Gildo Mahones

HermenengildoGildoMahones (June 2, 1929, New York City – April 27, 2018) was an American jazz pianist.

Mahones was born to Puerto Rican parents in East Harlem in New York City. Early in his career, he played with Joe Morris (1948) and Milt Jackson. Mahones served in the Army, and then played with Lester Young from 1953 to 1956. Later in the 1950s Mahones toured with the Jazz Modes (which included Charlie Rouse and Julius Watkins), Sonny Stitt, and Benny Green. From 1959 to 1964 Mahones played behind Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.

When Lambert, Hendricks & Ross broke up, Mahones moved to Los Angeles, where he worked both as a studio musician and as a jazz sideman. He led his own trio and appeared on recordings by O. C. Smith, Lou Rawls, James Moody, Harold Land and Blue Mitchell, Leon Thomas, Jim Hall, Big Joe Turner, Lorez Alexandria, Benny Carter, Pony Poindexter, Booker Ervin, and Jimmy Witherspoon.

Mahones died on April 27, 2018, aged 88.

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