jazz books

[lazy bird]

Which jazz books do you appreciate?

I haven't read a lot of jazz books yet, but I like these books:

Miles / Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe
The history of jazz / Ted Gioia
American musicians II / Whitney Balliet

The most funny book I have ever read about jazz is a dutch translation of a book by the French writer Boris Vian. Unfortunately, this translation isn't in print anymore. I'm more used to read Englisch then French, thus I wonder I I could order his books on jazz in English.

[bombastic]

Visions of Jazz by Garry Giddins is a good one.

[champjams]

Hampton Hawes's "Raise Up Off Me" is great.

[Dr. J.]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lazy bird
I haven't read a lot of jazz books yet, but I like these books:

Miles / Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe
The history of jazz / Ted Gioia
American mucicians II / Whitney Balliet

Also "Meet Me at Jim and Andy's" by Gene Lees - a classic
The new Chet Baker bio, Deep in a Dream, by James Gavin, is excellent

[Hardbop]

I'm currently reading Stanley Dance's "The World of Duke Ellington" where he interviews the Duke and many of his sidemen. It is shaping up to be a good read.

[DustyFoot]

In addition to Visions of Jazz and Ted Gioia's History of Jazz, already mentioned above, I would add:

Myself When I Am Real (Charles Mingus) - Gene Santoro

Both of Ashley Kahn's "Making Of" books, "Kind of Blue" and "A Love Supreme"

Also, I have Lewis Porter's "Coltrane" book but I have not read it yet -- I understand it is the 'bible' for all things Coltrane.

Santoro's Mingus book is a great read -- not only does it paint a portrait of the man and the times he lived in, but it is written like a novel and therefore I found myself drawn into the story much more than I am with typical straight-ahead biographical narratives. Each chapter ended such that the following chapter had to be read immediately!

I would highly recommend Gioia's book to anyone just getting into jazz. While it does not cover every zillionth bit of detail from the birth of jazz to the present, it provides more detail than you would expect of a book that deals with such a broad scope, which is the entire history of jazz basically. If Ken Burns had followed Gioia's approach, his 'Jazz' miniseries would have been much more successful and interesting in my opinion.

[Muskrat Ramble]

Just read and then re-read most of Gioia's History, and I most strongly recommend it for its intelligence, enthusiasm, eloquence, and insight.

John F. Szwed (author of well-regarded bios of Sun Ra and, more recently, Miles) has a really good one called Jazz 101. What I wrote about Gioia's book largely applies here too. As the title implies, it's especially useful for jazz neophytes, but I think veterans will enjoy it as well. I've reread it many times with pleasure.

[J Larsen]

That passage in Miles' autobiography where he's sharing a cab with a chicken-eating Charlie Parker and his female companion really sticks with you, doesn't it?

[David H]

Off the top of my head books on jazz that I have enjoyed have include:

James Gavin's - Deep In A Dream: the long night of Chet Baker

Art & Laurie Pepper -Straight Life: the story of Art Pepper

Stuart Nicholson - Jazz Rock: a history

Ted Gioia - West Coast Jazz: modern jazz in California 1945-60

Ian Carr - Miles Davis: the definitive biography

[sideshowbob]

Hello all, new here, first post.

I'd second the Santoro Mingus biography recommendation, and Art Pepper's Straight Life. Also, IMO everyone should read Mingus's (fictionalised) autobiography, Beneath the Underdog, which is one of my favourite books ever.

Recently finished a collection of Whitney Balliett's reviews and essays (Collected Works, published by Granta) which is comprehensive (1954 - 2000) and (mostly) very well written.

-- Ian

[PDEE]

Two interesting reads on early Jazz are
WE Called It Music.. Eddie Condon.. full of quips etc, and good for the Beiderbecke fans

and Hear Me Talkin' to You collected statements and quotes from the people who made the music organised in a history of jazz style.

Always wished I could have been at the Hawk meets Kansas City Jam session as described by Mary Lou Wiliams.

