Earl Hines documentary 1975

A 1975 documentary on the great Blues pianist Earl Hines, one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano.
The film was made at the Blues Alley nightclub in Washington DC for Britain's ITV television channel. The International Herald Tribune called it "The greatest jazz film ever made".
In the film, Hines said, "The way I like to play is that ... I'm an explorer, if I might use that expression, I'm looking for something all the time ... almost like I'm trying to talk."

[@KINGMOJO4]

I had the pleasure of meeting Earl Fatha Hines when I was a teenager, at the time I just happened to be the youngest bass player of the Jazz legend Grant Green's band, and he introduced me to him, we became great friends

[@absinthedude]

Even in his later years, Earl Fatha Hines had more talent in one finger than the majority of today's popular musicians have in their entire bodies.

[@luxien7681]

Jazz is the very music of resilience, the blood,sweat and tears of the "underdogs". Earl is the king of the "payano".

[@athruzathruz]

It took the dam brits to make a documentary on this amazing talent. Because american film makers are too busy trying to find the next elvis, bullshit! Thanks Brits for this gem.

[@judefernandez827]

athruzathruz excuse me it’s Elvis with a capital E thank you .

[@athruzathruz]

@@judefernandez827 funny guy!!!!

[@judefernandez827]

athruzathruz the Brits were the original dam busters .

[@wayneconn1079]

We knew Earl was the man and we love jazz . So sad to think America seemed to forget Earl and all the other greats . But if it wasnt for America we wouldnt have progressed musically including Elvis . Earl is the man and will always be to me . Just a lovely soul and great player . Thank you America for jazz . Boogie woogie and RocknRoll . I have loads of Earl records and signed items . So so sad he is gone . I would have loved to have talked to him. The man the music. Even Art Tatum was a fan of his

[@imkitsoularas]

@@wayneconn1079 Not only Earl hines is forgoteen this day but also Erroll Garner. We are speaking about two gems many nowadays musician havent even heard of.

[@meredith218461]

What a docu gem!. The sheer ease and invention of the Hines piano style is totally captivating. He achieved a brilliant sense of swing/stride by using the sustaining pedal sparingly. Also rather like Tatum his keyboard articulation was crystal clear and precise. A true jazz giant.

[@SELMER1947]

The most original and creative pianist who ever lived

[@MrTolesi]

I think so too - and we're not alone. Count Basie also thought so - see the Hines Wiki article.

[@MrTolesi]

Checking, I see I've slightly misquoted Wiki. Wiki's Hines article says, "Count Basie said that Hines was "the greatest piano player in the world".

[@MichaelGordonPenn]

Splendid❤

[@MatthewDLDavidson]

Thank you for posting this incredible document. Earl Hines was not just a great jazz pianist, his style changed at the same time as trends in jazz playing changed. And he was at the forefront of every historical change in jazz playing. He was also phenomenally well educated and intelligent. And had a great sense of humour. What an incredible person.

[@queenbeecanadas]

One of the most influential musicians - what an great documentary 🖤🐝💛

[@argotero6545]

For me Earl Hines plays the piano like jumping from chords until the end is dancing all over the song, he can be sad but always positive. A great inspiration.. thanks so much for this video ❤

[@twagenknecht]

I can't watch this without weeping that such a great player is now gone. Thanks Earl for what you left behind. Blessings to where ever you are.

[@steveminshew6906]

The last 10 minutes showing Fatha playing his friends Louis and Duke's theme songs is incredibly touching...my favorite part of the film.

[@MrTolesi]

I too find the last 10 minutes "incredibly touching", filmed in that single-spotlight master-stroke, with Hines sliding together the two great theme-songs in that way that only he could ever do. And then Hines' final sigh at the end, oh God. So yes, "incredibly touching" for me too, along with the (wonderful!) Frank-the-pot-boy when he says, "... and show-time, yea ...". It's just the way he says it. And I'd finally say, "... my favourite part of an UTTERLY GREAT film".

