- JT: What was it like performing with Ella Fitzgerald? Did it feel as though you were accompanying a vocalist, or a horn player?
HJ: It was a great thrill to accompany Ella. In fact, I worked with her shortly before JATP, which we both went on to be part of. If you accompany a singer, it’s almost as if you were you use the same techniques as when working with, say, a horn player. You try to support the vocalist by playing intuitively. You let the singer lead. You don’t play lines, with a singer OR an instrumentalist; you go for a “chordal” approach.
- JT: In the '50s you started work as a staff pianist for CBS television and radio. This resulted in anonymity for you in the '60s, while Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock were on the rise. Did you welcome that withdrawn career stance, or was it difficult to sacrifice the limelight?
HJ: In a sense, I welcomed it. I was recently married, and a steady job and income was appealing. I always intended to go back to playing and recording and going out on the road, and I did. And I still am!
- JT: Throughout your career, you’ve been able to adapt to a number of musical settings, and excel in each of them. What is your process of adapting? Did you change your approach to meet players such as Tony Williams and Ron Carter in the Great Jazz Trio, or did you force them to meet you? What about with clarinetists Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman?
HJ: I played my way while trying to adapt to any given situation. Whatever the project calls for, you try to listen and learn, and learning never stops. I did a great deal of adapting when I was with Tony and Ron, but then so did they, undoubtedly.
With Benny, I tried the Teddy Wilson approach, while with Artie I employed more of a small combo approach. The difference, with Benny, is that there was no bass. It was just Benny, Gene Krupa and me in front of the orchestra.
- JT: You’ve done several duo recordings with pianists such as Tommy Flanagan, George Shearing, and John Lewis. How do each of their styles mesh with yours? What are the challenges and joys of pairing with another pianist?
HJ: The secret – no matter who you play with – is that when the other pianist is soloing, you have to accompany the other. This is no secret, actually – it’s just common sense. So I would say that the most successful of these duo piano recordings are the ones where this principle was not forgotten.
- JT: As somebody who has played styles of jazz that were cutting edge at their time, and continues to play them decades after their peaks, how do you feel about the role of modernism in music? In other words, can music that was popular in the '40s be just as good now as it was within its historical context? How does music achieve timelessness?
HJ: Yes and no. As time progresses, you might change some things harmonically and melodically, as well as rhythmically. There may not be drastic changes, but there’s always room to be creative, even when performing “familiar” compositions.
- JT: You’ve probably recorded on hundreds of albums as a leader or sideman. Which of those, if any, stand out to you? Of the musicians you’ve played with, are there any with whom you share more of a musical bond than others?
HJ: I’m not that satisfied with anything I’ve done, but at the same time, you could say that I’m pleased that others enjoy it. This is what drives me to practice every day, even now.
Some of the most memorable experiences with fellow musicians would have to include time spent with Charlie Parker, my brothers Elvin and Thad, Max Roach, Buddy Rich, George Mraz, Ray Brown, Nils-Henning Orsted Pederson, Coleman Hawkins, Lucky Thompson and Roy Hargrove.
- JT: Finally, I just wanted to congratulate you on your latest award, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Thank you so much for your time, and for your music!
HJ: Thank you, for this interview.