[victor]

Originally posted by Hardbop
I'm currently reading Stanley Dance's "The World of Duke Ellington" where he interviews the Duke and many of his sidemen. It is shaping up to be a good read. hey hardbop if you want to read a great book on duke read his autobiography "music is my mistress" believe me it was so good i hated to put it down

[gregk]

the new Miles book by Szwed is a good condensed bio, without endless examinations of every album in the discography. a pretty good read overall

[kenny weir]

The Birth of Bebop: A Social and Musical History by Scott Deveaux is a fabulous read. I'm just starting to read it for the second time.

[WestCoast Ghost]

I'm getting ready to read Mike Fitzgerald's bio of Gigi Gryce, RAT RACE BLUES, which I started once before but had to put aside for other projects. I'm going to interview Mike later this month and do a radio show on Gryce--I'll post the URL for anybody who's interested when it airs.
Also reading Linda Dahl's STORMY WEATHER, a good book any time of the year, but especially good for March (Women's History Month--I'm a blazin' leftist, what can I say?).

[WestCoast Ghost]

I'd also like to recommend Allen Lowe's THAT DEVILIN' TUNE: A HISTORY OF JAZZ 1900-1950, a book that Joe Milazzo & Chuck Nessa both brought to my attention. The only place I've found that carries it is Cadence Records/Magazine, but it's an engaging and maverick study of early jazz history replete with dead-on observations ("Richard Sudhalter's LOST CHORDS is right for all the wrong reasons"). Just got Lowe's other book FROM MINSTREL TO MOJO: AMERICAN POP; he's also supposedly at work on books about rock 'n roll and jazz in the 1950's.

[Paul P.]

Check out:

1. Clifford Brown: The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter, by Nick Catalano (Oxford Univ. Press: 2000).

2. Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn, by David Hajdu (Farrar Straus Giroux: 1996).

3. Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings, by Peter Pettinger (Yale Univ. Press: 1998).

I found them all to be both very good bios and histories of the jazz periods during each subject's lives.

[Dr. J.]

I still like Gene Lees's "Meet me at Jim and Andy's" as the most naturalistic view of the scene - at least back in the day.

[Hardbop]

Originally posted by victor
hey hardbop if you want to read a great book on duke read his autobiography "music is my mistress" believe me it was so good i hated to put it down

Thanx for the recommendations, but I did read "MIMM" and was a bit disappointed. Ellington was too circumspect in that autobio.

[Chris A.]

Circumspect? Are we talking about the same book, hardbop? I found it disappointing, because it was more or less a collection of blurbs on friends and band members, but I wouldn't call it circumspect.

[Brad]

If you're into Bird, I'd recommend Robert Reisner's The Legend of Charlie Parker (greate reminesences by people who knew him). Another good one is Ira Gitler's From Swing to Bop, great oral history.

I'd heard that the Brownie book was full of mistakes. Can anybody corrorborate?

[brownie]

Originally posted by WestCoast Ghost
I'm getting ready to read Mike Fitzgerald's bio of Gigi Gryce, RAT RACE BLUES, which I started once before but had to put aside for other projects. I'm going to interview Mike later this month and do a radio show on Gryce--I'll post the URL for anybody who's interested when it airs.

I just finished 'Rat Race Blues'. It's one of the best biography on a jazz musician I've read. It's full of new informations on Gryce and also explains what happened after he left the music scene.

[Hardbop]

Originally posted by Paul P.
Check out:

1. Clifford Brown: The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter, by Nick Catalano (Oxford Univ. Press: 2000).


I found them all to be both very good bios and histories of the jazz periods during each subject's lives.

It is interesting to see this tome listed. I heard this was a real stinker, but I picked up a remaindered copy at the Strand Bookstore in NYC. I haven't had a chance to read it yet so I hope you are right.

[Hardbop]

Originally posted by Gary King
Circumspect? Are we talking about the same book, hardbop? I found it disappointing, because it was more or less a collection of blurbs on friends and band members, but I wouldn't call it circumspect.

I was being too kind. I didn't get much out of "Music is My Mistress." Pretty much pabulum.

[JSngry]

When consuming Ellington in ANY form, but especially written and verbal, reading between the lines is essential. There's often more there than meets the eye (or ear). But still, charges of superficiality in MIMM are not totally off-base. Nor are they totally accurate.

