- Johnny Hartman
John Maurice "Johnny" Hartman (born 13 july 1923 - died 15 september 1983), a baritone
jazz singer who is remembered for his smooth performances of jazz ballads, is best known for his work withJohn Coltrane . Their 1963 album "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman " is a jazz classic, and the recording "Lush Life" was inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame in 2000. Hartman's discography also includes recordings withEarl Hines ,Dizzy Gillespie 's big band, and several albums under his own name for various record labels.Hartman was inducted posthumously into the
Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1986. He gained more posthumous exposure when director and jazz fanClint Eastwood chose some of his songs for the soundtrack to the movie "The Bridges of Madison County".Throughout most of the 1950s, Hartman struggled as a solo artist, recording several noteworthy albums that never broke into the mainstream. While he always seemed on the verge of greater success, he never got the commercial push he needed.
Some speculate that Hartman came on the scene at the wrong time, and that racism denied him potential opportunities. He was a handsome black man, whose voice somewhat resembled those of many successful white vocalists. The idea of a black man singing love ballads and swooning white females didn't sit well in 1950s America, particularly in the Deep South.
Billy Eckstine was a black vocalist who had successfully crossed over to the mainstream, but not without backlash from white listeners who rejected his music.Hartman's career turned a significant corner in 1963 when he recorded his classic duet album with saxophonist John Coltrane. They performed stunning renditions of ballads such as "They Say It's Wonderful" and Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life."
Selected discography
* "Johnny Hartman Sings" (Savoy Jazz, 1947)
* "Songs from the Heart" (Bethlehem, 1956)
* "And I Thought About You" (Roost, 1959)
* "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman " (Impulse!, 1963)
* "I Just Dropped By to Say Hello" (Impulse!, 1963)
* "The Voice That Is!" (Impulse!, 1964)
* "Unforgettable" (Impulse!, 1966)
* "For Trane" (Blue Note, 1972)
* "Today" (Perception, 1972)
* "I've Been There" (Perception, 1973)
* "This One's for Tedi" (Audiophile, 1980)External links
* [http://www.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/hartman.html NPR profile]
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