Thomas Lee Flanagan (March 16, 1930 – November 16, 2001) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He grew up in Detroit, initially influenced by such pianists as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, and Nat King Cole, and then by bebop musicians. Within months of moving to New York in 1956, he had recorded with Miles Davis and on Sonny Rollins' album Saxophone Colossus. Recordings under various leaders, including Giant Steps of John Coltrane, continued well into 1962, when he became the full-time accompanist to Ella Fitzgerald. He worked with Fitzgerald for three years until 1965, and then in 1968 returned to be her pianist and musical director, this time for a decade.
After leaving Fitzgerald in 1978, Flanagan attracted praise for the elegance of his playing, which was principally in trio settings when under his own leadership. In his 45-year recording career, he recorded more than three dozen albums under his own name and more than 200 as a sideman. By the time of his death, he was one of the most widely admired jazz pianists and had influenced both his contemporaries and later generations of players.
Early life Flanagan was born in Conant Gardens, Detroit, Michigan, on March 16, 1930. He was the youngest of six children – five boys and a girl. His parents were both originally from Georgia. His father, Johnson Sr.,Cohassey, John (1996) "Tommy Flanagan". In Contemporary Musicians. Volume 16. pp. 106–109. Reproduced at encyclopedia.com. Retrieved August 20, 2013. was a postman, and his mother, Ida Mae, worked in the garment industry.Fordham, John (November 20, 2001) "Tommy Flanagan". The Guardian.
At the age of six, Flanagan's parents gave him a clarinet for Christmas. He learned to read music from playing the clarinet, but within a few years he preferred the piano. The family had a piano in the house, and Flanagan received lessons from one of his brothers, Johnson,WKCR broadcast (November 20, 1994) Transcribed at Panken, Ted (March 16, 2013) "For Tommy Flanagan's 83rd Birthday Anniversary, a 1994 Interview on WKCR". Transcript of WKCR radio interview. Retrieved August 6, 2013. and Gladys Wade Dillard, who also taught Kirk Lightsey and Barry Harris.Feather, Leonard and Gitler, Ira (1999) The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press. Retrieved August 6, 2013. Flanagan graduated from Northern High School, which he attended with other future musicians, including saxophonist Sonny Red.Berger, Edward; Martin, Henry; Morgenstern, Dan (eds.) (2007) Annual Review of Jazz Studies. Volume 13. pp. 62–63. Scarecrow Press.
Flanagan's early influences included Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, both of whom he heard on the radio and playing in the Detroit area, as well as Nat King Cole and local pianists Earl Van Riper and Willie Anderson. These, however, played in an earlier style, and the young Flanagan and his friends were more interested in the newer bebop, including that played by pianist Bud Powell, who had a strong effect on Flanagan's musical thinking and improvising.
Later life and career 1945–1955 – Around Detroit Flanagan's first concert was around 1945, with trombonist Frank Rosolino. Given Flanagan was only around 15 years old at the time, he could not stay in the bar area of the club between sets, so he went to another room and did some homework. As a teenager, he played in a band led by Lucky Thompson that also contained Pepper Adams and Kenny Burrell. Still in his teens, Flanagan also sat in on piano for some appearances by Charlie Parker in Detroit.Franckling, Ken (June 24, 1989) "Tommy Flanagan: The Poet of Jazz Piano" New Pittsburgh Courier. p. 2. During 1949, Flanagan had his first residence, at the Blue Bird Inn in Detroit. In 1950, he played with Rudy Rutherford, until the clarinetist returned to the Count Basie band. Flanagan then played jazz and rhythm and blues with saxophonist George Benson in Toledo, Ohio, before being drafted into the army in 1951.
After basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Flanagan auditioned as a pianist for an army show. He gained the role, which prevented him from being sent to the Korean War at that time; approximately a year later, however, he was sent to Kunsan, with the war ongoing. There, he worked as a motion-picture projectionist. After two years' service he was discharged and returned to Detroit, where he soon became pianist at the Blue Bird again. He again worked with Burrell, as well as Donald Byrd and Yusef Lateef, among others.
1956–early 1978 – After move to New York Flanagan moved to New York in 1956.Ratliff, Ben (November 19, 2001) "Tommy Flanagan, Elegant Jazz Pianist, Is Dead at 71". The New York Times. He was unsure of how long he would stay, having been persuaded to go by Burrell; the two men initially stayed with Burrell's aunt in Harlem. Flanagan soon found work in clubs and studios, including recording Detroit – New York Junction with Thad Jones in March. Later that month, he returned to recording, this time with Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, for tracks released on Collectors' Items. Rollins was leader for another session three months later: Saxophone Colossus, which was labeled an "undisputed masterpiece" by The Penguin Guide to Jazz.