[@LongwingSeagull]

So nice watched it thrice!

[@MrTolesi]

That's not plenty - I've watched it twenty! (I'm serious - or maybe more!) Hines was just so utterly GREAT wasn't he? And just a GREAT film too.

[@UncleCaptainMidnight]

At the time of the taping, he was 72. 50 years from the Jazz Age. Amazing.

[@MrSalsa1973]

I know man...And he would played those chords fast and precise like a 25 year old...Amazing!!

[@rhythmfield]

He is fir amazing. Especially when you consider his very high position of importance in the music. He’s one of the greatest of all time, then and now.

[@nigelcreasy6046]

Absolutely amazing, what a pianist, improviser.... to be privileged enough to have heard him play- wow. But at least this very personal documentary gives you the atmosphere around the man.. Love the pot boy!

[@MrTolesi]

..and LOVE Hines' music, especially the extraordinary way it builds and builds through this film - absolute MAGIC!

[@agamemnonpadar5706]

Saw this concert in 1979: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHbbnWdvbZJpq8U Aren't we lucky?

[@warrendoris9669]

Thank you for posting this. This man was there from the beginning of jazz,and then was influencial in the later innovations that led to modern jazz piano..Now i know the virtuoso piano bench is way deep. With Fats waller, jellyroll,James p,Duke ,Count Basie ,willie the lion ,but this guy is still a giant among giants. Rest in eternal Power Fatha.

[@MrTolesi]

The very greatest of all - I just love the way Hines' music slowly just builds and builds through the film - utterly miraculous.

[@rsjmd]

I've ignored EFH for some 60 years for some dang reason, just my own idiosyncrasies about what I like or not, just never heard his music until this video. Thanks...he was special.

[@rsjmd]

And, just to be sure my son doesn't overlook such an important performer, I'll email this to him :)

[@charlienairn783]

@@rsjmd That'll be the test rsjmd!

[@craigmclanachan1663]

A great documentary!

[@robertgreenwood2252]

Wonderful and very moving, too.

[@MrTolesi]

I'd say UTTERLY wonderful and UTTERLY moving too ...

[@cortducaine5225]

Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, Jacques Loussier - Make your heart glad in this crazy world !

[@Jack-fs2im]

what a gem .thanx for uploading

[@talstory]

extraordinary

[@gettingitright100]

As The International Herald Tribune says, "The greatest jazz film ever made". Well who can think of a bettor one? Just amazing. And just lovely.

[@MrTolesi]

I can't - just lovely is right

[@talstory]

I really love The Last of The Blue Devils, I'm not saying it's better. Just saying. This is amazing.

[@MrTolesi]

@@talstory I do too talstory. So I've just looked at The Blue Devils again - at the GREAT Jay McShann especially. But for what it's worth I agree with the Herald Trib, partly because the Hines film seems to understand music & jazz so amazingly but most especially because Hines himself is surely extraordinary beyond belief - and in this film is given the time and the detailed care to REALLY show just how extraordinary?

[@Tojazzer]

Wonderful. Hearing a lot of Waller in here... also roots from Joplin. Thanks for the upload.

[@anonymous203020]

Popular music has gone to sh*t. What incredible artists these guys were

[@Rickriquinho]

Jazz is not popular music, it is art.

[@user-ec5vx3uf6r]

Yeeeeesssssto the real shithouse

[@novelliification]

Earl Hines, um de meus prediletos! Ele é único, tem aquele toque mágico e harmonioso!

[@ezramacarena3406]

Absolutely amazing! Thank u so very much for this. 🌟🏆🌟

[@sydneypiano]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Elwrt455]

Earl Hines was highly influential to a young Art Tatum who used to study his recordings

[@MrTolesi]

Stanley Dance's biog. says, "According to the pianist Teddy Wilson and the saxophonist Eddie Barefield, "Art Tatum's favorite jazz piano player was Earl Hines. He [Tatum] used to buy all of Earl's records and would improvise on them. He'd play the record but he'd improvise over what Earl was doing ... course, when you heard Art play you didn't hear nothing of anybody but Art. But he got his ideas from Earl's style of playing - but Earl never knew that".

