James George Hunter, known professionally as Jimmy Rowles, epitomized the countless talented musicians whose professional careers were suspended during World War II. Back in 1943, he was swiftly ascending the ladder of success, but military service interrupted his trajectory. Upon re-entering civilian life, he seamlessly resumed his path, demonstrating exceptional talent that forecasted a prominent position within the national
jazz music scene.

Born in Spokane, Washington, on August 19, 1918, Jimmy Rowles developed an interest in music at the age of 14. He approached his mother, who played piano by ear, for guidance, and she wisely suggested he seek instruction from a formal teacher to establish a solid foundation. In his first year of study, Rowles not only absorbed lessons but also gleaned insights from records. He displayed a remarkable ability to accurately replicate solos from the recordings of his peers’ favored musician, Guy Lombardo. Subsequently, Rowles found inspiration in the work of Teddy Wilson. Delving into Wilson’s recordings, he embarked on an exhaustive study of the renowned pianist’s styling and technique.

Jimmy attended Gonzaga University in Spokane for two years, where he also engaged with local bands. During this period, fate intervened when he crossed paths with saxophonist Marshall Royal, who was by then affiliated with Les Hite’s band. Recognizing Rowles’ potential, Royal suggested that staying in Spokane might not offer the opportunities he sought. Taking this advice to heart, Rowles made the bold decision to relocate to Seattle in pursuit of his musical aspirations.

In Seattle, Jimmy continued his education at the University of Washington. During his time there, he had the remarkable opportunity to attend a performance by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. It was at this event that he forged a friendship with the renowned saxophonist Ben Webster, marking the beginning of a significant connection in Rowles’ musical journey. His admiration for Webster is fully described in his own words. “I like playing with musicians who have a ‘sensual’ approach to music. That’s why I love Ben Webster: he plays like he’s making love. That’s how it is, making love with the themes, that the music reaches people, touches them inside.” Both musicians would later convene on numerous occasions for recording sessions.

Continuing his dedicated pursuit of musical knowledge, Jimmy delved deeper into the intricacies of dance stylings while honing his craft at various renowned venues. Eventually, his passion for music eclipsed his academic pursuits, leading him to make the decision to leave college and fully immerse himself in his musical endeavors.

In 1940, Rowles made a pivotal move in his career by relocating to Los Angeles. There, he teamed up with local dance bands led by Garwood Van and Dick Peterson. By 1941, he found himself playing at Boureston’s Café with guitarist Al Hendrickson. Rowles also showcased his talent with solo performances at the renowned 331 Club, establishing himself as a versatile and skilled musician in the vibrant Los Angeles music scene.

In 1942, Rowles became a member of the Lester and Lee Young 7-piece band, which played at both of Billy Berg’s clubs: Capri (situated at Pico & La Cienega) and the Trouville club (located on Beverly Blvd near Fairfax). These venues attracted renowned tenor saxophonists such as Don Byas, Ben Webster, and Illinois Jacquet, who often joined in friendly competition with Lester Young. During the summer of that year, the band had the honor of accompanying Billie Holiday, the great “Lady Day,” during her engagement at the Trouville club. “Billie Holiday was my favorite singer. Apart from my wife, she was the most wonderful woman I have ever known. I met her in 1942, when she left the East to come find Lester and sing with us. It lasted a year, and not once did we argue. She was a fantastic woman and singer,” Jimmy said later.

In September 1942, Rowles joined the Benny Goodman orchestra, and four months later, he transitioned to Woody Herman’s orchestra, where he remained until enlisting in the army in June 1943. During his service, he played piano and arranged for various army bands, including one led by Sgt. Skinnay Ennis.

After his discharge from the army in March 1946, Rowles rejoined Herman’s orchestra. He settled in Los Angeles and continued working with Herman until the band disbanded in early 1947. That year, he  articipated in a recording session with the Hollywood Hucksters, an all-star interracial ensemble assembled by Capitol Records. The session produced tracks like Happy Blues and Them There Eyes, featuring a vocal “duet” by Benny Goodman and Stan Kenton, along with instrumental contributions from Red Callender, Irving Ashby, Dave Cavanaugh, Benny Carter, Charlie Shavers, Joe Koch, Jimmy Rowles, Lee Young, and Red Norvo. An exemplary showcase of Jimmy’s sparkling piano styling during that period can be found in his solo on Lazy River, featured on one of the tracks from Benny Goodman’s 1947 Capitol album “Benny Rides Again.”

In 1948, he joined Jerry Gray’s orchestra, which was prominently featured until 1952 on the popular Bob Crosby “Club 15” music show, a CBS weeknight radio broadcast that marked the Andrews Sisters’ longest-running radio engagement. Additionally, in 1949, Rowles devoted nearly the entire year to performing with Georgie Auld’s orchestra. During this time, he also participated in the ensemble accompanying Billie Holiday at a Gene Norman “Just Jazz” concert.

From 1951, Jimmy entered a period of depression which prevented him from playing as he wanted. The fact that he had recently been busy playing commercial music with Jerry Gray, didn’t give him time to develop his style, which created some insecurity about his abilities. Additionally, there was a personal factor that worsened his mood. ‘For about ten years, I drank a lot,’ he confessed. ‘This year I stopped suddenly. It was difficult. After these years of drinking, I saw the world with different eyes. I had become shy, I was afraid to play because I thought I had become incapable of playing and accompanying well. It took me a long time to regain my self-confidence. To no longer doubt.’”