Flanagan also first accompanied Ella Fitzgerald in 1956, for around a month, including at the Newport Jazz Festival. Later that year, he joined trombonist J. J. Johnson, with whom he recorded several albums in 1957 and then toured Europe. While in Sweden, Flanagan, with bassist Wilbur Little and drummer Elvin Jones, recorded his first album as leader, Overseas."Tommy Flanagan: Poet of Piano". (July 16, 2008) npr radio. Late in 1957, he was part of Miles Davis' band for a short period, before returning to Johnson early the following year, for another stay of 10 months.Dobbins, Bill and Kernfeld, Barry "Flanagan, Tommy". In The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2nd ed.). Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved August 7, 2013. (Subscription required.) A period leading his own trio in 1958 was followed by working with trombonist Tyree Glenn.
Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, Flanagan made frequent appearances in recording studios, for many leaders and record labels. In May 1959, he was part of a groundbreaking recording: John Coltrane's Giant Steps, described by The Penguin Guide to Jazz as the saxophonist's "first genuinely iconic record". The technical complexity of the music, particularly of the title track, meant that there were numerous false starts and rejected takes, and the initially released take of "Giant Steps" is a rare instance on record of Flanagan sounding uncertain. Another appearance on a landmark recording came in January of the following year: Flanagan was a member of the quartet that made The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery; his playing complemented that of the guitarist, using controlled force on bebop numbers and delicacy on a ballad track.Nastos, Michael G. "Wes Montgomery: The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery". AllMusic. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
Flanagan was with trumpeter Harry Edison in 1959–60, and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins in 1961–62, including a UK tour. In this period, Flanagan recorded albums with several leaders from an earlier era, including Lionel Hampton, Jo Jones, and Pee Wee Russell, as well as one with Edison and around 10 with Hawkins. Flanagan then played with guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Percy Heath as a trio in New York.
In 1962, Flanagan was asked by jazz impresario Norman Granz to become Ella Fitzgerald's full-time accompanist. Flanagan was looking for steadier work than was available with Hawkins, so he accepted. He worked with Fitzgerald from 1962 to 1965. They toured internationally, including to Japan in 1964.New York Amsterdam News. p. 12. (January 18, 1964) He also played with other bands when not required by the vocalist; these included a brief reunion with Rollins in 1965.Strongin, Theodore (June 18, 1965) "Jazz Series Begins in Museum's Garden" The New York Times. p. 29. Later the same year, Flanagan left Fitzgerald and was part of Art Farmer's short-lived New York Jazz Sextet, which recorded Group Therapy.Dryden, Ken "Art Farmer: Art Farmer's New York Jazz Sextet". AllMusic. Retrieved August 8, 2013.Walker, Jesse H. (February 12, 1966) "Theatricals" New York Amsterdam News. p. 18. Flanagan then became accompanist to Tony Bennett for part of 1966,Feather, Leonard (January 26, 1992) "Stop and Bop with Tommy Flanagan". Los Angeles Times. and lived on the West Coast.
Flanagan returned to working with Fitzgerald in 1968. In addition to being her pianist, mostly as part of a trio, he was her musical director. Her profile was high enough for the group to tour for 40–45 weeks a year, including at least one tour of Europe a year (29 cities on the continent in 1970, for example)."Ella Touring in Europe" (May 2, 1970) New Pittsburgh Courier. p. 27. During these concerts, Flanagan often played a set as part of his trio, without the singer.Duncan, Perdita (November 29, 1969) "Music in Review" New Pittsburgh Courier. p. 14.Desnselow, Robin (May 11, 1970) "Ella Fitzgerald at the Odeon, Hammersmith" The Guardian. p. 8. Beginning in 1974, he again began to perform and record as a leader: his 1975 trio release, The Tommy Flanagan Tokyo Recital, was his first as leader since 1960.Morgenstern, Dan (2004) Living with Jazz: A Reader. Pantheon Books. Prior to these performances, he had felt that his technique was inadequate for a soloist, but he enjoyed the extra exposure of being a leader, so decided to continue. Flanagan ended his role with Fitzgerald in 1978, after he had a heart attack and had become tired of extensive touring. After the heart attack, he stopped smoking, reduced the amount that he drank, and exercised by walking more than he had previously.
Late 1978–2001 – After Ella Fitzgerald Soon after leaving Fitzgerald, Flanagan played solo piano in New York.Wilson, John S. (November 24, 1978) "Jazz: Flanagan at Piano" The New York Times. p. C14. In 1979, he was a guest on the first series of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio programs.Jackson, Grant (March 25, 2011) "Marian McPartland on Piano Jazz, Part Two". NPR. He continued to work with other players, including as a trio with Tal Farlow and Red Mitchell in 1980.Wilson, John S. (July 2, 1981) "Film: Profile of a Guitarist" The New York Times. p. C17. For much of the 1980s, he led a trio that featured bassist George Mraz and various drummers. By around 1990, Flanagan was concentrating on his own appearances and recordings rather than sideman activities.Himes, Geoffrey (February 2012) "Gary Smulyan: Baritone Believer" Down Beat. p. 46. In the early 1990s, Mraz was replaced by Peter Washington, whose heavier bass lines added urgency to the trio's sound.Watrous, Peter (September 3, 1992) "Tommy Flanagan, Surprises at His Finger Tips" The New York Times. p. C19.