⬇️ ETTA JONES ⬇️
DISCOGRAPHY 1960-2021 (28CD)
BIOGRAPHY
Jones was born in Aiken, South Carolina, and raised in Harlem, New York.
Still in her teens, she joined Buddy Johnson's band for a tour although
she was not featured on record. Her first recordings—"Salty Papa Blues",
"Evil Gal Blues", "Blow Top Blues", and "Long, Long Journey"—were produced
by Leonard Feather in 1944, placing her in the company of clarinetist
Barney Bigard and tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld.
In 1947, she recorded and released an early cover version of Leon Rene's
"I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" (previously released by the Basin Street
Boys on Rene's Exclusive label) while at RCA Victor Records. She performed
with the Earl Hines sextet from 1949 to 1952.
She had three Grammy nominations: for the Don't Go to Strangers album in
1960, the Save Your Love for Me album in 1981, and My Buddy (dedicated to
her first employer, Buddy Johnson) in 1998. In 2008 the album Don't Go to
Strangers was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Following her recordings for Prestige, on which Jones was featured with
high-profile arrangers such as Oliver Nelson and jazz stars such as Frank
Wess, Roy Haynes, and Gene Ammons, she had a musical partnership of more
than 30 years with tenor saxophonist Houston Person, who received equal
billing with her. He also produced her albums and served as her manager
after the pair met in one of Johnny "Hammond" Smith's bands.
Although Etta Jones is likely to be remembered above all for her
recordings on Prestige, her close professional relationship with Person
(frequently, but mistakenly, identified as Jones' husband) helped ensure
that the last two decades of her life would be marked by uncommon
productivity, evidenced by a string of albums for Muse Records. In 1996,
she recorded The Melody Lingers On, the first of five sessions for the
HighNote label.
Her last recording, a tribute to Billie Holiday, was released on the day
of Jones' death.[8] Only one of her recordings—her debut album for
Prestige Records (Don't Go to Strangers, 1960)—enjoyed commercial success
with sales of over 1 million copies. Her remaining seven albums for
Prestige, and beginning in 1976, her 12 recordings for Muse Records, and
seven recordings for HighNote Records secured her a devoted
following.
She died in Mount Vernon, New York at the age of 72 from cancer. She was
survived by her husband, John Medlock, and a granddaughter.
(Wikipedia)