Elmo Hope might be the biggest, most influential #jazz pianist you've never heard of. He was born 100 years ago this June, in the middle of the Harlem Renaissance. Hope was a child prodigy in classical piano. As a teenager, he pushed his best friends Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk into wildly creative dimensions.

But while Monk and Bud entered the pantheon, Hope never came close to their level of celebrity. He faced a series of personal and creative setbacks in his life, including a heroin addiction which stunted his ability to play. It also led to the revoking of his Cabaret Card — a critical lifeline for artists like himself who relied on #NYC's club scene to get noticed and find work.

Despite all those challenges, Elmo Hope has left an indelible mark on the story of jazz piano. He is revered as a subtle and intellectual player who merged his vast knowledge of harmony with his command of the blues. And his drive to create something new.

#NPR #wbgo #JazzNightInAmerica

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/17/1193962841/an-elmo-hope-centennial-celebration-giving-a-jazz-piano-pioneer-his-due