, he joined the army. He became a pianist for an army show, which kept him from being sent to the Korean War right away. He later worked as a movie projectionist in Korea. After two years, he returned to Detroit and played at the Blue Bird Inn again. He worked with musicians like Donald Byrd and Yusef Lateef.

Moving to New York (1956–1978)

Flanagan moved to New York City in 1956. He quickly found work in clubs and recording studios. He recorded with Thad Jones and then with Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. His work on Rollins' album Saxophone Colossus was called an "undisputed masterpiece."

In 1956, he also played with Ella Fitzgerald for about a month, including at the Newport Jazz Festival. He later joined trombonist J. J. Johnson and toured Europe. In Sweden, Flanagan recorded his first album as a band leader, called Overseas.

Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, Flanagan recorded often with many different musicians. In May 1959, he played on John Coltrane's famous album Giant Steps. The music was very complex, especially the song "Giant Steps." He also played on The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery, where his piano playing perfectly matched the guitarist's style.

From 1962 to 1965, Flanagan was Ella Fitzgerald's full-time pianist. They traveled all over the world, including Japan. He also played with other bands when he wasn't needed by Fitzgerald. In 1965, he left Fitzgerald and joined Art Farmer's band. He also played with singer Tony Bennett in 1966.

Flanagan returned to work with Ella Fitzgerald in 1968. He was her pianist and musical director. They toured a lot, sometimes for 40-45 weeks a year. During these concerts, Flanagan often played a set with his own trio. From 1974, he started performing and recording more as a leader. His 1975 album, The Tommy Flanagan Tokyo Recital, was his first as a leader since 1960. He left Fitzgerald in 1978 due to health issues and being tired of so much touring. After a health scare, he started walking more to stay healthy.

After Ella Fitzgerald (1978–2001)

After leaving Fitzgerald, Flanagan often played solo piano in New York. In 1979, he was a guest on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio show. He continued to work with other musicians, including a trio with Tal Farlow and Red Mitchell in 1980. For most of the 1980s, he led his own trio with bassist George Mraz.

By 1990, Flanagan focused more on his own performances and recordings. In the early 1990s, Peter Washington replaced Mraz on bass, which added more energy to the trio's sound. Flanagan's reputation grew after he stopped being mainly an accompanist. Critic Leonard Feather said in 1992 that Flanagan was the pianist most admired by other jazz pianists.

His busy schedule might have contributed to a health issue in 1991, which required surgery. He recovered quickly and returned to playing within weeks. Flanagan received the Danish Jazzpar Prize in 1993. Three years later, he was chosen for a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship. He toured Japan several times with a group of 10 pianists called 100 Golden Fingers.

Critics continued to praise Flanagan's elegant playing. Ben Ratliff wrote in 1998 that his trio with Washington and drummer Lewis Nash was "one of the more extraordinarily coordinated piano trios in jazz's history." Even with all the praise, Flanagan did not sign a major record deal for more than one album at a time.

In October 2001, Flanagan played at the San Francisco Jazz Festival. The next month, he was admitted to Mount Sinai hospital in Manhattan. He passed away on November 16, 2001, from health problems.

Personal Life

Flanagan first married Ann in 1960. They had a son and two daughters. They divorced in the early 1970s, and Ann passed away in 1980. Flanagan's mother died in 1959, and his father in 1977. Flanagan married Diana, his second wife, in 1976. He was survived by Diana, his three children, and six grandchildren.

Flanagan was known for being humble, quiet, and friendly. His second wife described him as gentle and quiet, but also strong and firm.

Playing Style

Music critic Whitney Balliett said that Flanagan always created something new in his playing. He would often play the melody with interesting chords, showing respect for the song but also changing it in his own way. He used different musical phrases that made his playing lively and unique.

Stanley Crouch noted that Flanagan used the piano pedals to create "singing effects," holding notes in special ways to make them sound like sighs or purrs. Critic John S. Wilson described Flanagan's solo piano style on slow songs as "dreamy" and "languorous," but still strong and swinging.

Flanagan said he liked to play "like a horn player," as if he was blowing into the piano. He focused on the overall sound of a piece. In his concerts, he often played songs by composers like Tadd Dameron, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk.

Awards and Legacy

Flanagan was nominated for five Grammy Awards during his career.

• In 1983, for The Magnificent Tommy Flanagan and Giant Steps.
• In 1985, for Thelonica.
• In 1998, for his solo on "Dear Old Stockholm" from Sea Changes.
• In 2003, for his solo on "Sunset & the Mockingbird" from A Great Night in Harlem.

Flanagan influenced many pianists, both his peers and younger musicians. These included Barry Harris, Roland Hanna, Kirk Lightsey, and Alan Broadbent. Helen Sung changed from classical to jazz piano after hearing Flanagan's logical and swinging solos. Kenny Barron called Flanagan his "hero" and admired his touch and phrasing from the first time he heard him.

Images for kids

• 

  Flanagan at the Village Jazz Lounge in Walt Disney World, 1978

See also

In Spanish: Tommy Flanagan para niños