The pianist and composer, Elmo Hope (1923-1967) was one of the most gifted and original artists of the hard bop period. He was a close childhood friend of both Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk and frequently interacted with these giants in the 1940s when the bebop innovations were being formulated and refined. Early in his professional career he served apprenticeships in various R&B bands, not emerging as a jazz recording artist until 1953. During the period 1953-1966, he performed and/or recorded with a host of jazz greats including Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown, John Coltrane, Jackie McLean, Harold Land, Chet Baker, Frank Foster, Philly Joe Jones and served as leader on several outstanding sessions for the Blue Note, Prestige and Riverside labels. He was one of the few musicians to establish himself as an important figure of the hard bop school on both the East and West Coasts. Hope also left a substantial legacy of intriguing and memorable compositions and must be ranked highly among the many talented composers of his period including Benny Golson, Gigi Gryce, Charles Mingus, Horace Silver, Herbie Nichols, Kenny Dorham, Randy Weston and Hank Mobley.
Because of Hope’s premature demise at the age of only 43, his discography is not an extensive one. Nonetheless, it must be noted that several of the recordings on which he participated either as leader or sideman have been consistently available over the years through domestic and foreign reissue programs and are considered classics. Check out Derek Taylor’s online article, Saint Elmo’s Fire, analyzing the Hope reissues available through the Concord Music Group (formerly Fantasy Records) catalog. (Note as of July 2023: It appears that only one of Hope’s albums is still available through Concord.)
- See Dennis Harrison’s essay on Elmo Hope, The Legend of St Elmo.
- See Jazz Injustice: Genius In the Shadows by Robert Palmer, from 1987.
- Elmo Hope Wikipedia Page
- The music of Elmo Hope is being kept alive through an ensemble called ELMOllenium, led by his widow, pianist Bertha Hope.
- Lead sheets of over 20 of Hope’s compositions can be purchased from Jazz Lead Sheets.
- The Seattle-based trio New Stories has recorded an excellent CD of Hope’s music, Hope Is In the Air, issued on Origin Records (cat. no. 82434). The CD features guest appearances by Bertha Hope, alto saxophonist Bobby Porcelli, trumpeter Don Sickler, vocalist Roberta Gambarini and others.
- Elmo Hope: A Tribute To the Man and a Celebration of His Music took place on December 9 & 10, 2008 at The Jazz Standard. Four sets of Elmo Hope’s compositions were performed over two nights by an ensemble including Bertha Hope (piano), Don Sickler (trumpet & musical director), Grant Stewart (tenor saxophone), Jon Irabagon (alto saxophone), John Webber (bass) and either Kenny Washington (Dec. 9) or Willie Jones, III (Dec.10) on drums. Pianist Jonny King also performed on Dec. 9.
- See also Hope Lives: A Portrait of Elmo Hope by David Brent Johnson (January 10, 2016, November 4, 2021).
- On September 10, 2016, Lyman Place in the Bronx, where Hope grew up, was renamed Elmo Hope Way.
- ‘You have to take a breath’: Bertha Hope’s inspired internal conversation (State of the Blues, part 9) by Tom Cleary
- Drummer Philly Joe Jones Remembers Elmo and others.
- On May 4, 2023, the Bertha Hope 5 performed a Centennial Tribute to Elmo (born June 27, 1923) at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. The band was made up of Eddie Allen on trumpet, James Stewart on tenor saxophone, Kim Clarke on bass and Lucianna Padmore on drums. The ensemble performed several of Elmo’s compositions including “Eyes So Beautiful as Yours,” “De-Dah,” “So Nice,” “Bellarosa” (co-composed by Sonny Rollins), “Carving the Rock” (co-composed by Sonny Rollins), “Stars Over Marakesh,” “Something for Kenny,” “One Second, Please” and “Low Tide.” Bertha’s historical insights concerning Elmo and his tunes were very enlightening.
- June 27, 2023: 100th Birthday of Elmo Hope.
- On July 23, 2023, attorney, judge, jazz historian and WKCR on-air host Sidney Gribetz presented a five hour, in-depth profile of Elmo Hope’s career on the station’s Jazz Profiles show.
- NPR Celebration of Elmo Hope Centennial – Giving a jazz piano pioneer his due.
- The following was contributed by Sidney Gribetz to whom I am most grateful: On September 10, 2023, the Bronx Music Heritage Center presented a concert in honor of Elmo Hope’s Centennial. Bobby Sanabria’s quartet, with Peter Brainin on tenor sax, flute, and miscellaneous percussion, opened the affair. Sanabria, in his entertaining and educating style, punctuated the performance with pointed comments on Hope’s place in jazz history, insights into Latin, Afro-Cuban, Carribean and African rhythms, and the forgotten history of a once vibrant Bronx jazz scene. Good moments were Hope’s compositions “De Dah” and “Freffie.” The main event was a performance by Bertha Hope in honor of her late husband. Her quintet included Gene Kee (tenor sax), Eddie Allen (trumpet) Kim Clarke (bass) and Luciana Padmore (drums), and they played many Hope originals including, among others, “Carving The Rock,” “Something For Kenny,” “Bellarosa,” “Hot Sauce,” and “Low Tide.” A touching moment came when Elmo’s daughter Monica sang her own lyrics to the composition “Monique.”
Thanks to James Accardi, Vincent Bessieres, Erik Carette, Peter Grendysa, Sid Gribetz, Jim Harrod, Alex Hoffman, Dustin Mallory, Horst Moller, Fernando Ortiz de Urbina, the late Bob Porter, Lewis Porter, Vincent Pelote, Ken Poston, Eric Reed, Michel Ruppli, Dave Stalker, Alan Sukoenig, Elizabeth Surles, Michael Weil, Jack Woker and Steve Wolff for providing information on Hope’s recordings. And special thanks to Bertha and Monica Hope for their interest in and support for this project.
Please email me with any additions, corrections or comments.