Hazel Scott/Nina Simone/Roberta Flack

[richardmurray]

I just want to say, out of pure coincidence: one's birth, a documentary, one's death all three black female pianist find themselves near in my thoughts and I wonder... all three were black musicians but all three were also highly skilled, I argue all three were stymied in a terrible way. It occurs to me that they could had performed a trilogy, they were literally alive long enough to have played together... 

 

HAzel Scott
https://aalbc.com/tc/events/event/203-the-disappearance-of-miss-scott-02232025/

Nina Simone
https://aalbc.com/tc/events/event/198-nina-simone-born-1933/
Roberta Flack
https://aalbc.com/tc/events/event/204-roberta-flack-born-1937/

 

Dorothy Donegan The 4th sister, now they are musketeers

The Best of Dorothy Donegan (Full Album)

DOROTHY DONEGAN – ONE NIGHT WITH THE VIRTUOSO (2012)(FULL ALBUM)

Dorothy Donegan "Rhapsody In Blue & The Man I Love" on The Ed Sullivan Show

Dorothy Donegan piano - film from 1945

 

 

Join the calendar 

 

[ProfD]

Three supremely talented Black women. 

 

Ms. Roberta Flack just left us today.  RIP.  Thanks for the music. 

[Delano]

Model them off Alicia Keys and it's a possibility.

 

I think she has some elements that are crucial. She's an Aquarian. They are typically nonconformist and aren't swayed by popular opinion. She's is tall, being tall has social  advantages. Also  her looks aren't distracting. Either being too good looking are the extreme is not a plus. She did something I found interesting. While I felt her appearance was more neutral or leaning toward stylish lesbian. You don't know my name was brilliant combination of themes. Working class woman, sees a customer who is attractive.  It has passive longing yet culminates in her asking the diner out  Also the tone in the two sections is markedly different. Finally I don't know if the diner was male or female. So it has cross appeal.

[richardmurray]

@ProfD

my pleasure. Love to share Black Music. Black Music in most places is the Black History Book. The hopes/dreams/success/failures/fears/ anything else:)  of black people tend to be in our music especially to modernity. I will never forget when white media asked her about the Fugees success and how she felt. She was happy that they made so much money. Peabo Bryson flat out said no Peabo Bryson or Luther Vandross would exist without Roberta Flack. She was a nice sister... well anyway:) my pleasure

@Delano thank you for your thoughts

 

[ProfD]

1 hour ago, Delano said:

Model them off Alicia Keys and it's a possibility.

Alicia Keys came to mind when i read the quesrion.

 

Thinking 2025 and beyond, I don't believe the  music industry is open to a Black female  piano player becoming a huge star.

 

Aretha Franklin, Hazel Scott, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack and Alicia Keys were lightning strikes.

[Delano]

5 hours ago, ProfD said:

Alicia Keys came to mind when i read the quesrion.

 

Thinking 2025 and beyond, I don't believe the  music industry is open to a Black female  piano player becoming a huge star.

 

Aretha Franklin, Hazel Scott, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack and Alicia Keys were lightning strikes.

I can't remember who said the following. It may have been Greg Tate in reference to Miles Davis, Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson or Prince. "Being so dope that the mainstream has to recognise your genius.

[aka Contrarian]

There was another female who was Hazel Scott's contemporary and belongs with this group of classically-trained black female pianist who were equally at home playing jazz or the old masters. Her name was Dorothy Donegan. She was a child piano prodigy who grew up on Chicago's south side and at 5 years old had mastered the keyboard going on to study at Chicago's prestigeous Conservatory of Music and Chicago Musical college. She was later mentored by famous jazz pianists Oscar Peterson and Art Tatim 

Dorothy and Hazel Scott were also singers  who went on to gain great popularity  on  the night club circuit appearing  in exclusive  cafes and hotel venues beginning in  the 1940s, as well as releasing record albums and making cameo movie roles. They both also had their own jazz combos at one time and often sat in and recorded albums with jazz men like bebop trumpeteer Dizzy Gillespie.