[@vincentg150]

I love it when he kinda "mumbled" while playing and you could hear him in the mic. He had such a strong personal touch!

[@LongwingSeagull]

Bud Powell would do that too. Fatha must have passed that trait on.

[@rachelstarritt481]

Hahahahaha me too!!!😂❤️

[@goedeck1]

Its like you can hear him thinking.

[@michavandam]

33:59 You don't get any cooler than this. 39:48 And look at that - adjusting his glasses while continuing to play (not that he needs them to watch the keyboard). 44:24 It's hard to believe in eight years he'd be gone too.

[@MrTolesi]

They got to him just in time. I'd say the playing is absolutely GREAT Hines and miraculously builds and gets better and better throughout the film - but not the very, VERY, greatest Hines - listen to some of his beyond-magic solo recordings from 5>10 years earlier. But an absolutely GREAT film none-the-less. Hines was always Mr Cool - I liked when he told his bandsmen that even if they had holes in the soles of their shoes no one would know, " ... just shine the tops".

[@user-ll5ik3fm6f]

He came to my house this day...😮 I was so little and I remember it. I just never thought it was any footage from that far back😊

[@TheLemon333]

Thanks for this.

[@TerranceNgassa]

❤

[@martinsaltzman5003]

I love Weather Bird. I saw and heard Earl Hines with Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge at the Village Vanguard in the 1960s, I think, and the evening was spectacular. There's a recording of that event if you want to hear what I heard., I'll try to locate this documentary for my collection.

[@voriskinlaw9775]

I Was Just Born In June 75..& When I Got TO HIGH SCHOOL;I Studied This Man Etc{& Still Currently Open 4 More Study}!!!

[@thomastimlin1724]

He was on of a kind, and one of thr last of his kind. No one's making music like this anymore, sad. Except maybe Tuba Skinny, look them up.

[@MrTolesi]

Hines was the greatest who ever lived, I think. But meanwhile there's always Dr K & Terry Miles at St Pancras Station in London, England, doing MUCH more than very well to keep the piano alive:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJ3OoIWsZaqsjrM

[@GlennHardy]

WOW! Thank you for posting this! I had no idea it even existed. I saw Earl Hines on a double bill with Eubie Blake in Berkeley CA I think it was 1977. Great to watch this documentary.

[@sydneypiano]

Cheers. A great muso and a great doco too.

[@db0130]

Glenn Hardy I saw that Eubie Blake/Earl Hines double bill at Zellerbach in Berkeley too! I think it was 1974. Will never forget that concert.

[@GlennHardy]

db0130 Wow! Amazing...over 40 years ago. I went backstage afterwards and had both of them autograph my program. Which I then proceeded to lose. They were both drinking Dairy Queen milkshakes...unless there was something else in those tall cups.

[@jiolo3404]

db0130 b

[@jeremydavidson9194]

This like having an actual video interview with George Washington :)

[@sydneypiano]

some sources for this doco: (from Wikipedia) Video: Earl "Fatha" Hines. One-hour TV documentary, produced and directed by Charlie Nairn. Filmed at Blues Alley jazz club in Washington, D.C. for UK ATV Television in 1975. Original 16mm film, plus out-takes of additional tunes, archived in British Film Institute Library at BFI.org. Also at ITVStudios.com. DVD copies available from the University of California-Berkeley's Jean Gray Hargrove Music Library (which holds The Earl Hines Collection/Archive). Also at University of Chicago's Hogan Jazz Archive, Tulane University and at the Louis Armstrong House Museum Libraries.

