Jon Hendricks: It’s Sand Man!

JON HENDRICKS (1921-2017) was one of the founders of the vocalese trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, winners of three Grammy Awards as well as the Grammy Hall of Fame Award. He is renowned as a vocalist and lyricist, and is one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and improvisations, and replaces some instruments with scat vocals. Jazz critic Leonard Feather called him the “Poet Laureate of Jazz” and Time Magazine dubbed him the “James Joyce of Jive.” As a soloist, he toured the world, recorded numerous albums as a leader and guest, and was recognized in 1993 as a NEA Jazz Master. In 2004, he was honored in France with the Legion of Honor.

This concert performances reunited his family group. It was recorded in 1980 for international television, one of the first ever recorded in stereo. It features performances of his hits, Cloudburst and Tell Me the Truth.