Augustus D. "Gus" Jenkins (March 24, 1931 – December 22, 1985) was an American blues and R&B pianist, vocalist and bandleader. Like many of his generation, Jenkins drew his influences from 40s blues and spent much of his mature career adapting to the demands of rock ‘n’ roll and R&B.
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| Walter Davis |
Born in Birmingham (Alabama), Augustus D. "Gus" Jenkins has learned to play piano at an early age under the tutelage of her keyboard mother and the strong influence of Walter Davis' records. He started to play in local clubs before joining, still a teenager, several itinerant Shows, namely Atlanta's Sammy Green's Hot Harlem Review who also featured his fellow Alabamian Big Mama Thornton.
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| Big Walter Horton |
At the end of the 1940's, Gus came to Chicago to try his luck, played in several clubs and even got a Chess recording session in 1953, backed by Big Walter Horton. His recordings, including "Eight Ball", were not released for some years.
But feeling (rightly) that his own style was more suitable to West Coast ears, he ended in Los Angeles where he found many opportunities in clubs, lounges and recording sessions for several Californian labels (Specialty, Combo, Cash, Flash).
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| Mamie Perry |
Seeking the success, he recorded several blues or R&B sides, mostly in a Charles Brown's style but also as a credible Howlin' Wolf impersonator under the "Young Wolf" moniker as well as Little Temple or Piano Bo! He also backed his wife Mamie Reed/ Mamie Perry on some excellent records.
He also accompanied David "Honeyboy" Edwards on some of his recordings at Chess. Later in 1953 he recorded "Cold Love" and other tracks as Little Temple for the Specialty label in Los Angeles, with Jimmy Liggins (harmonica), Ted Brinson (bass), and an unknown drummer.
He remained in Los Angeles for the rest of his career, and learned woodworking while continuing to perform, with Johnny Otis' band and others, and record. He recorded "I Miss My Baby" for Jake Porter's Combo label in 1955 before recording "Tricky" in 1956 for the Flash label owned by Charlie Reynolds. The single reached no.2 on the R&B chart and no.79 on the Billboard pop chart in late 1956. Henceforth, alongside with blues and ballads, he waxed many instrumental of this kind, playing either piano or organ (Spark plug, Payday shuffle) but without succeeding commercially.
By 1970, Jenkins had converted to Islam, and used the name Jaarone Pharoah. He continued to perform around Los Angeles, until his death in 1985 at the age of 54 in Inglewood. California.
Largely unknown, outside a small number of blues buffs around the world, he leaves us a diverse and mostly very good works.
(Edited from Wikipedia and mainly from an article by Gerard Herzhaft) (As you can see there seems tp be only one photograph of Gus, so I placed in a few other relevent pics.)