In 1953, after several months away from the jazz scene, things began to improve when Rowles assumed the role of pianist for the glamorous Peggy Lee, contributing to the creation of the renowned album “Black Coffee.” Years later, reflecting on Lee’s musical prowess, Jimmy remarked, “Peggy Lee is a musician. You can do anything behind her, it doesn’t bother her: she always knows where she is. She sings with a lot of emotion and soul, with wonderful phrasing and a remarkable sense of tempo.” Amid the successful reception of “Black Coffee,” Jimmy also showcased his talents with Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson’s bands, and embarked on a tour alongside jazz icon Charlie Parker and emerging trumpet sensation Chet Baker.

Despite being a veteran of swing bands, Rowles maintained a thoroughly modern approach to the music. He seamlessly integrated the best elements of his musical background, including his wonderfully rhythmic left hand, his extensive knowledge of classic tunes, and mastery of the blues, into his contemporary style.

From 1953 until the early 1960s, Jimmy Rowles was one of the most sought-after pianists in the Los Angeles recording studios. He collaborated with virtually all of the city’s top jazz musicians, an impressive list including Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Bob Gordon, Stan Getz, Bud Shank, Bob Brookmeyer, Harry Babasin, Barney Kessel, Buddy Rich, Jimmy Giuffre, Buddy DeFranco, Harry Edison, Johnny Mandel, Ray Brown, Bill Perkins, Lee Konitz, Red Norvo, Herbie Mann, Benny Carter, Pepper Adams, Charlie Mariano, Bill Holman, the Candoli Brothers, Sonny Stitt, Marty Paich, Ben Webster, Billy May, Henry Mancini, Pete Rugolo, and many others.

Rowles also earned acclaim as an accompanist for singers. Throughout the 1950s, he frequently played and recorded with Billie Holiday and between 1958 and 1960, he worked as a musical director on three excellent Julie London albums for Liberty Records.

In late 1956, Rowles performed with Ella Fitzgerald at the Mocambo nightclub in Hollywood. Subsequently, he participated in several recording sessions with Fitzgerald during the 1960s, eventually becoming her accompanist in 1981, succeeding Paul Smith and continuing in that role for nearly three years.

In addition, since the mid-1950s, Jimmy’s presence in recording studios, contributing to singers’ sessions, became integral to his daily work. Consequently, his name appears credited in albums featuring a diverse range of singers across various styles, showcasing both female and male voices. These include renowned artists such as Hoagy Carmichael, Bobby Troup, Kitty White, Linda Lawson, Matt Dennis, Peggy Connelly, Mel Tormé, David Allen, Mark Murphy, Cathi Hayes, Anita O’Day, Jimmy Witherspoon, Jo Stafford, Harry Belafonte, Rosemary Clooney, Sammy Davis Jr., Peggy Lee, June Christy, Billy Eckstine, Frankie Randall, Joe Williams, Kay Starr, Carol Sloane, along with many other sessions involving uncredited personnel.

He also collaborated with Sarah Vaughan in the 1970s and accompanied Carmen McRae on her 1972 live album “The Great American Songbook,” earning praise from McRae as “the guy every singer in her right mind would like to work with.”

In 1982, Rowles appeared on Fitzgerald’s final collaboration with Nelson Riddle, “The Best Is Yet to Come.” His song “Baby, Don’t You Quit Now,” co-written with Johnny Mercer, was recorded on his final album, “All That Jazz,” released in 1989.

In 1983, Rowles mentored Diana Krall in Los Angeles, aiding her in refining her piano performing skills and urging her to integrate singing into her repertoire. Additionally, in 1994, Rowles collaborated with jazz singer Jeri Brown on “A Timeless Place,” her solo album comprising solely her original compositions. Notable in his capacity as a composer is the exquisite song “The Peacocks,” recorded with Stan Getz on the eponymous album in 1975, which emerged as his most covered composition.

Throughout his extensive recording career, he also recorded numerous albums under his own name, beginning with his debut album, “Rare—But Well Done.” Originally produced in December 1954 as part of the “Jazz in Hollywood” series on Harry Babasin’s Nocturne label, the album remained unissued due to the label folding a few months later. However, it was eventually released a year and a half later by Liberty Records under the mentioned title.

Reviewing the album in Down Beat magazine, Nat Hentoff awarded it four stars and praised it as “one of the most satisfying piano recitals in many months. Jimmy Rowles is tastefully supported by Red Mitchell and Art Mardigan in a sensitively selected program. Rowles is invigoratingly functional. He generally eschews superfluous decoration, particularly on the wonderfully relaxed easy jumpers that are his particular forte. And he really digs in rhythmically on those jumpers with a light richness that few besides Basie are able to accomplish. He also can be lyrically fresh on ballads, and he swings no matter what he does.”

There are also several excellent Red Mitchell solos. First rate John Neal engineering, and good notes by Miss Fran Kelly, the only pretty jazz critic in the field. Highly recommended.”

Jimmy Rowles, who died in Burbank, CA, on May 26, 1996, was undeniably one of the great piano jazz improvisers. His was a style immediately identifiable among the few. Rowles had cultivated a phrasing flexibility akin to that of a horn player, seemingly bending notes on the piano with ease. His sense of time and solo construction were remarkable, and moreover, he possessed the ability to intensely communicate every human emotion through music.

—Jordi Pujol (From the inside liner notes of FSRCD 1149)