I like Mercer's book, DUKE ELLINGTON IN PERSON. Loving but candid. Much, MUCH insight into the man to be found there.

[JSngry]

Originally posted by J Larsen
That passage in Miles' autobiography where he's sharing a cab with a chicken-eating Charlie Parker and his female companion really sticks with you, doesn't it?

Some might even go so far as to say it sucks...

[Clinton Forry]

Anthony Braxton's Tri-Axium Writings are a good introdution to the new jazz fan.:D

Seriously, Graham Locke's book on Braxton gave me a deeper understanding of what the man is all about.

The Freedom Principle was a good read as well, about free jazz post 1958.

Not necessarily jazz, but Derek Bailey's book Improvisation was enlightening.

[Paul P.]

Not to engage in a debate, but I'd be interested in the criticism that Hardbop has heard about the Clifford Brown bio. Part of my praise stems from the fact that until this book, there was simply a dearth of books (in fact, I cannot recall any specific one) about this seminal trumpeter (seminal in the sense he greatly influenced many future ones, not necessarily based upon the amount of his original work or the length of his career).

At the risk of sounding somewhat defensive as well as ignorant in certain respects, I thought it laid out his life and music clearly, including for example identifying the exact sequence of the several trumpeters on those long jams with Dinah Washington (like "I'll Remember April") in the 1950s that I had previously been unable to identify simply by listening. The discography may not be very detailed by jazz cognoscenti’ standards, but at least it's a start. The interviews with Brownie's relatives by the author are especially critical because they are all obviously getting up there in age and, with their passing, a great deal of first-hand oral history about Clifford will be lost. Thankfully it has now been set down on paper for posterity's sake.

So, if you can, Hardbop, I look forward to hearing from you in terms of such criticism as well as your reactions after you get an opportunity to read it.

Also, I would welcome the thoughts of anyone else who has read this bio or any of the others listed in my prior posting.

[David H]

A couple of other jazz books that have given me great pleasure are:

John Fordham - Shooting From The Hip: changing times in jazz. A collection of Fordham's reviews. Fordham usually writes for the UK newspaper The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/ if you have a look on The Guardian website and search under his name you'll see the range of his reviews.

Kenny Mathieson - Giant Steps: bebop and the creators of modern jazz 1945-65

Kenny Mathieson - Cookin': hard bop and soul jazz 1954-65
Matheison is writing a series of books on specific areas of jazz each chapter in his books provides a concise biography and critique of a musicians work. In one of his introductions Matheison has said that he wishes to draw attention to some musicians who little is known about or little written about. Coverage in the books has included Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, the MJQ, Thelonious Monk as well as figures such as Herbie Nichols, Fats Navarro, Wardell Gray, Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham, Tina Brooks etc.

Well worth seeking out.

[J.A.W.]

If my memory serves me right, the reviews of those Kenny Mathieson books were less than favorable, to put it mildly. Haven't read them myself, so I can't comment.

[J.A.W.]

A nice read is the late David H. Rosenthal's Hard Bop.

[David H]

Hans

Interesting to hear that the review of the Matheison books were not favourable. I suppose it depends on what the person is looking for in the book. I'd say that for the jazz fan with an in-depth knowledge of the biographies and works of the musicians they would find nothing new or of interest in the books. However, someone seeking a good primer that provides two good overviews of the post-war to early 60s jazz scene these could be ideal. I also liked the chapters devoted to each musician and an useful recommended listening list of their work. A sad fact we have to face is that quite a few of our favourite musicians (an example for me is Kenny Dorham, who's music I love) are fringe figures more or less forgotten by the music buying/listening population, a chapter in a book is better than nothing at all.

David

[AfricaBrass]

One of my favorite jazz books is "Jazz Anecdotes" by Bill Crow. It's a nice book you can pick up and get a laugh from. There are some great stories.

[David H]

For anyone who fancies a 'challenging' read I'd recommend:

Phiilip Larkin's - All What Jazz (Faber Books)

A collection of Larkins reviews from the UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph from the early to late 60s. Larkin hated anything that smacked of the new wave and compared Coltrane's playing to that of bagpipes. An interesting read, and a good collection of well written reviews, but don't expect to like all of this views.

[Chris A.]