[@MrTolesi]

Yellowtorana - thanks SO MUCH for uploading this WONDERFUL film but, just to be pernickety, why call Hines 'the great Blues pianist'? Surely 'the great Jazz pianist' would be more accurate tho' Hines of course said in Stanley Dance's book how much he admired the Blues pianists?

[@RoryVanucchi]

Treasure I saw Fatha Hines around 1980

[@kennyhighborn942]

Weird thing is my name is Kenneth Earl Hines. He and Dorothy Asbey are my favorites.

[@vova47]

It's always Japanese or Europeans that make these documentaries, rarely American TV Networks. Think of wealth of material they could have made in States while the Jazz Giants were at the peak of their power! As it is we almost no Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, Bud Powell, Don Byas, Clifford Brown, Fats Navarro just to name a few.

[@sydneypiano]

Introduction to this video by Scott Yanow at jazzonthetube.com/video/1975-documentary/ "ONE OF THE FINEST JAZZ DOCUMENTARIES LETS ONE SPEND AN HOUR WITH ONE OF JAZZ’S GREATEST PIANISTS While Earl Hines (1903-83) developed a strikingly original and adventurous piano style by 1928, he was still an inventive player over a half-century later. One of the first jazz pianists to break up time with his left-hand (rather than always stating the beat), Hines was a master at playing octaves with his right-hand (which allowed him to be heard over a big band) while his left sometimes took time-defying flights before landing back on the beat. Whether recording with Louis Armstrong in the 1920s, leading a top-notch big band in the 1930s, playing Dixieland in the 1950s, or making a comeback during his final 20 years when he was often heard playing stunning solo concerts, Earl Hines was one of the giants of jazz. It is only right that he was the subject of one of the best documentaries which was filmed in 1975 at Washington D.C.’s Blues Alley. Hines, who was turning 72 (not 70 as it says in the film), spends an informal afternoon talking about his career, playing solo piano, and occasionally singing, all of it in good humor; his expressions and smile while he listened to some of his recordings of the 1920s are particularly memorable. Along the way Hines performs such numbers as “Save It Pretty Mama,” his recent original “They Didn’t Believe I Could Do It,” “Memories Of You,” “Stanley’s Dance,” “Say It Isn’t So,” and a medley of “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South” and “Mood Indigo.” This is certainly a great way to spend an hour. -Scott Yanow"

[@MrTolesi]

I'd say, "One of the very, VERY, finest jazz documentaries lets one spend an hour with one of Jazz's very, VERY, greatest pianists". I think so!

[@moforibalait]

We all own a lot of Earl Fatha Hines

[@ivory1202]

天才

[@MrTolesi]

= genius ...... Yes Indeed!

[@federicoboccacci]

Dir: Charlie Nairn

[@MrTolesi]

Well done him! It's absolutely great.

[@eternalrainbow-cj3iu]

If you listen Carefully you hear whete Oscar Peterson got some inspiration from listen his Cjam blues live at the ending the accwmt tripleta in the LH against the rythn

[@MrTolesi]

And yet I don't THINK Peterson ever acknowledged his so-obvious debt to Hines - unlike Art Tatum who did. I've always wondered why not?

[@denvertaylor9195]

That dude from Philly just wasted a whole 15 minutes of this documentary🙄.

[@redinhodaflauta1269]

Thank you so much for this valuable upload: It' TREASURE, nothing less! I'd love to know the names of the bassist and drummer who appear at the very end... Anybody? (Maybe someone from Washington will know them - they sound very swinging... but that's not Steve Novosel on bass). Thank you again!

[@MrTolesi]

The great Harley White & Eddie Graham (different to the English Ed Graham!)

[@redinhodaflauta1269]

@@MrTolesi Thank you ever so much!

[@chrisSkordPiano]

whats the name of his composition that he play in the beggining of the interview?

[@MrTolesi]

Each number is subtitled Christos

[@chrisSkordPiano]

@@MrTolesi it doesn't show me the subs

[@MrTolesi]

@@chrisSkordPiano How odd. It clearly says "Save it Pretty Mama" from 2:02>2:11. Similarly near the beginning of every other number Hines (so wonderfully!) plays. I wonder how these tune-titles can not show up for you?

