Pat Flowers
Encyclopedia
Ivelee Patrick "Pat" Flowers (October 16, 1917, Detroit – October 6, 2000, Detroit) was an American jazz
pianist and singer.
Flowers started his professional career as the pianist during intermission
s at Uncle Tom's Cabin in Detroit when he was 18 years old. He moved to New York City
in 1939, where he played private engagements and hotel
lobbies; he worked in Philadelphia and then New York again, and recorded for the first time in 1941. After returning to Detroit, Flowers took up a residency at Baker's Keyboard Lounge
, where he played intermittently into the middle of the 1950s.
From 1943 to 1948 Flowers was based out of New York again, where he initially collaborated frequently with Fats Waller
at the Greenwich Village Inn. After Waller's death, Waller's manager Ed Kirkeby
drafted Flowers as a possible successor for Waller, booking him for extended residencies at the Ruban Bleu and Cafe Society as well as radio appearances and recordings. In 1945 he made three films, Scotch Boogie, Dixie Rhythm, and Coalmine Boogie.
Following his return to Detroit, Flowers became a mainstay of the local jazz scene. He had a residency at Farmington, Michigan
's Danish Inn from 1974 to 1983. He toured Europe with a Fats Waller tribute show in 1975. At the end of his life he worked at the Grosse Pointe Country Club in Detroit.
Flowers's early recordings were collected as I Ain't Got Nobody, released on Black & Blue Records
in 1972.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist and singer.
Flowers started his professional career as the pianist during intermission
Intermission
An intermission or interval is a recess between parts of a performance or production, such as for a theatrical play, opera, concert, or film screening....
s at Uncle Tom's Cabin in Detroit when he was 18 years old. He moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1939, where he played private engagements and hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
lobbies; he worked in Philadelphia and then New York again, and recorded for the first time in 1941. After returning to Detroit, Flowers took up a residency at Baker's Keyboard Lounge
Baker's Keyboard Lounge
Baker's Keyboard Lounge located on 20510 Livernois Street in Detroit, Michigan, claims to be the world's oldest operating jazz club, operating since May 1934.-Early History:...
, where he played intermittently into the middle of the 1950s.
From 1943 to 1948 Flowers was based out of New York again, where he initially collaborated frequently with Fats Waller
Fats Waller
Fats Waller , born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer...
at the Greenwich Village Inn. After Waller's death, Waller's manager Ed Kirkeby
Ed Kirkeby
Ed Kirkeby band leader, vocalist, manager, and salesman, is best remembered as the manager of Fats Waller. He was one of the first recording managers at Columbia Records to record jazz and organized the California Ramblers to record it. He used several pseudonyms for recording including Ted...
drafted Flowers as a possible successor for Waller, booking him for extended residencies at the Ruban Bleu and Cafe Society as well as radio appearances and recordings. In 1945 he made three films, Scotch Boogie, Dixie Rhythm, and Coalmine Boogie.
Following his return to Detroit, Flowers became a mainstay of the local jazz scene. He had a residency at Farmington, Michigan
Farmington, Michigan
Farmington is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,372. It is fully surrounded by Farmington Hills, except for a small portion bordered by Livonia to the...
's Danish Inn from 1974 to 1983. He toured Europe with a Fats Waller tribute show in 1975. At the end of his life he worked at the Grosse Pointe Country Club in Detroit.
Flowers's early recordings were collected as I Ain't Got Nobody, released on Black & Blue Records
Black & Blue Records
Black & Blue Records is a French record label specializing in swing jazz and blues.Black & Blue was founded in 1968, and in its early years concentrated on reissuing jazz that had been previously released on American labels. The label recorded Blues and Jazz musicians both in America and France and...
in 1972.