Originally posted by Hardbop


I was being too kind. I didn't get much out of "Music is My Mistress." Pretty much pabulum.

I don't know what pabulum is, hardbop, but if you mean Pablum? I have to disagree with you. The book contains a lot of information on a number of people. Is it an exciting read? No, but I don't think it is meant to be regarded as Duke's bio, at least not in the strict sense of the term.

Speaking of bios, I thought Sandra Lieb did a good job on her Ma Rainey book and I liked Hampton Hawes' autobiography. Mezz Mezzrow's Really the Blues is absorbing and nicely descriptive, even if he may have been a bit too imaginative here and there.

The worst biographical books are, I think, the ones Leslie Gourse writes, although to call it writing is to be extremely generous. There was also a rather embarrassing Jess Stacy bio called Oh, Jess.

[alankin]

Originally posted by Gary King


I don't know what pabulum is, hardbop, but if you mean Pablum...

I hate to nitpick, but my tome, err, dictionary has "pabulum." not pablum...

[BruceH]

Agree with many of the fine recommendations so far. But I think the late Martin Williams should get a mention. All his books are worth checking out, particularly the well known Jazz Tradition.
Also, I like Giddins' early books such as Riding On A Blue Note. No longer up-to-date but fun reading nevertheless.
Another vote for Gioia's fascinating West Coast Jazz; taught me a lot, even though I live out here now.

[Chris A.]

Originally posted by alankin


I hate to nitpick, but my tome, err, dictionary has "pabulum." not pablum...

Thanks Alan, I didn't think intellectual nourishment was what hardbop had in mind, but that does better describe the book...err tome. :D

Has anyone read the Jelly Roll Morton book, "Oh, Mister Jelly" by Bill Russell. I received it for Christmas and am half-way through its 720 big pages. It's a book that one can read skipping back and forth--lots of personal reminiscenses, illustrations, and a fascinating exchange of letters between Morton and his music publisher (who also was a friend).

It weighs a ton and, thus, truly qualifies as a "tome."

[JamesJazz]

I've read many of the books mentioned on this thread, and there are some fine books, and some not-so-fine books, extant.
The Santoro book I disliked precisely because it was written as a novel. Perhaps the author took this approach because Mingus did in "Beneath The Underdog", which is a mix of fact and fantasy.

I think Mezz's book is wonderful, it may contain exagerations but like Bechet's autobio it is rich and rewarding for its cultural richness.

I found the bio's of Gryce, Sun Ra, Strayhorn, and Art Tatum excellent: much new (to me) information, clearly written and it's obvious the writers knew well their subjects. I don't think a writer other than Szwed could take the measure of Sun Ra, a complex, innovative man (more complex even than Mingus?).

Ellington's autobiography was never intended to "reveal" the inner workings of Duke's mind or behind-the-scenes stuff about the Duke's business. Remember, Duke wrote about Stanley Dance's book that Dance "knew what not to print". For all of his gregariousness, Ellington was a private guy. His bio, to me, is fascinating but for hard facts etc. one must look elsewhere (hopefully not to James Lincoln Collier). It is Duke's voice we are reading and I am grateful to have it.

[Hardbop]

The criticism of the Catalano bio of Clifford Brown I read was on the Blue Note chat board. I can't remember the specific criticism, but I know Mike Fitzgerald, who wrote a bio of Gigi Gryce that was well received (in cyberspace anyway). I actually saw Catalano talk about Brown at a J@LC forum where Teddy Edwards and Harold Land were part of the panel. You whet my appetite on the Brown book.

I am also struck about the Gioia history. I have held off reading this because I was under the impression it wasn't of much interest to folks with a detailed knowledge of jazz.

Finally, I picked up a new autobio written by Ben Sidran, a musician and author. It just came out.

And I plan on reading that Mezzrow book very soon. I've heard good things about that. The next jazz book I read is Anita O'Day's bio and I heard that one is a good read. Then the Mezzrow tome.

[Tom K]

One of my favourites is still Litweiler's THE FREEDOM PRINCIPLE. I should also like to mention Geoff Dyer's BUT BEAUTIFUL, for a wholly different approach. More like a study is Ekkehard Jost's FREE JAZZ. And I also like Brian Priestey's MINGUS very much.

