Hank Jacobs

More poppy R&B instrumental with Hank Jacobs on the Sue label from the 60's. Sorry about the scratchy condition of this single.

Way Back Attack site says -

"Unlike many musicians, studio keyboard player Henry "Hank" Jacobs didn't emerge from the womb with a passion to play. He was 17 when he first ran his fingers over a keyboard. In the early-'60s he hooked up with songwriter/arranger Kent Harris and together they made the rounds, working studio sessions in the south, in addition to New York, Los Angeles and other cities. They collaborated on Hank's first instrumental single "Stingray," released on Imperial in 1962.

Jacobs and Harris hooked up with Sue Records owner Juggy Murray in the Big Apple soon after, and the result was "So Far Away," a minor chart single on Sue in January 1964. This instrumental has an atypical sound, as Hank first played piano on the track, then overdubbed it with organ, with the drummer leaning mostly on the cymbals, accentuating the subtle keyboard work. The result is soft yet powerful...after many listens, I've found the song occasionally morphs into something a bit different from what I thought I'd heard before...and back again the next time. Accidental genius? Maybe. At the least, a very cool record. The flip is "Monkey Hips and Rice," less innovative but with more of a party jam feel. Jacobs and Harris co-wrote and arranged both sides.

After "So Far Away," Hank Jacobs continued his session work and can be heard at the piano on a number of well-known mid-'60s records, including soulful sides like "I'm So Thankful" by The Ikettes and Bettye Swann's chart-topping 1967 R&B hit "Make Me Yours."


Hank Jacobs - Monkey Hips and Rice

Hank Jacobs - So Far Away