Harold Mabern, George Coleman and Me...

I moved to New York City November 21st, 1959. I had $5,000 in my shoes, because I didn’t want to take a chance on leaving it in the hotel. I had it wrapped up, $2,500 in each shoe. To show you how long ago that was, there were no ziplock bags, they weren’t on the market, they were being tested. So I had to wrap the money in a paper towel. I wanted to make this money last because you had to stay in New York City 6 months before you could join the musicians union. First thing, when I got to New York City, Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, who I have tremendous respect for, was standing in front of Birdland. Cannonball knew me from Chicago, saw me and said “Hey Big Hands, you want a gig?” and I said “Sure!" He took me down to Birdland. It’s Tuesday night and the place is packed. Quincy Jones is there, Bill Lee (Spike Lee’s father) is there. Cannonball introduced me to Harry “Sweets” Edison, Tommy Flanagan, who is one of my heroes, is playing with Sweets. During that time, if you half way played and hung out you could get a record date. Sweets looked at me and said “You wanna play?” He didn’t ask me what I wanted to play. The old timers would test you. If you’re a musician, you’re supposed to know everything. That’s just the way it was then, it’s not like that now. He hired me on the spot and Tommy Flanagan went to go play (piano) with J.J. Johnson.
Harold Mabern

***Rakin’ and Scrapin’ (1968) signed by Harold, George Coleman***

Harold was a scholar of our history, insightful, hilarious, sincere, deep, with intense, boundless energy and inclusive with his warmth. Before they called him "Leading Man," his nickname was "Big Hands." With the broad reach of those hands, he caressed many beautiful chords. He was a storyteller and every note he played had a message.
Charles Lloyd, Manassas High School classmate, Memphis, Tennessee

***MJT + 3 (1960) signed by Harold, Bob Cranshaw***

When George Coleman and his brother were 14 years old, they didn’t study music but they took an alto saxophone apart and put it back together. So then we knew that George was a true musical genius so we all learned from him. When I say “we all” I’m referring to Frank Strozier, myself, Booker Erwin, and Charles Lloyd. Frank and I were playing what we call “West Coast music counterpoint." It was good music but conceptually speaking, the East Coast was a harder concept. George introduced us to Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, and stuff like that because all we knew was Dave Brubeck, Warne Marsh, and Lenny Tristano, which was all good music, but a different concept.
Harold Mabern

***Smokin’ (1977) signed by George Coleman***

I'm a blues player with chops. I’m never going to stop being a blues pianist. As a piano player, the first thing you need to learn how to do is be an accompanist. Cedar Walton said, “I’d rather comp than eat.” A lot of piano players don’t have the patience because when you're comping you’re supporting somebody else and you’re playing a subordinate role. I say the best way to learn how to comp is to play for singers.
Harold Mabern

***Another Git Together (1963) signed by Harold, Benny Golson, Art Farmer***

Harold Mabern was a profoundly great human being, a musical giant, and a giver in every way, His humility and passion simply poured out of his soul. All who were in his presence were blessed to experience his grace, and his legacy will live forever in our hearts.
pianist Bill Charlap

***Manhattan Panorama (1985) signed by Harold, George Coleman***

Playing the blues was a blessing. Because you can teach some of these other styles, but you can't teach the blues.
Harold Mabern

***At Yoshi’s (1989) signed by Harold, George Coleman***

Harold "Big Hands" Mabern, a piano genius, passed away in September 2019. He was eighty-three and had been playing jazz with his high school classmate George Coleman, a renowned saxophonist, for nearly seventy years. Over the years, I was lucky to see Harold and George perform many times together, and I was always struck by how beautifully they complimented each other. Two genial master craftsmen bestowing us with their beautiful sounds and innate chemistry.

***Three Or Four Shades Of Blues (1977) signed by George Coleman***

Harold grew up with George in Memphis, Tennessee and they were surrounded by other incredibly gifted musicians - Frank Strozier, Hank Crawford, Booker Little, and Charles Lloyd among others. Five years his senior, Harold was deeply influenced by the virtuoso piano stylings of Phineas Newborn, Jr., also a fellow Memphian: "When Phineas played, everything was at his command. He could put his right hand in one pocket and play complete compositions with his left. I knew the first time I saw him I wanted to play like that. I also knew I had my work cut out for me." So Harold went to work and was largely self-taught.

***Joy Spring (1985) signed by Harold***

After graduating from high school, Harold moved to Chicago to attend the American Conservatory of Music. Unfortunately, Harold was unable to enroll when his parents finances deteriorated, and he began his real studies, hanging around the Chicago clubs listening to Ahmad Jamal, and, as he later confided, "I got mine from the university of the streets... playing and practicing twelve hours a day." Of his next five years woodshedding on his instrument, Harold was particularly influenced by Ahmad. "I was as impressed with him as with Phineas (Newborn). I'd never heard anyone play with such command or conceptualize sound like that. 'Music, Music, Music' was a corny song. Ahmad said, 'Not the way I play it.' Ahmad reintroduced it to us in a stylized, modern way."