[reg]

3 of my favourites
Gigi Gryce - RAT RACE BLUES by Mike Fitzgerald/Noal Cohen
The Birth of Bebop by Scott Deveaux
The Blue Note Years: The Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff

[cliff peterson]

westcoastghost-found your comment about lowe's book intriguing since I am just finishing up sudhalter's book now. while not buying "lost chords" agenda I find it useful in informing me about musicians of which I did knot know or know that much. what is lowe's point to which you refer?

[Brownian Movement]

Ralph Berton's Memoir "Remembering Bix" is a small masterpiece. How fortunate for Bix to have known a writer of Berton's caliber, and how fortunate for us, too.

[makpjazz57]

Art Taylor's collection of interviews, "Notes and Tones," is a great read for it's time. Interviews with Jazz Greats such as Johnny Griffin, Carmen McRae, etc. I find myself going back to it from time to time.

Marla

[WestCoast Ghost]

Originally posted by brownie


I just finished 'Rat Race Blues'. It's one of the best biography on a jazz musician I've read. It's full of new informations on Gryce and also explains what happened after he left the music scene.

Brownie, it looks as if I will finally be doing a long-postponed show on Gryce and the bio, with Mike Fitzgerald as a guest, later this month. I'll post more info when I nail down the date.

[Pete Souders]

want to "second" a few books, and add one more
second:
Visions of Jazz - Gary Giddens - easy to read in parts - you can just pick it up anywhere, and some new insights and suggestions of stuff to listen to. I really liked his broad perspective, even including a little section on SPIKE JONES!!!!
History of Jazz - Ted Gioia - also included some insights that never occurred to me before.
Dizzy Gillespie's "To Be or not to Bop" - one of the best autobiographies - gave the 'inside' view of how he and Monk viewed and developed some of those progressions.
Birth of Bebop - Scott DeVeaux - really loved this one. Very very thorough.
addition -
another book on Bebop - just called "Bebop", by Thomas Owens - put out a few years before the DeVeaux book. Doesn't do as much with the developments/precursors but also very thorough with what transpired in the early 40's, and a little more material going instrument by instrument (ie.: the pianists, the saxophonists, etc).
I hope this wasn't too much stuff to read for very little information gained. If so just tell me to shut the h*** up.

[JamesJazz]

Speaking of Bebop, Ira Gitler's "Jazz Masters Of The 40s" is excellent. Very readable and packed with information.

[jlhoots]

Lots of good choices already listed.
I'd add Robert Hilbert's book on Pee Wee Russell.
OOP (I think), but seems to be pretty easily found.

[Adam]

Hi Mr. Administrator,

Any chance of moving this thread to the "Jazz Media" Forum?

[James]

Jazz books that I've enjoyed in particular:

The Man in the Green Shirt (about Miles) by Richard Williams
Lush Life
Deep in a Dream (Chet Baker) by James Gavin
An Unsung Cat - The Life & Music of Warne Marsh

[Paul P.]

I'm going to have to pick up this bio as I have always admired his playing.

I am particularly taken with his work on Clifford Brown's Paris small group sessions in the early 1950s, which were done, I hear, secretly at that time on the side while both were on tour with Hamp's band.

By the way, while I am new and all of my threads save one to date have dealt with Clifford Brown, don't worry, I'll give it a rest on his score, although it will be hard since I really think he was truly one of the great ones.

[lazy bird]

Are these books recommended?

Bird: the legend of Charlie Parker / Robert Reisner
Jazz is / Ira Gitler
Insinde jazz / Leonard Feather

[Claude]

I started with Joachim E. Behrendt's "Jazzbuch", which is supposed to give a complete overview of jazz up to the early 80's. It has been translated into many languages.

I learned a lot from this book, it made me want to explore musicians and styles I had never heard of before, as I had mainly read album reviews in magazines before this and there weren't many jazz reissues in the 80's to be reviewed. I had to search in libraries to find the music described in the book (the "Mediathèque de la Communauté Francaise" in Brussels was a paradise for japan imports) and it was an amazing discovery.

