Chris Anderson (piano)
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Chris Anderson (born February 26, 1926 in Chicago - died February 4, 2008 in Manhattan, NYC) is a jazz pianist who might be best known as an influence on Herbie Hancock.
Self-taught, he began in Chicago clubs in the mid-1940s and played with Von Freeman and Charlie Parker, among others. Hired as Sarah Vaughan's accompanist, he lasted six weeks with the cantankerous singer; fired in New York, he stayed there. In 1960 he had what might be his best regarded album in which he with bassist Bill Lee and drummer Art Taylor. His student Herbie Hancock praised him highly saying that, "After hearing him play just once, I begged him to let me study with him."[1]
Despite the respect of his peers, Anderson had difficulty finding work or popular acclaim due in large to his disabilities. He is blind and his bones are unusually fragile causing numerous fractures. This at times compromised his ability to perform at the times or places requested. That stated his most recent CD was in 2002 when he was well into his 70s.
[edit] External links
- All Music
- New York Times
- New York Times Obituary
- Jazz Times Obituary
- "Herbie Hancock, Chris Anderson and the Chicago School of Modern Jazz Piano" at Jazz.com.
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