Editing Elmo Hope (section)

===In New York – 1947–56===
Hope's absence from the early [[bebop]] scene largely continued after he left the army, as he played principally in rhythm and blues bands for a few years.{{sfn|Kelley|2008|pp=80–81}} He was part of an octet led by trumpeter Eddie Robinson late in 1947,<ref>Dimples, June (November 15, 1947). "Cocktale Sips". ''New York Amsterdam News''. p. 22.</ref> and played briefly with [[Snub Mosley]] around the same time.<ref name="Gitler" /> Hope had his first long-term association, with the [[Joe Morris (trumpeter)|Joe Morris]] band, from 1948 to 1951,<ref name="Gitler" /> including for several recordings.<ref name="Grove">Smith, Gregory E.; Kernfeld, Barry [http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/J207400 "Hope, (St.) Elmo (Sylvester)"]. In Kernfeld, Barry (ed.) ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'' (2nd edition). Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved January 13, 2014. (Subscription required.)</ref> This band toured all over the United States.<ref>Mattingly, Rick (1998). ''The Drummer's Time: Conversations with the Great Drummers of Jazz''. p. 33. Hal Leonard. {{ISBN|978-0-634-00146-8}}.</ref>

Some of those Hope met in Morris' band were also interested in jazz.{{sfn|Kelley|2008|p=147}} One, saxophonist [[Johnny Griffin]], recalled a group of musicians, including Hope, who practiced and learned together in New York in the days of late-1940s<ref>Kart, Larry (2004). ''Jazz in Search of Itself''. p. 31. Yale University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-300-10420-2}}.</ref> bebop: "We'd go to Monk's house in Harlem or to Elmo's house in the Bronx, we just did a lot of playing. I played piano a bit, too, so I could hear what they were all doing harmonically. But if something stumped me, I'd ask and Elmo would spell out harmonies. We'd play [[Dizzy Gillespie|Dizzy [Gillespie]'s]] tunes or [[Charlie Parker]]'s."<ref>Watrous, Peter (April 20, 1990). "Saxophone Virtuosos of Whisper and Howl". ''The New York Times''. p. C19.</ref>

This interest had expanded by June 1953, when Hope recorded in New York as part of a quintet led by trumpeter [[Clifford Brown]] and alto saxophonist [[Lou Donaldson]].<ref name="Gitler" /> Critic [[Marc Myers]] suggested that the six songs the band recorded were the first in a new form of jazz, '[[hard bop]]', that became highly influential.<ref>Myers, Marc (August 28, 2010). "'Sweet Poppa Lou', Still in His Groove". ''The Wall Street Journal''. p. A20.</ref> That 1953 session also helped Hope gain exposure with [[Blue Note Records]]' producer [[Alfred Lion]], who supervised his debut recording as a leader around a week later.<ref name="Gitler" /> This resulted in the 10-inch album ''[[Trio and Quintet|Elmo Hope Trio]]'', which had Morris alumni [[Percy Heath]] on bass and [[Philly Joe Jones]] on drums.<ref name="Gitler" /><ref name="Grove" /> The tracks recorded illustrated, according to critic Kenny Mathieson in 2012, that Hope was interested in the architecture and aural detail of the music more than in individual virtuosity.{{sfn|Mathieson|2012|p=309}} A further Blue Note recording session 11 months later led to ''[[Trio and Quintet|Elmo Hope Quintet, Volume 2]]''.<ref name="Gitler" /><ref name="discog">Cohen, Noal (August 28, 2013). [http://www.attictoys.com/ElmoHope/Elmo_Hope_discography.php ''The Elmo Hope Discography''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110212918/http://www.attictoys.com/ElmoHope/Elmo_Hope_discography.php |date=January 10, 2014 }}. attictoys.com</ref>

In August 1954, Hope was pianist for a [[Prestige Records]] session led by saxophonist [[Sonny Rollins]], which was released as ''[[Moving Out (album)|Moving Out]]'', and for another session with Donaldson.{{sfn|Mathieson|2012|p=311}} Hope signed to Prestige in 1955,<ref>"Music as Written" (July 23, 1955). ''Billboard''. Volume 47/30. p. 22.</ref> and recorded the trio album ''[[Meditations (Elmo Hope album)|Meditations]]'' for them that year. This was followed by the sextet ''[[Informal Jazz]]'' the following year, with [[Donald Byrd]] (trumpet), [[John Coltrane]] and [[Hank Mobley]] (tenor saxophones), [[Paul Chambers]] (bass), and Jones (drums). Some commentators have suggested that sessions such as this and the ones with Brown and Rollins were a hindrance to Hope's career: "He too often recorded with young, rising overshadowing talents" wrote a ''Buffalo Jazz Report'' reviewer in 1976.<ref>Mazzone, Tom (October 1976). "Elmo Hope – The All-Star Sessions – Milestone M47037". ''Buffalo Jazz Report''. Issue 32. p. 12.</ref>

In January 1956, Hope recorded with another rising star, [[Jackie McLean]], for the saxophonist's ''[[Lights Out!]]'', again for Prestige.{{sfn|Mathieson|2012|p=311}} In April of the same year, Hope should have appeared on saxophonist [[Gene Ammons]]' ''[[The Happy Blues]]'', but he left the record company's building before the session began and did not return.<ref name="Gitler" /> Hope claimed that he had gone to visit an aunt in hospital, but his absence was attributed by others to his heroin addiction.<ref name="Gitler" /> This had existed on and off for several years,{{sfn|Kelley|2008|pp=151, 208}} and had led to at least one spell in prison.<ref>Nisenson, Eric (2000) [https://books.google.com/books?id=4n7lCQAAQBAJ&q=%22elmo+hope%22 ''Open Sky – Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation'']. St. Martin's Press. {{ISBN|978-1-250-09262-5}}.</ref> His drug problem and associated criminal record led to the withdrawal of Hope's [[New York City Cabaret Card]] around 1956, so he was no longer permitted to play in clubs in the city.{{sfn|Feather; Gitler|1999|p=328}}<ref name="Grove" />