Jazz: Vocalese Cease, Jon Hendricks Dies At 96

Lyricist and singer, and one of the inventors of vocalese, Jon Hendricks,died in a New York City hospital Wednesday (Nov. 22). He was 96.

His daughter Aria Hendricks confirmed his death to the New York Times.

Hendricks, born John Carl Hendricks -- the Times explains he dropped the “h” from his first name when he became a performer -- on Sept. 16, 1921 in Newark, Ohio, was a pioneer in popular jazz. He was known for skillfully bringing lyrics to instrumental improvisations that augmented the songs' titles and added to their narratives. The practice is called vocalese, conceived by singer Eddie Jefferson but expanded upon by Hendricks with his jazz group.  .

Hendricks with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross with the Count Basie Orchestra doing "Avenue C."

The son of preacher, he was one of fifteen children in the family.

He began singing in public at 7 and by 10 was already a celebrity in Toledo where the family settled.

As a teenager, he and Art Tatum performed on Toledo radio together.

At a stop in Toledo, Charlie Parker heard him and encouraged him to come to New York.

The rest, which included forming Lambert, Hendricks and Ross in 1957, as they say is history.

Hendricks also created Evolution of the Blues, a stage show that ran for give years in San Francisco, and has served as a jazz teacher and critic.

Later in his career, he performed alongside his wife, Judith, with the vocal quartet Jon Hendricks and Company. His children also joined in on performances, as did singer Bobby McFerrin. Hendricks and McFerrin went on to win a Grammy for the song "Another Night in Tunisia" in 1986; Hendricks was credited for writing the lyrics.

In 1997, he was in a touring ensemble that performed Wynton Marsalis’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Blood on the Fields.

Hendricks is survived by daughters Aria and Michele, son Jon Jr., three grandchildren and a niece. Wife Judith passed in 2015.