Johnny Hartman sings Lush Life

[greggakkerman]

I thought I'd add my bit of knowledge to what I learned about this video after speaking with his widow and the pianist. It was taped in April 1983 and he had not yet been diagnosed with cancer but was definitely experiencing some problems. He had to cancel a May gig in England and was diagnosed after that. This is probably his final performance anywhere. It's fitting that it was "Lush Life."

[jazzykattee]

Thanks for the post. I have been looking forever for a live vid. of my favorite all-time crooner. I have been collecting all of his music since I heard him for the first time on the 'Bridges of Madison County' soundtrack. It saddens me that he didn't get the recognition he deserved. Billy Eckstine was my fav. till I heard Johnny! He's timeless.

[Gxyz222]

One word:CLASSIC!

[MyWillie44]

Billy Strayhorn was a genius as far as jazz is concerned and to be able to compose such a beautiful song at an early age makes him best of the best! I love singing this song just to put one over other singers on a piano bar!

[mooseydeucy]

Bravo. I feel him so much...Life has such tribulation, we are thankful to have song.

[idreamofdevo]

chills

[fastborzoi]

a beautiful coda of this song to the Hartman Meets Coltrane album

[garys1100]

johnny owns this tune

[MultiGargiulo]

I like him better than Eckstine, Prysock and Williams. He is the only one who doesn't exaggerate with vibrato.

[DB1815]

His voice, amazing, very relaxing, smooth, the perfect voice for this ballad.

[Sonolumino8939]

The voice that is!

[grwatanabe]

heavyweight ....thanks johnny... i needed that

love and joy to johnny

[PrincessUnicorn69]

This song is really helping me with some heartbreak

[endofsomething]

LOVE Johnny Hartman!!! LEGEND!

[jetherocardoso]

Masterpiece, master singer.

[stevevandien]

This was recorded shortly after Harman was diagnosed with lung cancer, early in 1983. The malignancy progressed apace, and Johnny died on Sept. 15, 1983. So Hartman here is a sick and even dying man. Yet he still sings superbly:) --

[renaccio]

Now THAT"S the way to sing this song!

wow.

Thanks .

[blokeinblue]

my favourite jazz singer, ever.

[SPARTAN1]

Life changing song sung by one of the best singers I've ever heard in my life.

[EMCEMITCH]

I SAW him at a club in fort lauderdale called bubbas---was only about 5 or 6 people there--i felt bad for this genius baritone to be embarassed by that gig--it was about a year or two before this appearance on tv

[KenJWC]

Actually he probably was taking oxygen in the back. Clubs have much smoke. I know... How long after this did he die? Many musicians and singers suffer from lung damage from performing for decades in the Clubs. I am one. This is a very very tough song to do. Hear some of his earlier works. He sounds ill to me.

[rudbudlu14]

ymmijraw: I clicked on your username to reply to your comment. Now I understand why you made that comment. What the H.... was that. There is no way you can understand a singer on Johnny Hartman's level.

[ymmijraw]

@rudbudlu14 What is there to understand. Do you have some magical insight as to what makes a good or bad singer. I did say It was my opinion,didnt I. Just out of curiousity, what so special about him? Do you sing? I am as qualified to criticize as you are to praise.

[rudbudlu14]

ymmijraw, if you read macflyfilm's comment below he states that Johnny died of lung cancer the year that segment was filmed. Listen to his early recordings and tell me what you think. I do respect your opinion. I feel that there may be a generation gap(s) here when it comes to music.

[ymmijraw]

There may not be as much of a generation gap as you might think. I,m 43 and think myself pretty worldly musically but I reluctantly admit that this was the first time I had heard or heard "of " this man. I took your advice and listened to earlier stuff and I guess I jumped the gun a little with my harsh comments but I still feel he is a little "stiff ". Much more Bing Crosby than Nat King Cole. Thanks for opening my ears to him.

