Phineas Newborn Jr. is an anomaly of Jazz piano history: how can such a stellar, virtuoso and soulful pianist can be so little known outside of Jazz aficionado circles?

I have immense respect for virtuoso pianists. I have always been more of an “ear” player, and am still making baby steps in building and polishing my sound on the piano. The phenomenon of the virtuoso in Jazz is a relatively rare one: most Jazz musicians are stronger improvisers than they are purely technical performers in the way of European classical music. In my study of Jazz piano I often find myself led to Phineas to analyze his playing, piano arrangements and beautiful sound, and I find that he offers a widely different “package” than some of the pianists I often study, like Horace Silver or Thelonius Monk.

The enigma is poignantly revealed on the 1962 Jazz Scene USA broadcast, where the host, Oscar Brown Jr, reads the clever prompt: “When a Jazz musician has formidable technique, sometimes people assume that it must be acquired at the expense of a soul. Critics throughout the years have this about anyone from Art Tatum on down.” Whether Phineas has a formidable technique is of no debate. Does he have a soul? I argue that this tune is a good argument in favor of one.

I love this transcription because it’s short and sweet! I can’t do justice to most of Phineas’s transcription, but this one is just easy enough for me to pull off, and I do enjoy its simplicity, funky rhythm and gospel harmony.