Throughout his lengthy recording career and celebrated discography, Harold released more than twenty-five albums as a leader and hundreds more as a sideman. Harold's first appearance on vinyl was with saxophonist Jimmy Forrest's All The Gin Is Gone, released in 1959. Harold recalled the recording, "I did a date with Jimmy Forrest called All the Gin is Gone. All of those guys at that time were drinking what we call “hard liquor.” Elvin Jones said “Where’s the gin?” and the producer said “All the gin is gone.” Elvin said “You can’t do the date without no gin!” And that’s how they came up with the title." Some of the other artists who showcased the formidable piano talents of "Big Hands" were Art Framer, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Freddie Hubbard, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, J.J. Johnson, Jackie McLean, Wes Montgomery, and Lee Morgan - a veritable who's who of modern jazz.

***Lee Morgan Memorial Album (1974) signed by Harold, Barry Harris***

The last time I saw Harold Mabern, he was playing at the Jazz Standard in New York City in July 2019. He was joined by his beloved jazz brethren on stage: George Coleman on saxophone, Peter Bernstein on guitar, John Weber on bass, and George Coleman Jr. on drums- all accomplished leaders and composers on their own. They opened with the Thelonious Monk standard "Well You Needn't". Sitting side saddle slouched on a stool, George blew a torrent of notes. Though his body was worn, his eyes watery, his spirit was indomitable. The elder Coleman's sound was a bit muted but remained ferocious, his stamina compelling for his eighty-four years young. Meanwhile his high school classmate, Harold, was tossing off florid runs in a breakneck, catch me if you can speed, at times airy and delicate, then explosive and percussive. It was a bravura performance by all. At the end of the gig, Harold grabbed the mic to give a shoutout to his music teacher and Memphis. "You know, I just want to thank you for coming and thank Matthew Garrett, our music teacher in Memphis those many years ago. You probably don't know his name, you probably know his daughter Dee Dee Bridgewater. Well, her father taught me, George, Frank Strozier, Booker Little, Charles Lloyd and Isaac Hayes. So you can see that we have a little talent in Memphis! And how 'bout Aretha Franklin? You heard of her? Forget about Detriot, she was born in Memphis!" Yes sir, Harold was proselytizing Memphis, Memphis Strong indeed.

***Greasy Kid Stuff! (1970) signed by Harold***

After the show, I visited with Harold who was sitting at the bar, enjoying a well deserved beverage with his dinner. I brought along some Sammy Davis Jr. vinyl because I loved Harold's tribute to Sammy, Mr. Lucky, which he released in 2012. Harold smiled and said, "Sammy was a great artist and very underrated. I had a lot of fun recording his songs." I nudged him, "What about Greasy Kid Stuff ? That needs to be re-released on vinyl. Your version of Michael Jackson's "I Want You Back" smokes and it's very hard to find." Harold laughed, "Thank you, but I don't have anything to do with that. I really like that song, you know, when I cover something like that, I want you to recognize it and enjoy my take on it. I don't want to deconstruct it until it's unrecognizable." I expressed my condolences on the passing of Rudy Van Gelder, the ninety-one year old master engineer who ran a studio out of his home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and was responsible for nearly all of the Blue Note sessions from 1953 to 1967, including the works of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins. 'It's a terrible loss, that studio should become a museum,' I offered. Harold agreed, "Yes it is a terrible loss. No one really knows what will happen. I don't know if there's a will, no one really knows. I was at a recording session less than a year ago and Rudy was there. He had moved a bed into the studio so he could continue to work." When I handed him Mundell Lowe's Satan In High Heels, he laughed, "I love Mundell. Am I on this one?" 'No but it's a great cover," I confessed. "Yes it is!" he said, and he happily scribbled away. Erin and I left the show astonished with the vitality of these two jazz lions, still roaring in their eighties. Their music must be their secret elixir, I know it's mine.

***Satan In High Heels (19) signed by Harold***

***Mr. Lucky: Tribute To Sammy Davis Jr. (2012) signed by Harold***

***Mr. Wonderful (1956) signed by Harold, Sammy Davis Jr.***

Sadly, Harold passed away a scant six weeks later, shocking to me, especially given how vital he sounded on stage that night at the Jazz Standard. Fortunately, he left a legacy of recordings and performances of the finest jazz with his friend George Coleman and others. "Big Hands" yes, but an equally big heart.