[RootsinBrooklyn]

What makes JH so special? A variety of articulations; clear but unmannered annunciation/diction; gorgeous tone; artful use of controlled vibrato; an expressive conversational intimacy and respect for both melody and lyrics; an accurate sense of pitch,;beautiful tone; the ability to listen/respond to his accompaniment; the maturity not to oversing.You say his range is limited. He's a baritone. He demonstrates ample range when he gets low at 2:12. He wisely chose songs that fit his range well.

[stevevandien]

I believe JH was a bass-baritone, perhaps even a bass. His voice is richest in the low and middle ranges. And he rarely if ever sustains notes above D (just past middle C) in full voice. Compare, for example, Billy Eckstine's top tones. I'm NOT denigrating JH. He was a GREAT singer who understood his vocal resources and matched them with his performances VERY effectively. Regarding "He wisely chose songs that fit his range well;" I'd say "keys" instead of "songs":) --

[RootsinBrooklyn]

Good response. I'll go with what you've said. (JH's reading of "Lush Life", both here and on the record with John Coltrane gives me goose flesh.)

By the way, have you checked out the youtube vid of Phineas Newborn playing this tune? Whew!

[zenbooter]

@RootsinBrooklyn Hello, I liked your comment, all those posted as well. Yours laid it out with sympathy and sense.

[RootsinBrooklyn]

@zenbooter Hi backatcha. Thanks. I hadn't thought of this for a while. (I just reread my post...made me wish I had proofread it first, but...oh well.) Think I'll go dig out my Johnny Hartman LPs, and give a listen.

[zenbooter]

@RootsinBrooklyn Hi man. just got bit in the ass,with a way too long message,,denial. Soared right on by my alotted 481. I was responding to your 3mo. ago post, dug it most, but it would'nt make me mad if I was at a party with everyone in here. It's like,,,"how could you not love Johnny Hartman?" love to all,Tommy.

[rudbudlu14]

He's on the very top of the list for one of the greatest voices of our time.

[ymmijraw]

@rudbudlu14 If you dont mind my saying,I think you are giving him too much credit. He speaks a third of the lyrics and has very little range. He sounds like my Dad doing kareoke. Just my opinion

[foggy4180]

Thank you JGC 255 very much for sharing this piece of video with us.

Johnny Hartman in my opinion is the greatest jazz singer we've ever had.

Although I have his albums for many years now I never expected to see this nice Strayhorn song sung by him here on youtube!

His voice and unique interpretation of jazz will never be forgotten.

[ahsax]

no one sings this tune better than him

[LorenzoNW]

Perhaps, but Bettye LaVette's version is at least as good.

[local2458]

This is as close as most of us will ever get to meeting Mr. Hartman. Thank you!

[endofsomething]

"Made it with Coltrane, put it on the album...it turned out pretty good" - Slight understatement there, Johnny. It turned out AWESOME!

[princeminski47]

@endofsomething Somebody in ESQUIRE called it the greatest album ever made.

[MusicalFeelings]

A wonderful performer sadly overlooked at the time, but through postings like yours his voice will remain with us, his fans. Thank you!!

[newktrane]

Thank you so much for posting this video of the great Mr. Hartman. With the exception of one Joseph Williams, all of the great baritone jazz/pop singers like JH, Arthur Prysock, & Earl Coleman, Lou Rawls-were deeply influenced by Mr. 'B'.-Billy Eckstine, Billy Strayhorn's stated personal favorite version of his magnum opus "Lush Life" was recorded by his fellow Steel City homeboy -Mr. B.-on his great live 1960 album:"No Cover, No Minimum". I wonder if JH ever heard B's version? Both versions A+

[1meaka1]

omg..i love it!!

[devil4dancer]

i really like his voice. thank you

[princeminski47]

Jesus Christ. If my voice was shot like this I'd be pretty stoked. Even Frank couldn't manage the changes on this one. Thanks so much for posting this...

[macflyfilm]

His voice is shot cause he dies from lung cancer the very year he performed this. He was taken from us far too young, was 60 years young. Great singer.

[Ivoryshoulder]

wow!

[jazzylinn]

what a treat...I never seen him perform live...thank you for this post!!!

