Jimmy Rowles

Music career

Rowles was born in Spokane, Washington and attended Gonzaga College (now University) in Spokane. After moving to Los Angeles, he joined Lester Young's group in 1942. He also worked with Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Les Brown, Tommy Dorsey, Tony Bennett, and as a studio musician.

With female singers

Rowles was praised as an accompanist by female singers. He recorded Sarah Vaughan with the Jimmy Rowles Quintet with Sarah Vaughan and accompanied Carmen McRae on her 1972 live album The Great American Songbook. McRae described Rowles as "the guy every girl singer in her right mind would like to work with".

In the 1950s and 1960s, he frequently played behind Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee. In the 1980s he succeeded Paul Smith as Ella Fitzgerald's accompanist. He first performed with Fitzgerald at the Mocambo nightclub in Hollywood in late 1956. He appeared on several recording sessions with her in the 1960s before joining her for nearly three years in 1981. Rowles appeared on Fitzgerald's final collaboration with Nelson Riddle, The Best Is Yet to Come in 1982. His song "Baby, Don't You Quit Now", written with Johnny Mercer, was recorded on her final album All That Jazz, released in 1989.

In 1983, Rowles worked with Diana Krall in Los Angeles, shortly after she moved from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He developed her playing abilities and encouraged her to add singing to her repertoire. In 1994, he accompanied jazz singer Jeri Brown on A Timeless Place, the only album containing only his own compositions.

Compositions

Rowles's best known composition is "The Peacocks", which was recorded on the 1975 album of the same name with Stan Getz. Gary Foster recorded it on his albums Make Your Own Fun and Perfect Circularity. Norma Winstone covered the song with lyrics, accompanied by Rowles, on her album Well Kept Secret. Guitarist John McLaughlin recorded a version on his album The Promise. Esperanza Spalding covered the song on her album Junjo. Jazz pianist Bill Evans recorded a definitive version of "The Peacocks" on the posthumously released album You Must Believe in Spring (1981).

Rowles's piano work was featured prominently on the DePatie-Freleng Enterprises cartoon series The Ant and the Aardvark (1969–1971).

Rowles died of cardiac arrest in Burbank, California, at the age of 77. His daughter, Stacy (September 11, 1955 – October 30, 2009), was an accomplished jazz trumpeter, singer, and flugelhornist.

As leader/coleader

As sideman

With Pepper Adams

With Louis Bellson

With Bob Brookmeyer

With Hoagy Carmichael

With Benny Carter

With Nat King Cole

With Harry Edison

With Ella Fitzgerald

With Stan Getz

With Jimmy Giuffre

With Woody Herman

With Billie Holiday

With Barney Kessel

With Lee Konitz

With Julie London

With Herbie Mann

With Carmen McRae

With Gerry Mulligan

With Buddy Rich

With Nelson Riddle

With Pete Rugolo

With Bud Shank

With Zoot Sims

With Sonny Stitt

With Ben Webster

With Buster Williams

With Gerald Wilson

With Phil Woods and Lew Tabackin