Overshadowed throughout his life by his friends
Bud Powell and
Thelonious Monk,
Elmo Hope was a talented pianist and composer whose life was cut short by drugs. His first important gig was with Joe Morris' R&B band (1948-1951). He recorded in New York as a leader (starting in 1953) and with
Sonny Rollins,
Lou Donaldson,
Clifford Brown, and
Jackie McLean, but the loss of his cabaret card (due to his drug use) made it very difficult for him to make a living in New York. After touring with
Chet Baker in 1957,
Hope relocated to Los Angeles. He performed with
Lionel Hampton in 1959, recorded with
Harold Land and
Curtis Counce, and returned to New York in 1961. A short prison sentence did little to help his drug problem and, although he sounds fine on his trio performances of 1966, he died a little over a year later.
Elmo Hope's sessions as a leader were cut for Blue Note, Prestige, Pacific Jazz, Hi Fi Jazz, Riverside, Celebrity, Beacon, and Audio Fidelity; his last albums were initially released on Inner City.
Hope was also a fine composer, although none of his songs became standards. ~ Scott Yanow