[ChristianXO]

who? xD

[princeandrey]

No, indeed; he doesn't butcher it! His voice is shot, but his interpretation is peerless. He was very sick, obviously, but still conveys depth and deep musicality. For is really beautiful interpretation--when he's in top voice--listen to the Coltrane-Hartman recording!

[HendrixcommaMartin]

Wow, he butchers it.

[HURMSANFORD]

wow, you're a clueless weener

go listen to crosstown traffic

[ptcruuzer]

For me, the only thing more incredible than hearing Hartman sing this is the knowledge that Billy Strayhorn was only 16 when he wrote it.

[mharbaugh]

Its a tragedy - lung cancer claimed his life not long after this was recorded. We only had him for a short 60 years, but he made the most of it. I know I'll remember him as the greatest ballad singer who ever lived.

[qz3bmz]

Wow!!! Johnny Hartman and Billy Strayhorn. These 2 and

this performance are so representative of a fantastic era in

American history and jazz. It's a wonderful tribute to Billy and

Johnny and all of us that respect and admire what they did. Thanks so much for posting

[taildragger51]

This song was almost tailor made for Hartman. Nobody sings it like him. He's always been my favourite crooner of all time. This song conjures up images of pure Bohemian melancholy.

[Rhinestonecollard1]

don't you just love how those old crooners just seem to barely open their mouths and unleash all that smooth, velvety sound? he looks like he didn't have to put forth any more effort to sing this beautiful song than he would have to speak. amazing!

[phase901]

I don't know much about Johnny Hartman but the performance and also the Strayhorn composition are musical genius plain and simple!! Just not writtn like this anymore

[rmcfam01]

it is a super sample of both Hartman and Strayhorn....track down the Hartman-Coltrane recording and be blown away!

[Soulnik]

Beautiful ♫♫♫♫♫

[TLAGT]

The bass player played so well. I'd like to buy him a new roll of masking tape to re-cover the bridge of his glasses with a fresh layer.

[elvadot]

do you know the actual date or least month this was recorded? because 1983 was the year he died, and i was kind of shocked to see that he was still performing.

thanks for posting!!

[JGC255]

I recorded it in 1983, sometime after May, because that's when I bought my first, top loading, VCR. Knowing cable TV shows of that time period, it was probably a re-broadcast. I suspect it originally aired sometime in the previous 6 months.

[drongovids]

you're a god for recording it

[greggakkerman]

@elvadot

According to a conversation I had with the pianist Tony Monte, it was probably recorded in May 1983. It was broadcast a few times including July 8 and July 14 of 1984. I'm working on Hartman's biography so I've got a lot of data like this.

[shop4sue]

@elvadot He did it with John Coltrane in 1964

[freakylittlegnome]

Mr. Hartman you make my heart SING!!!!!!!! love the ending. "of those who's lives are lonely too" good stuff man.

[artpjazzman]

the one reason johnnie never made it big was a singer by the name of billy ekstine it was rare for a black singer to make it big in those days in 1948 billy was a band leader

[elvadot]

you say this as if hartman has no merit on his own as an artist.... i hope it's just the result of poor diction or phrasing.

[Steeltowner]

probably THE most underrated voice ever...pure genius! John Hartman, eres un gran maestro!

[bte0079]

A timeless treasure by this great atist

[JimmieBluffdweller]

Hartman made this song. Strayhorn protected this song and was distraught when Nat Cole recorded it. It has an unusual structure in that it has no bridge, just the verse and the chorus. Hartman and Coletrane captured it primarily because of the correst phrasing and Hartman's correct accents honoring the lyric.

[jazzmusic1937]

hey no one can put sinatra down he sang baritone tenor hartman sang strictly bass good stuff his piano player was amazeing sinatra would have been impressed i think

[kerzinho]

Bing Crosby, too..whykatera81, but interesting comparison..

[whykatera81]

sinatras whole style was based on this man! Am i wrong??

[pilonwenttolive]

Yes. Sinatra was eight years older than Hartman, and Hartman cited Sinatra as one of his primary influences (see Hartman's biography on Rhapsody). That isn't to say that Hartman isn't fantastic. I actually prefer his voice to Sinatra's (and it's clear from this video that Hartman's voice aged MUCH better than Sinatra's did, he had it his whole life). And it's not that Sinatra wasn't influenced by all the singers around him. But Sinatra came first (though only just).

