John Malachi
Encyclopedia
John Malachi was an American
jazz pianist born in Red Springs, North Carolina
, who was a member of the epochal Billy Eckstine
Bebop Orchestra in 1944-45 and again in 1947. He also worked with Illinois Jacquet
in 1948, Louis Jordan
in 1951, and a series of singers including Pearl Bailey
, Dinah Washington
, Sarah Vaughan
, Al Hibbler
, and Joe Williams
.
Malachi opted out of the traveling life of the touring jazz
musician in the 1960s, living roughly the last decade and a half of his life in Washington, D.C.
freelancing, playing with touring bands and artists when they stopped in Washington, and leading music workshops at clubs like Jimmy MacPhail's Gold Room and Bill Harris's Pig's Foot. Malachi's generosity towards younger musicians was legendary. One of the musicians he helped influence recalls that younger players referred to his workshops as "The University of John Malachi."
Malachi is credited with creating the nickname "Sassy" for Sarah Vaughan
, with whom he worked with the Eckstine
Orchestra and later directly with her. Malachi was fond of categorizing jazz pianists into "acrobats" and "poets," classifying himself among the latter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz pianist born in Red Springs, North Carolina
Red Springs, North Carolina
Red Springs is a town in Robeson and Hoke counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 3,493 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Red Springs is located at ....
, who was a member of the epochal Billy Eckstine
Billy Eckstine
William Clarence Eckstine was an American singer of ballads and a bandleader of the swing era. Eckstine's smooth baritone and distinctive vibrato broke down barriers throughout the 1940s, first as leader of the original bop big-band, then as the first romantic black male in popular...
Bebop Orchestra in 1944-45 and again in 1947. He also worked with Illinois Jacquet
Illinois Jacquet
Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on "Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo....
in 1948, Louis Jordan
Louis Jordan
Louis Thomas Jordan was a pioneering American jazz, blues and rhythm & blues musician, songwriter and bandleader who enjoyed his greatest popularity from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "The King of the Jukebox", Jordan was highly popular with both black and white audiences in the...
in 1951, and a series of singers including Pearl Bailey
Pearl Bailey
Pearl Mae Bailey was an American actress and singer. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman in 1946. She won a Tony Award for the title role in the all-black production of Hello, Dolly! in 1968...
, Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
, Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, Al Hibbler
Al Hibbler
Albert George "Al" Hibbler was an American baritone vocalist, who sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra before having several pop hits as a solo artist. Some of his singing is classified as rhythm and blues, but he is best classified as a bridge between R&B and traditional pop music...
, and Joe Williams
Joe Williams
Joe Williams may refer to:* Cyclone Joe Williams , Negro Leagues baseball pitcher, a.k.a. "Smokey Joe" Williams* Joe Williams , achieved prominence in the late 1950s* Big Joe Williams , delta blues singer...
.
Malachi opted out of the traveling life of the touring jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician in the 1960s, living roughly the last decade and a half of his life in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
freelancing, playing with touring bands and artists when they stopped in Washington, and leading music workshops at clubs like Jimmy MacPhail's Gold Room and Bill Harris's Pig's Foot. Malachi's generosity towards younger musicians was legendary. One of the musicians he helped influence recalls that younger players referred to his workshops as "The University of John Malachi."
Malachi is credited with creating the nickname "Sassy" for Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, with whom he worked with the Eckstine
Billy Eckstine
William Clarence Eckstine was an American singer of ballads and a bandleader of the swing era. Eckstine's smooth baritone and distinctive vibrato broke down barriers throughout the 1940s, first as leader of the original bop big-band, then as the first romantic black male in popular...
Orchestra and later directly with her. Malachi was fond of categorizing jazz pianists into "acrobats" and "poets," classifying himself among the latter.