  I remember them both quite well as a teenager.

Dorothy was a very playful performer often mugging and seductively interacting with the keyboard. She died in 1998 at the age of 76.

All of these women were phenomenal versatile talents. And Hazel and Nina Simone were civil rights activists. Hazel was at one time married to Adam Clayton Powell. Nina was born the same year as me. 1933.

[aka Contrarian]

I didn't respond to the question about the currrent situation as it applies to black female jazz pianists in my first post because I was wracking.my brain trying to think of any current black female jazz pianists. I don't think Alicia Keyes fits this jazz category. 

So this pretty much prompts me to reach the conclusion that  there is no such animal  on the current jazz scene. I can't even come up with an up and coming  young black male jazz pianist. But since I'm  no longer up to speed, my not knowing of anyone who fits this "genre" means nothing. I'm simply under the impression that Jazz remains an acquired taste,  its fans discriminating,  its audience small, and its female participants limited to vocalists - which is regrettable. So, no, i don't see any signs of Hazel's, Dorothy's, Nina's or Roberta's shoes being filled.

[Troy]

5 hours ago, aka Contrarian said:

I don't think Alicia Keyes fits this jazz category. 

 

I don't think Alicia fits into the Jazz category either.  Indeed, I have trouble grouping her in with the other three, but that could be my age talking

 

I voted in the negative, as it is pretty obvious given the females who get the awards and attention, Bey, Doechii, Mehgan, Minjaz, Syza, (pardon any spelling mistakes).

 

A Black man can gain notoriety and acclaim more easily than a sister... I'm not sure why perhaps a smooth brother on the keys appeals to more white people (which is necessary for any real recognition).

 

Speaking of the Brothers on keyboardists.  I recently heard a podcast on Stevie Wonder which reminded me of the 4.5 year stretch in which Stevie released 5 GREAT albums.  What I failed to realize was that all of these albums were released before Stevie was 27!

 

Music of My Mind — March 3, 1972

Talking Book — October 28, 1972

Innervisions — August 3, 1973

Fulfillingness’ First Finale — July 22, 1974

Songs in the Key of Life — September 28, 1976

 

I guess a streak like that over a career is impossible... but that was certainly and prodigious and perhaps an unparalleled run.

[richardmurray]

thank you @aka Contrarian 

I added some magic from dorothy in the original post

 

[ProfD]

10 hours ago, aka Contrarian said:

I'm simply under the impression that Jazz remains an acquired taste,  its fans discriminating,  its audience small...

I didn't think the original intent of the post was specifically Jazz pianists. 

 

Jazz music has always been an acquired taste.  Jazz hasn't been Pop(ular) music since the 1950s. 

 

A handful of Jazz musicians and artists have reached mainstream status over the decades. 

 

Otherwise, Jazz *flavor* is sprinkled in other styles of Black music (R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul, etc.). 

 

Most Pop musicians and artists come from every other genre except Jazz. 

[Delano]

10 hours ago, Troy said:

don't think Alicia fits into the Jazz category either.  Indeed, I have trouble grouping her in with the other three, but that could be my age talking

I also don't consider her a jazz artist. Although that wasn't in the post . It just said music.

I have to say on the Jazz side Robert Glasper is amazing. He did a show with a full orchestra on Northern Europe. Also his vocalist Bilal is amazing.

 

The only current female I can think of is H.E.R. vocally Indo like Jazmine Sullivan and Muni Long

[aka Contrarian]

Ooops! Where to begin? First, thanks, Richard, for posting all the Dorothy Donegan material. Long time no hear! I enjoyed.

