March 10, 1997

Tommy Flanagan Bebops Biddlemerry (Make That Middlebury)

Tommy Flanagan, the premier living exponent of bebop

piano, accompanied by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis

Nash, will play some jazz for Middlebury audiences on Friday,

March 21, at 8 p.m. in the Concert Hall at Middlebury College’s

Center for the Arts.

Long-time accompanist of the late Ella Fitzgerald,

and for many years a lyrical, swinging pianist with his own group,

Flanagan has been described as “a national treasure,”

“a genius,” “the finest lyric pianist around,”

and “the greatest bebop pianist living.”

Growing up in Detroit, Flanagan made his professional

debut in 1945 at age 15, joining forces with Milt Jackson, Thad

Jones, Elvin Jones and Kenny Burrell, playing clubs like the Bluebird,

Detroit’s renowned jazz room. Flanagan hit New York in 1956, playing

a sub job at Birdland for Bud Powell whom he calls a major influence

on his own early development, along with Art Tatum and Nat Cole.

Flanagan’s talents were so apparent that he soon was tapped for

recording dates with jazz icons like Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane,

Charles Mingus and Miles Davis.

In 1957, Flanagan made his first trio album, “Tommy

Flanagan Overseas,” with Elvin Jones and Wilbur Little, which

has been reissued many times and is now a collectors’ item. He

made more than 100 recordings from 1956 through 1968, many of

which have become essential to any serious jazz record library.

From 1968 to 1978, Flanagan toured extensively with

Ella Fitzgerald. During that time his recently reissued trio album,

“Montreux 77,” was recorded. It was with Ella Fitzgerald

that he earned his stripes as jazz’s supreme accompanist.

In 1978, Flanagan formed his own trio and has subsequently

performed almost exclusively in that format. His recording career

as a soloist or leading his trio has since flowered with 15 universally

admired albums.

Tommy Flanagan’s lyrical style, at once tough, tender,

and bouncing with jaunty humor, expresses a beautifully polished

and melodic side of bebop. It swings.

Tickets for the Concert Series performance at $9

general admissions. For ticket information, call 802-443-6433.