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Elmo Hope Trio: New Faces - New Sounds

By C. Michael Bailey
May 21, 2020
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Jazz is littered with musicians like

Elmo Hope

piano
1923 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Elmo Hope: young, talented and, ultimately, doomed because of racism, poverty, and chemical dependency. Born in New York City, the son of immigrants from the Caribbean, Hope managed to release more than a baker's dozen of studio recordings in as many years, before dying of drug addiction-related health problems in 1967 at the age of 43. Hope was primarily known as a jazz composer with a spare, deliberate piano style more akin to that of

Horace Silver

piano
1928 - 2014

" data-original-title="" title="">Horace Silver than more loquacious practitioners such as

Bud Powell

piano
1924 - 1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Bud Powell (a childhood friend of Hope's) or

Art Tatum

piano
1909 - 1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Tatum.

Hope's debut recording featured a trio format with bassist

Percy Heath

bass, acoustic
1923 - 2005

" data-original-title="" title="">Percy Heath and drummer

Philly Joe Jones

drums
1923 - 1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Philly Joe Jones, made as part of the Blue Note 5000 series New Faces—New Sounds. Originally released on a long-playing, thirty-three-and-a-third rpm, 10-inch microgroove album, Hope's first recording was later combined with some quintet sides that the pianist made with trumpeters Charles Freeman Lee and

Stu Williamson

trumpet
1933 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Stu Williamson, bassists Heath and

Leroy Vinnegar

bass, acoustic
1928 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Leroy Vinnegar and drummers Jones,

Art Blakey

drums
1919 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Blakey and

Frank Butler

drums
1928 - 1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Butler, on an expanded release entitled Trio and Quintet (Blue Note, 1989).

Stylistically, Hope's composing and performance comprises a hinge joining bebop and hard bop. His compositions bear the characteristic complex head of hard bop, followed by solo space, closing with a reprise of the opening head, with "Mo is On" being typical. Hope could certainly perform a standard, waxing balladic on the Gus Arnheim, Charles N. Daniels, and Harry Tobias 1931 popular song "Sweet and Lovely." "Stars Over Marakesh" has an Eastern flavor, lightly accented by Jones' precise drumming. Hope's composing was insightful and all-encompassing, making for informed and entertaining listening.

Bassist Heath provides on-the-nose timekeeping propelled by Jones, before the latter was assimilated into

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis' first great quintet with

Paul Chambers

bass, acoustic
1935 - 1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Chambers,

Red Garland

piano
1923 - 1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Red Garland and

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane. Hope displays an easy swing which informs all of his composition. He is a minor jazz figure deserving of more attention and study. There is much to learn from him on these early recordings.

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Track Listing

Mo is On; Sweet and Lovely; Happy Hour; Hot Sauce; Stars Over Marakech; Freffie; Carving the Rock; I remember You.

Personnel

Elmo Hope

piano

Percy Heath

bass, acoustic

Philly Joe Jones

drums

Album information

Title: New Faces - New Sounds | Year Released: 1953 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

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