Piano Man Larry Hunt

As the published author of “Death Of A Bebop Wife”, the official biography of Nutley, New Jersey’s own Al Haig, the chosen pianist of the Innovators and titian’s of Bebop - Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell - and later Stan Getz - after listening to Nutley’s Larry Hunt, I am convinced - although born 33 years apart - that they both drank water from the same cup! Al Haig graduated from Nutley High School in 1939, and Larry Hunt (born Lawrence Hoogerhyde) in 1973 (Larry legally changed his name to "Hunt" in 1983).

I had never heard - nor saw - Hunt perform until I attended his performance on 4-30-2022

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As the published author of “Death Of A Bebop Wife”, the official biography of Nutley, New Jersey’s own Al Haig, the chosen pianist of the Innovators and titian’s of Bebop - Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell - and later Stan Getz - after listening to Nutley’s Larry Hunt, I am convinced - although born 33 years apart - that they both drank water from the same cup! Al Haig graduated from Nutley High School in 1939, and Larry Hunt (born Lawrence Hoogerhyde) in 1973 (Larry legally changed his name to "Hunt" in 1983).

I had never heard - nor saw - Hunt perform until I attended his performance on 4-30-2022. He opened his show by telling some dry jokes and then launched into one of his original compositions: a provocative and subtlety aggressive Jazz mambo called “Get Real” - inspired by the music of Horace Silver. I loved it.

Ruben Ariola, Larrry’s percussionist extraordinaire, with his superb drumming, was a pleasure to watch and hear. They both exuded to the packed audience the sheer love of playing their instruments;  for the stimulus of exchanging ideas, for the pleasure of speaking and communicating through the
“Piano” and the “ Stix!”

Larry’s dialogue with the audience was unique, witty, pithy and charming, enhanced by his straight ahead enthusiasm, so classy and smooth through each tune, convincing me he was truly the consummate entertainer, never letting up on us, igniting our energy to a fevered pitch - augmented by percussionist Ruben Ariola’s dynamic intensity.

Although I had a front row center seat in the beautiful and historic Philhower Chapel of the Vincent United Methodist Church, on Saturday afternoon April 30, 2022, listening to an afternoon of music featuring Nutley’s own prodigy Larry Hunt, I might as well have been up on the odd-numbered side of 52nd Street to Six Avenue in New York City, where elevated trains thundered by - where every night in the 1950's and '60's was Jazz & Blues music celebrity night, because, when Larry Hunt began his Boogie-Woogie Medley, I realized he had talent beyond the pale, beyond all my expectations, as he romped and rode that piano as if he was in a rodeo;  Hunt’s mastery of the 88’s and singing was excitingly absurd like a tiger who rode the jungle with no fear - with the heel of his own foot (wearing a blue suede shoe) on the upper register, then standing in finale, knocking over the seat he sat on! The audience was at a fevered pitch standing and clapping with pure unadulterated joy.

An afternoon like this, in the year 2022, was not supposed to happen, but the halcyon days of Manhattan's 52nd Street invaded my sadly faded wonderful memories, because this talented duo ignited my emotional gamut - from longing and “world-weariness” to a “one-for-my-baby-one more-for/the-road” gaiety, transporting us to those smokey cramped quarters of the
postage stamp sized tables, melting ice cubes and
crowded to the gills clubs, because Nutley’s son Larry Hunt, like Nutley’s son Al Haig,
gave that piano a workout that created magical mayhem and a beautiful chaos like no other! Bravo!

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