Elmo Sylvester Hope was born in New York on June 27, 1923, began piano studies by age seven and went on to win prizes for his piano recitals.
Hope was suffering from respiratory aliments, and the dry climate suited him just fine.
ElmoHope would reemerge in 1963 to record âSounds from Rikerâs Islandâ (Audio-fidelity) and it was not until 1966 he would record two more as a trio for the same label.
None of these happened to ElmoHope: he was never able to hitch a ride with a major star, saw his brief musical odyssey through to its end, and died in obscurity before his forty-fourth birthday.
A life crowned with promise and little achievement, the legend of ElmoHope is indicative not just of this particular pianist's mix of mishap and flaw, but of the misfortune and shortcoming of the beboppianist in general, his repertoire, his narrow approach, and his cruel environment.
Hope's wife and fellow pianist Bertha (they married in 1960) has helped to keep his music in the public domain, touring with both her own quartet and a repertory band called ELMOllenium.