Harold Mabern

An American jazz pianist and composer, principally in the hard bop, post-bop, and soul jazz fields (1936 – 2019). Born in Memphis, Tennessee. He is described in The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings as „one of the great post-bop pianists”.
He initially started learning drums before switching to learning piano. In 1954 he moved to Chicago, intending to attend the American Conservatory of Music. He was unable to afford to attend music college because of a change in his parents’ financial circumstances, but had private lessons there for six months and developed his reading ability by playing with trombonist Morris Ellis’ big band. He also developed by listening to Ahmad Jamal and others in clubs and „playing and practicing 12 hours a day” for the next five years. Next in 1959 he moved to New York.
During his long career he played with the greatest: Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Lee Morgan or Ron carter. He recorder almost 30 records as leader/co-leader and much more as sideman. Active on stage until the last year of his life.

– Wikipedia