OJ Jones

“Dad” OJ Jones , born Jonathan Jones (October 7th 1911 with Chicago - September 3rd 1985 New York), is a beater Afro-American. He had several nicknames: “The Man Hand” (Norman Granz), “the drummer which plays like the wind”, “Dad OJ” (Leïla Benac). It largely influenced the beaters of jazz by its swing.

It grew in Alabama. He studied the music during 12 years, and with started to play like Trompettiste and pianist. He began his career as tap dancer in the carnivals. Finally it joined the orchestra of Count Basie in 1934. It remains with Basie until in 1948 then continues in freelance. It took part in the first round of Jazz At the Philharmonic in 1947. It had its own training occasionally, and it recorded at the time of the swing with many high-speed motorboats of the time like Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Jimmy Rushing, Illinois Jacquet and Lester Young. king of the brushes and the first large soloist of the jazz as a beater (see its personal discography, especially the album " the hand man").

Anecdotes

OJ Jones sent a cymbal to the feet of the young person Charlie Parker at the time of a jam session. This last had not understood that it was time to leave the scene to leave its place has others… and OJ Jones did not find an other means only this one for rendering comprehensible to him!

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