[@chrisSkordPiano]

@@MrTolesi I am looking for the name of the tune he plays at 8:00

[@MrTolesi]

@@chrisSkordPiano Ah! "So can I", the 8th track on "Hines Plays Hines", Australian Sessions (inc "Waltzing Matilda"!) on Swaggie 1972 (still available). I assume they didn't subtitle this tune for the film because Hines himself introduces it in the film, singing his own words. I've always found it v moving 'cos I assume it's autobiographical, with Hines' singing & playing about his own quite-astonishing come-back in his 60s after his long wilderness years. Hines was HUGELY successful very young and in his 20s became "the most broadcast band in America", along with recording all those classics inc with Louis Armstrong. Then years in the wilderness ... and then from 1964 on, triumph after triumph. Wiki is good on all this. And moving ... or what?!!

[@doobeedoo2]

They didn't believe I could it neither did I -- is that song published on it own?

[@doobeedoo2]

8;20 mark

[@stephenwatson2964]

What is with the bizarre video stabilization that keeps happening? So many of these shots are difficult to watch cause the background is moving and tilting all over the place.

[@MrTolesi]

I wonder what this 'bizarre video stabilization' is? I only look at KZbin via my MacBook laptop and this wonderful film (shot pre-video by the famous Oscar-winning film cameraman Chris Menges all those years ago) is FAULTLESSLY perfectly and spectacularly beautifully shot in very difficult low-light conditions. But others have commented below (eg William Anderson 3 years ago now) on some KZbin video correction/stabilization on their devices, to the point of it even being "vomit-inducing". What is therefore happening? How can we get KZbin to stop this - assuming it's them? The utterly-great Earl 'Fatha' Hines so-so-SO doesn't deserve it!

[@stephenwatson2964]

@@MrTolesi for example if you go to 3:10 and watch the shot of his hands while he's playing, you'll notice the piano looks like it is wobbling around all over the place, and it sometimes seems like his hands are staying in the centre. I don't KZbin did this, I suspect this was done by the person who uploaded it (maybe the footage was a bit deteriorated).

[@stephenwatson2964]

@@MrTolesi By the way, image stabilization had not been invented when this was first filmed, so not dissing the filmmaker. I'd love to watch an original copy of this doco.

[@MrTolesi]

@@stephenwatson2964 Mmmmm ... I do wonder if you're right Stephen? I've now v. carefully looked at the footage you talk about from 3.10 on a good 10 times on my large screen. And I THINK what you see as 'video stabilization' is in fact the immensely skilled Chris Menges, hand-held and in almost no light and so with almost no depth-of-field, achieving quite miraculous one-handed focus-pulls (presumably on a super-16mm Arri or Aaton) while himself moving his camera immensely quickly to keep Hines' flashing hands close-up in, as you say, "the centre". So I think, "of course the white (diagonal) line of the piano keys therefore jumps about as Chris Menges moves so very fast" - it surely has to to achieve that still "centre". So I'd say what we should all be is in absolute awe of Chris Menges' skills! I'm almost sure I'm right ... but I don't 100% promise!

[@stephenwatson2964]

@@MrTolesi Interesting idea. Have a look at the shot at 20:25 as well - the bricks are wobbling around, and I don't think it could just be the camera movement. I'm pretty sure this is some weird algorithm going on - there are similar effects when people film videos on newer smartphones. These stabilization algorithms keep the stuff in the centre looking very stable, at the expense of stuff around the edges jiggling around.

[@kennethhodges3187]

Is there any means of getting a copy of this on DVD?