[mrmusichead]

in this song i hear a sadness and longing for a something that the composer was looking for ----such sadness--brilliant-----ive been there at one time or another maybe you other listeners have also

[jazzmusic1937]

unusual one hears abass jazz vocolist i heard hartman and the same piano player the did a tune i cant remember which but in talking to the piano guy he said he used in one progression the tragic flaw and went on to show where and d how clint eastwood used hartmans stuff in his movie bridges of madison county aww such good stuff

[fruitydickhole]

This is an awesome video. I learned in one of my classes that strayhorn wrote this when he was like 17.

[JGC255]

I think you're right. I seem to remember hearing that story also. I think it was one of his first compositions. How's that for your first song!?!

[nycbassist]

@JGC255 That's correct. He finished it by the time he was 17.  Even more amazing to think about at the time, is that this was now the early 1930's, so when you think of this song in a harmonic context.. it's staggering.

[8papillons]

This is his song, even without Coltrane. He stands alone as a master.

[jacktojack69]

Hey, thanks so much for this. Beautiful. Such a hard song to really learn as a singer.

[gennaro1980]

yeah the timing to sing this must be very difficult.

[Lorenzo1950]

It doesn't get much better than this. Bless you Mr. Hartman.

[musesearch]

Johnny Hartman... What a voice... Unsung great talent...

[POWS13]

the version with trane makes this version look bad

[hremdldw]

Johnny Hartman my favorite ballad singer with a more mature voice than when he sang with Coltrane.The bass player was Lisle Atkinson thank you JGC255,but who is the piano player?Wonderful cords,the piano player was so good I wanted him too solo. I hope someone knows who he is.

[WaltTrombone]

@hremdldw Tony Monte

[lessaiao]

So rare videos of JH. Made my day. More, please! More! Thanks a lot.

[victorcager]

Thanks Man,

You actually added this on my birthday....I always add this selection in every show!!!

[sistalinda]

The standard bearer singeth. Dare I attach my meager attempt.

Ah.

What the hey,,,

[JGC255]

Very, very nice, Linda. I also checked out your other videos. Great repertoire. Call me when you do your CD. I'm available on guitar.

[keepthemusicplaying0]

Brilliant posting, Stephan!! How nice to see him in the flesh. Thanks for this gem, G* :-)

[JGC255]

OK, I'll bite. Who's Stephen?

[keepthemusicplaying0]

Sorry Joe, I keep doing this!! StephanAOTTO1 sent it to me and I thought he'd posted it (blush). Duh!!! My apologies! Anyway, great posting as both Stephan and I are inveterate fans of J.H.!!! And I thank you!

[JGC255]

A Johnny Hartman fan can always be forgiven :-)

[omegabonedotcom]

what can i say? the master has spoken. ty stephan!

[glennmach]

Thanks for the share StephanAOTTO1.I really enjoyed Johnny Hartman singing Lush Life.I like to sing this song..well to myself!: )..5 Stars ☆☆☆☆☆..Marc Jones Pop/Jazz Vocalist..Los Angeles...U.S.A.

[Indigo1045]

This is superb! Actually, any song he was connected with was with the same. Seeing Mr. H reminds me of a beautiful poem from high school, "To an Athlete Dying Young," by A.E. Housman. Johnny Hartman was without equal. Thank you for posting!

[ejworthy]

Life is hard and does take it's toll if you let it get to you..Bless that bass player....

There are not many vids of JH around, so thanks for this...

-Emile

[JGC255]

The bass player is the great Lisle Atkinson, who is on many of my favorite recordings.

[ejworthy]

Holy Moely...Thanks so much...Is there more?

-Emile

[ivyedie]

Thank you for posting this! The Hartman/Coltrane CD is one of my absolute favorites!

[StephanAOTTO1]

THANK YOU to the 20th power for sharing this clip with me, E!!!