A site dedicated to the late great James Booker. Please say hi, and leave a james booker story if you have one. Spam comments will be deleted. (You know the, "thanks for the add please buy my cd" ones).
Born Dec 17, 1939 in New Orleans, LA
Died Nov 8, 1983 in New Orleans, LA
Certainly one of the most flamboyant New Orleans pianists in recent memory, James Carroll Booker III was a major influence on the local rhythm & blues scene in the '50s and '60s. Booker's training included classical instruction until age 12, by which time he had already begun to gain recognition as a blues and gospel organist on radio station WMRY every Sunday. By the time he was out of high school he had recorded on several occasions, including his own first release, "Doing the Hambone," in 1953. In 1960, he made the national charts with "Gonzo," an organ instrumental, and over the course of the next two decades played and recorded with artists as varied as Lloyd Price, Aretha Franklin, Ringo Starr, the Doobie Brothers, and B.B. King. In 1967, he was convicted of possession of heroin and served a one-year sentence at Angola Penitentiary (referred to as the "Ponderosa"), which took the momentum out of an otherwise promising career. The rediscovery of "roots" music by college students during the '70s (focusing primarily on "Fess" by Professor Longhair) provided the opportunity for a comeback by 1974, with numerous engagements at local clubs like Tipitina's, The Maple Leaf, and Snug Harbor. As with "Fess," Booker's performances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals took on the trappings of legendary "happenings," and he often spent his festival earnings to arrive in style, pulling up to the stage in a rented Rolls Royce and attired in costumes befitting the "Piano Prince of New Orleans," complete with a cape. Such performances tended to be unpredictable: he might easily plant some Chopin into a blues tune or launch into a jeremiad on the CIA with all the fervor of a "Reverend Ike-meets-Moms Mabley" tag-team match.
Booker's left hand was simply phenomenal, often a problem for bass players who found themselves running for cover in an attempt to stay out of the way; with it he successfully amalgamated the jazz and rhythm & blues idioms of New Orleans, adding more than a touch of gospel thrown in for good measure. His playing was also highly improvisational, reinventing a progression (usually his own) so that a single piece would evolve into a medley of itself. In addition, he had a plaintive and seering vocal style which was equally comfortable with gospel, jazz standards, blues, or popular songs. Despite his personal eccentricities, Booker had the respect of New Orleans' best musicians, and elements of his influence are still very much apparent in the playing of pianists like Henry Butler and Harry Connick, Jr.
I'm glad to be associated with the late, great James Booker. I saw him perform many times in clubs around New Orleans and at the Jazz Fest, but I remember one odd evening in particular. It was a cold Wednesday evening, and I saw that he would be appearing at Jimmy's, a club on Willow Street in the Carrollton district. I ventured up there and perhaps three patrons were in the bar. Booker just sat down at the piano and extemporized for about an hour. I was sitting about three feet away from him. There was something magical about it--you, the night, and the music.
He was one of the greatest piano players in music history! His voice was unique! It's very sad that all the commercial music industry does not believe in authentic music but only in how to sell more and more records! So it's a shame to look at all the clones in the music business of today when there are great talents like James Booker who only know a few people! Shame on the music industry and all the commercial Radio and TV-Scene!!!!Shame!!!!
Ciao,James Thank you for the add and the friendship. you are very good, I like your stupendous music a lot,and stupendous voice. compliments ..really. you are one of my prefeitis, I feel great admiration for you, talk to you soon, and all of my best wishes to always listen to your good music. all the best.. from italy..and good week neal
Thanks a million James for joining our ministry of Blues. It's all about peace, love, understanding, and GROOVE! Hope to perform for you sometime, just not too soon. PEACE. Wishing you the very best in Blues and life and afterlife! -Big Daddy