Second, let me make myself clear, something  I have been remiss in doing lately. I do believe dementia is finding a place in my mind because I meander off on tangents;  hence my sidetracking your post into the jazz field which, as profD noted, had nothing to do with the question you posed.  I just became fixated on the jazz angle probably because an instrument was involved, and I tend to associate jazz with any black soloist famous for playing an instrument. Little Richard being an exception. Lol   But. - not surprising -  I digress... back to your question. No, I don"t think anyone will duplicate Alicia Keyes' success.  She's sort of a unicorn. And I also found Delano's take on her interesting. I, myself, noticed how at a certain point in her career, she stopped wearing heavy eye make-up seemingly to make a statement about being her natural self.  

I also want to give some props to Aretha who was a very gifted pianist, not classically trained but a natural talent who frequently enhanced her singing  by accompaning herself on the piano. As for Roberta, i wasn't even aware until her recent  death of her extensive musical history. I always just thought of her exclusively as a singer with a lush voice. 

 

Anyhow, bear with this ol girl.

My vision is hampered by cataracts (which i am schedueled to have surgery for) and it's kinda hard to participate in forums via this Android phone. I need to get a lap top since my computer crashed but just haven't gotten around to it. 

[richardmurray]

@aka Contrarian 

we have patience with you and please remain having patience with us. Get busy handling your health:) 

[Delano]

Gerri Allen was also an amazing piano player. And Cassandra Wilson did an album where she put lyrics to Miles Davis' tracks. Ledisi is a oio singer but I reckon she could do Jazz 

[ProfD]

Patrice Rushen is a Jazz pianist who had R&B hits back in the 1970s and 1980s. 

 

Ledisi is a phenomenal singer who incorporates every form of Black music in her bag.  

 

There's no shortage of talented Black female musicians and artists.  Becoming a major star is different. 

 

Beyonce is the most successful Black female artist in history but she doesn't play any instrument to any significant degree. 

[aka Contrarian]

I should point out that Diana Krall has enjoyed a long very successful career as a singer- pianist jazz musician. She's white,  however. And Canadian,  Go figure.

 

[richardmurray]

@Delano what is your favorite gerri allen work?

@ProfD I love patrice rushen too, do you have a faovirte song from rushen?

@aka Contrarian I actually know of diana krall , I can't think of a song though, do you know one?

[ProfD]

9 minutes ago, richardmurray said:

@ProfD I love patrice rushen too, do you have a faovirte song from rushen?

Hands down, my favorite Patrice Rushen song is "Settle for My Love".

[richardmurray]

@ProfD

 

[aka Contrarian]

@richardmurray:Diana Krall

 

 

 

[Delano]

When Kabuya Dances she played this at the Cathedral of John the Divine. It made me start writing poetry. That and the water stain in the wall. They were both evocative 

 

[richardmurray]

@aka Contrarian + @Delano thank you

[aka Contrarian]

Well, Patrice sang a ballad but didn't  show off her piano stylings.  Gerri (?) worked out on the piano but she didn't sing. 

White girl Diana  took this interplay genre and made it her own; that's how white folks steal black misic. Lol.

[Troy]

I first learned about Diana Krall when she appeared on Sesame Street many years ago. 
 

I remember Patrice Rushen from back in the day she was a prodigy if I recall.

 

12 hours ago, Delano said:

Cathedral of John the Divine.

That was where my junior high school graduation was held. I only went there one other time. I walked around in there last year for the first time in almost 50 years. It hasn’t changed.

 

 

 

[aka Contrarian]

Patrice and Prince came on the scene at the same time and the  publicity machines tried to make them a couple for a minite. The only song I remember by her is Forget-me-nots. She was a little squirt and wasn't glamourous enough to get a lotta face time back then.

[ProfD]

Patrice Rushen showed off her piano chops on the records that didn't receive heavy radio airplay.

 

 

 

Rushen's musicianship also came through on other folks' records, in concert  and Jazz projects.

[Delano]

 

Geri Allen was a member of the M Base collective and the Black Rock Coalition .

 

I was surprised that she also played on some Living Colour tracks 

[richardmurray]

@Delano @ProfD @aka Contrarian @Troy thank you