Jon Hendricks

Cast

Born

September 16, 1921 · Newark, Ohio, USA

Died

November 22, 2017

Birth name

John Carl Hendricks

A Law student and part-time drummer in the early 1940s, Jon's life changed when Charlie Parker heard him scat and urged him to dedicate himself to singing. His career crystalized in the late 50s with the formation of vocal jazz trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Their first album, Sing a Song of Basie, was a masterpiece of Vocalese (the technique of taking an existing jazz piece or improvised solo and setting lyrics to it). The first group to combine vocalese lyrics with tight independent vocal harmonies, their 50s and 60s recordings have a style and groove still unmatched. After the breakup of LH&R Jon went on with his solo act, wrote for Broadway and continued to lyricise and arrange tunes for himself and pop groups like the Manhattan Transfer (whose 1980s Vocalese album is lyricised by and dedicated to him). Back on the singing scene since the early 80s with a vocal quartet, Jon Hendricks and Friends are still performing, and still hot. If Ella Fitzgerald is the Queen of scat, Jon Hendricks is King.