Phineas Newborn Jr (born December 14, 1931 in Whiteville, Tennessee-died May 26, 1989 in Memphis, Tennessee) was an American jazz pianist, whose principal influences were Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson and Bud Powell. Newborn came from a musical family and first played in a R&B band led by his father (Phineas Snr), a drummer and with Tuff Green. He stidied piano as well as trumpet, tenor and baritone sax or horn. His earliest recordings were with acclaimed blues harmonicist Big Walter Horton.
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Phineas Newborn Jr (born December 14, 1931 in Whiteville, Tennessee-died May 26, 1989 in Memphis, Tennessee) was an American jazz pianist, whose principal influences were Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson and Bud Powell. Newborn came from a musical family and first played in a R&B band led by his father (Phineas Snr), a drummer and with Tuff Green. He stidied piano as well as trumpet, tenor and baritone sax or horn. His earliest recordings were with acclaimed blues harmonicist Big Walter Horton. He played the piano in the Lionel Hampton band during the early 50's.From 1956 he began to perform in New York City, making his first album as a leader in that year. He created enough interest internationally to work as a single in Stockholm in 1958 and in Rome the following year.Subsequently moving to Los Angeles around 1960, he recorded a sequence of piano trio albums for the Contemporary label. However, some critics found his playing style rather facile, and Newborn developed emotional problems as a result, necessitating his admission to the Camarillo State Mental Hospital for some periods. He also suffered a hand injury which hindered his playing. In later years his career was somewhat intermittent, but he did make a comeback in the 1970s. Today many of his records, such as The Great Jazz Piano of Phineas Newborn, Jr, are regarded as classics, and Newborn's technique and style receive comparisons to the greatest of jazz pianists.
