Harold Jones
The Singer's Drummer
by
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TONY BENNETT: Harold Jones is one of the finest men I know. I have reviewed "The Singer's Drummer" and it is a Knock-Out! I am happy that someone is putting together a history of what really happens on the road. This is a very creative work. Best of luck with the book! COUNT BASIE: A great drummer can mean everything to a band. Harold Jones has really pulled us together. LOUIS BELLSON: Harold Jones was Count Basie's favorite drummer. BILL COSBY: Harold is a master of mind, hands, feet and touch. His playing is very delicate, like handling the very finest crystal and china and when he is done, there's no damage. NATALIE COLE: Harold is one of the best jazz drummers in the world. NANCY WILSON: When I speak of my "Gentlemen" I am referring to a select group of super-talented musicians with whom I have had the good fortune to work. Harold was a treasured member of my trio in the mid-70's, a class act both as a musician and a man. I commend him as one of my gentlemen. JON HENDRICKS: Harold always pulled the band back of us singers. Harold always swings and he is a beautiful, sensitive cat. GEORGE YOUNG: Playing with Harold is like taking a warm bath. All you have to do is lay back and enjoy the swinging feel of his playing. JOHN BADESSA: Harold won the Downbeat International Award as the "Best New Artist and Big Band Drummer" in 1972. He has not relinquished his title. He is still the best big band drummer in the world.
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About the Book
“The Singer’s Drummer” chronicles the music and times of Harold Jones, a world class musician whose career spans the last five decades of jazz and big band swing music. This book highlights Jones’ career as he evolved into the drummer of choice for some of our most popular vocal legends. But it is about much more than that. It also gives us an entertaining insight into life on the road and is filled with Harold’s insightful, sometimes humorous, anecdotes and musings about the famous sidemen, legendary jazz musicians and vocal headliners he has known; featuring more than 100 photos of his renowned friends. Read “The Singer’s Drummer” and learn why Paul Winter called Harold the “Michael Jordan of young jazz drummers in Chicago.” Read why Harold became acknowledged as “Count Basie’s favorite drummer.” And why Tony Bennett says “This book is a knockout! I am happy that someone is finally putting together a history of what really happens on the road!”
About the Author
About the Authors Joe Agro was born and raised in The Islands- Manhattan, Staten and Long - where he worked his way through school playing the saxophone around The City. Having studied engineering and business he worked day jobs for awhile and raised a family. In 1989, after not playing for nearly thirty years, he started playing music again. He moved to the Bay Area in 1994, and later retired from his business career. He now devotes most of his working time to music: playing saxophones; managing bands, including the Bossmen and the Starduster Orchestra; running jazz festivals and other entertainment events; writing articles for music publications; working for the Monterey Jazz Festival, as Music Director for Radio Sausalito; and, of late, contributing to this book along with his friends, Harold and Gil. Gil Jacobs, a devout jazz and swing music lover, was introduced to Harold Jones by his good friend, Joe Agro. After working a full complement of day jobs, mostly in the computer industry, over some fifty years, Gil saw the error of his ways and retired to enjoy life as he wanted to know it. He had previously authored several books on dice games and his writing finger, the same one he types with, was getting itchy so he was happy to have the opportunity to co-author the Singer’s Drummer. Getting to know Harold and hearing stories about his many famous and now legendary contemporaries was a real joy and a wonderful experience for him. Gil says, “Interviewing Harold was almost as much fun as watching him perform with Tony Bennett. Watching Harold play with the Bossmen ain’t chopped liver either!”