A singular African-American jazz pianist whose peripatetic life and flamboyant personality made him a hero to fellow musicians, James Booker was born December 17, 1939 in the musically rich city of New Orleans, Louisiana. He learned the piano early and played for his Baptist minister father’s congregations. He developed classical chops, and his personal style, an amalgamation of blues, Latin, gospel and other genres, helped land him his first recording contract before he was 16-years-old. He had his first chart success with the 1960 single “Gonzo”, a number 3 R&B hit. His outsized personality, and his remarkable talent, made him well known in jazz circles, but his taste for hard drugs played a part in keeping him from gaining greater acclaim, as did his homosexuality and his skin color. He gigged regularly and was an in demand session player, lending his talents to such stars as Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, and Ringo Starr. The career momentum he had dissipated when he was incarcerated in 1967 on drug charges, but he would avoid additional prison time after agreeing to give piano lessons to the son of the then New Orleans district attorney, Harry Connick Sr. He became a member of Dr. John’s band in the seventies, and played for a while in The Jerry Garcia Band. In 1976 he released his most celebrated album, Junco Partner, a testament to the eclecticism of his influences and his eccentric personality. His fortunes turned during a visit to Europe where audiences were far more open to his flamboyant stage presence. He recorded a number of albums there, including 1977’s award winning New Orleans Piano Wizard: Live!, before returning to the United States where he became a fixture playing at a New Orleans bar. He still recorded on occasion, but his drug issues and his hard lifestyle took its toll. Booker passed away on November 8, 1983.
