Jazz Pianist Jane Jarvis Dies

Many years ago I walked into a recording session at Clinton Studios and the guys were discussing the Mets game from the night before. Had I listened? No, but the umpires were fighting over some decision, and Jane Jarvis, the Mets’ organist at Shea Stadium, was playing Charlie Parker's bebop composition, Scrapple from the Apple. She was a jazz musician, and as a result most of the musicians were Mets fans. I became one too. 

 

Jane was also a founding member of the Statesmen of Jazz, made up of many over-65 jazz greats including Clark Terry, Benny Powell, Milt Hinton, Kenny Davern, Bucky Pizzarelli, Johnny Varro, Earl May and Jay Leonhart. They traveled the world—playing and giving clinics to young people at various schools. She was also part of the famous Lionel Hampton All Stars. Zinos, a favorite club, featured Jane’s group with Milt Hinton for many years. It was always a good hang. 

During the 1970’s, when a lot of jazz musicians were living in Europe and there were very few clubs open, Jane was a vice president of the Muzak Corporation. While there, she used all the local jazz musicians to record the equivalent of 300 albums a year. She kept everyone working, recorded the entire catalogs of tunes written by jazz musicians and also helped them set up publishing companies in their own names. We were grateful for the work, and thankful for the business information and help. 

 

At about 11 a.m. on Jan. 25, Jane passed away at the Actors Home in New Jersey. Her son, musician Brian Jarvis, was with her. She was 94 years old. I am only sorry that she never wrote her biography.  

A piano prodigy at age five, she was from Gary, Indiana. By age 10, she was a working musician, playing on radio and in department stores. At 13, both her parents were killed in a train-auto wreck. By 17, she had already studied music at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, the Bush Conservatory of Music, Loyola University Chicago and DePauw University. As a result, her repertoire was thousands of tunes.

Part native American, her stories were both funny and sad. She was an amazing musician—all packed into a five-foot frame. But as she played, she somehow became much taller. 

 

  Jane Jarvis with jazz trombonist Benny Powell

Comments

[Sue Terry]

Jane was not only a stellar pianist and musician, but also a kind and nurturing soul. I had the privilege of playing with her on a few occasions over the years, beginning with my sitting in with Jane, Milt Hinton and Oliver Jackson when I was only 22. The name of Jane Jarvis should be mentioned far more often when anyone speaks of Jazz piano playing.

[Ann Ruckert]

Dear Sue:
thank you for the kind remarks about Jane, she was one of a kind, and we stand on her shoulders, and Mary Lou Williams, the women who came before us. God bless them all. I hope I see you soon, I will let you know when the memorial is at saint Peters.
Ann

Ann Ruckert
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