Phineas Newborn, Jr. is from Memphis TN. Born in 1931 into a musical family, his talent as a pianist was recognized at an early age. In addition to being influenced by some of the greatest jazz pianists (Tatum, Powell, and Peterson) he had a strong dose of the classics also. He was brought to the attention of record producers by pianist and band leader Count Basie.
Phineas Newborn - Episode 1
His 1st important recording, Here is Phineas, was a revelation for pianists--his playing displays amazing technique, great bop language, and an exceptional harmonic understanding. Few living pianists could keep up with him. The Newborn recordings from this podcast are all from that album.
| Composition | Artist | Album | Year |
| Dahoud | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Here is Phineas | 1956 |
| Tiger Rag | Art Tatum | | |
| Something’s Coming | Oscar Peterson Trio | West Side Story | |
| Hallucinations | Bud Powell Trio | | |
| Celia | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Here is Phineas | 1956 |
| Afternoon in Paris | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Here is Phineas | 1956 |
| Newport Blues | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Here is Phineas | 1956 |
| The More I See You | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Here is Phineas | 1956 |
| I'm Beginning to See the Light | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Here is Phineas | 1956 |
Phineas Newborn - Episode 2
It was said that Newborn was such a great pianist that listeners often overlooked his sense of harmony and musicality because his technique could be so overpowering. He moved to the East Coast in the late 1950s and recorded a number of excellent albums with some outstanding rhythm sections. Phineas suffered from emotional difficulties throughout his career, which hindered his ability to record on a consistent basis. The recordings featured on this podcast are his best from these two memorable albums recorded in 1956 and 1961 respectively.
| Composition | Artist | Album | Year |
| Oleo | Phineas Newborn Jr. | A World Of Piano | 1956 |
| Overtime | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Phineas' Rainbow | 1956 |
| Lands End | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Phineas' Rainbow | 1956 |
| Tin Tin Deo | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Phineas' Rainbow | 1956 |
| Cheryl | Phineas Newborn Jr. | A World Of Piano | 1961 |
| Lush Life | Phineas Newborn Jr. | A World Of Piano | 1961 |
Phineas Newborn - Episode 3
The 1961 recording, A World of Piano, is one of Newborn’s best---and interesting because he uses two different rhythm sections: the bass and drummer combination used by Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley/Oscar Peterson. Here he is on equal footing with great musicians, but unlike some of his earlier recordings where he was clearly the strongest musician of the date. The 1969 recordings feature bassist Ray Brown and drummer Elvin Jones---- fantastic playing!!
| Composition | Artist | Album | Year |
| Daahoud | Phineas Newborn Jr. | A World Of Piano | 1961 |
| Oleo | Phineas Newborn Jr. | A World Of Piano | 1961 |
| Rough Ridin’ | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Please Send Me Someone | 1969 |
| Little Girl Blue | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Harlem Blues | 1969 |
| He’s a Real Gone Guy | Phineas Newborn Jr. | Please Send Me Someone | 1969 |