[@sydneypiano]

Wikipedia info on this doco: "DVD copies available from the University of California-Berkeley's Jean Gray Hargrove Music Library (which holds The Earl Hines Collection/Archive). Also at University of Chicago's Hogan Jazz Archive, Tulane University and at the Louis Armstrong House Museum Libraries." Also see jazzonfilm.com/documentaries

[@kennethhodges3187]

Thanks for your reply, I have just tried to page up the website you gave me but all I got was 'Not found on this server' but I will continue to pursue all other avenues!

[@MrTolesi]

@@kennethhodges3187 Where are you Kenneth? If I click on the Vimeo video link above it's there in all its lovely glory - I think my very fav. jazz docu.

[@absentmindstate]

7:53 4 THA HEART

[@moforibalait]

When he fools around mood indigo...

[@macvoutie]

Earl's talking about the early days with Louis and the idiot interupts with the coffee. Ugh ! And they kept it in the film like everyone needs to know how the janitor pronounces "piano".

[@MrTolesi]

And they surely kept it in the film because the whole Earl & Frank-the-'janitor' thing makes Earl so warm and human, especially when set against such MAGICAL music. And of course a lot of info comes out via Frank. So I'd say the "janitor" is a film-making master-stroke.

[@arrowfitzgibbon7775]

it's so classic, i wondered if they hired some guy to part the role of barkeep. if so, he did it well. that was some good riffing between the two.

[@nigelcreasy6046]

One of the special features of the documentary is the atmosphere around the man, the pot boy contributes in bucket loads to the music of the moment.

[@LongwingSeagull]

I found it entertaining and enlightening to see that in 1975 many Americans were still lacking in regional geography knowledge. At the same time we learn about the differences in speech between people from the same state spontaneously.

[@benjamincarlenglish]

Yeesh, cool it with the image stabilizer. My brain's a-wobbling.

[@williamanderson9557]

The image stabilization makes me feel like I'm going to vomit. Probably should've just left it as is. Great otherwise. Hines was a genius

[@MrTolesi]

"Image stabilisation" William? I see no "Image stabilisation" - and it's all superbly shot by the famous Chris Menges. But I agree that Hines was an utter genius as this film so wonderfully shows. I love the way the music just builds and builds throughout the film. Real magic.

[@williamanderson9557]

@@MrTolesi Lol, do some more video editing dude ;) see how the frame moves along with his hands at certain points, rather than the frame remaining stationary in relation to his hands? This is a result of a stabilization algorithm attempting to find the constant element in a series of video frames

[@MrTolesi]

i know nothing about the technicalities William. All I do know is that this Hines docu was shot by the multi-award winning [inc. 2 Best-Cinematography Academy Awards] Chris Menges 45 years ago and of course, on 16mm film [I imagine on a 16mm Aaton by then or just- possibly an Arriflex BL] a whole generation before video. Chris M's incredibly-skilled focus-pulls in what must have been VERY low light seem remarkable to me - and beautiful. Whatever, in the finished film Hines remains UTTER MAGIC in both my view and, I think, in yours, doesn't he?

[@sydneypiano]

Sorry about the vomit, but glad I'm not in the room. Without the KZbin stabilisation its like a go-cart on a rocky road. Six of one, half dozen of other.

[@leocomerford]

15:33 Bah, like everyone else they have to showcase "Weather Bird" but not the *real* Hines bombshell, "Fireworks". Too much to expect otherwise I suppose.

[@MrTolesi]

Both "Fireworks" tracks are good, "Angry" is better. But if I had to have one Hines tune on my Desert Island it would be, "The Midnight Sun will Never Set" - everything that was just so GREAT about Hines

[@leocomerford]

Given the context of the video I was only considering his 1928 track with Armstrong, though.

[@gordonstevens6050]

heard one jazz piano, heard them all. runs and trills Trills and runs

[@MrTolesi]

I'd say go back to your Morris Traveller, Gordon Stevens!!

[@gordonstevens6050]

@@MrTolesi If I hadn't sold it to you, I would

[@joshuacummings3178]

Pie anist!? Im from Philadelphia *no youre not if you say pie anio* Fuck 😂😂😂😂