[BruceH]

Originally posted by Paul P.
By the way, while I am new and all of my threads save one to date have dealt with Clifford Brown, don't worry, I'll give it a rest on his score, although it will be hard since I really think he was truly one of the great ones.

As far as I'm concerned you can talk about Clifford Brown morning, noon, and night. He was one of the greats.

[SEK]

My top 8:

The Freedom Principle by John Litweiler
Hard Bop by David H. Rosenthal
As Serious As Your Life by Valerie Wilmer
Central Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los Angeles edited by Clora Bryant, Buddy Collette, William Green, Steven Isoardi, Jack Kelson, Horace Tapscott, Gerald Wilson, Marl Young
Lush Life by David Hajdu
Four Lives In the Bebop Business by A. B. Spellman
Jazztalk by Robert Rusch
Swing to Bop by Ira Gitler

[Fran]

I think anyone interested in JAZZ has to read the book by Fats' son Maurice which tells about the life of the great musician Fats Waller and more importantly his family- and what he, Fats, put them through as he progressed from an unknown Harlem piano player to a world renouned musician, composer and recording star.

[Stinkybob]

I would Recommend Ian Carrs Biography of Miles Davis. Also i have recently just finshed a Book about the album Kind Of Blue, which goes into depth about the session's which im sure by now is all common knowledge, but quite a good read if your interested.

The only problem i cant for the life of me remeber the authors name!! arghhh!:mad:

[solarjazzband]

The Guitarist's Guide to Composing and Improvisation
by Jon Damian

is a cool book for all guitarstyles, and even for piano's!

[solarjazzband]

Originally posted by lazy bird

Miles / Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe


Ahh cool, I've just rent this book at the library! I'm going to start reading it tonight

[Claude]

Originally posted by Stinkybob
Also i have recently just finshed a Book about the album Kind Of Blue, which goes into depth about the session's which im sure by now is all common knowledge, but quite a good read if your interested.

The only problem i cant for the life of me remeber the authors name!! arghhh!:mad:

Do you remember which one of the two "Making of Kind of Blue" books you have read? :)

The Making of Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and His Masterpiece (Eric Nisenson, September 2001) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/031228408X/qid=1050762164/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-0933983-6263924?v=glance&s=books)

Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece (Ashley Kahn, October 2001) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0306810670/qid=1050762164/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-0933983-6263924?v=glance&s=books)

[Chris A.]

Originally posted by solarjazzband


Ahh cool, I've just rent this book at the library! I'm going to start reading it tonight

Not so cool, really. Quincy Troupe fudges eith the facts--he has even been known to alter Miles' own words (from taped interviews) to suit his own notion of how things ought to have been.

Much has been written about this, BTW. Troupe also wrote a follow-up book Miles and Me, which is more Me than Miles, and, again, unreliable.

You would be better off reading John Szwed's book, So What: The Life of Miles Davis and Jack Chambers' Milestones .

I also recommendA Miles Davis Reader, an interesting compilation edited by Bill Kirchner.

[gregk]

Originally posted by Chris A.


Not so cool, really. Quincy Troupe fudges eith the facts--he has even been known to alter Miles' own words (from taped interviews) to suit his own notion of how things ought to have been.

Much has been written about this, BTW. Troupe also wrote a follow-up book Miles and Me, which is more Me than Miles, and, again, unreliable.

You would be better off reading John Szwed's book, So What: The Life of Miles Davis and Jack Chambers' Milestones .

I also recommendA Miles Davis Reader, an interesting compilation edited by Bill Kirchner.

I have to agree with Mr. A. here. The Szwed book is a very good read, and the Miles Davis Reader has a little bit of everything. Lots of interesting stuff in there. As for Troupe, well, I could appreciate some of his analysis, but he tends to overdo it by actually saying that Miles made a mistake by using Cannonball. It's Troupe's right to say whatever he wants, but to call it a mistake is a little exaggerated, I'd say.

[solarjazzband]

Ah, unfortunatly I'm reading your replies when now, when I'm on page 130...
When I start reading it, I couldn't stop, I was really fascinated by the live of Miles...
But you're saying that Quincy Troupe has changed some things?? But on the front cover they say: Miles, the autobiography! How can someone change things than?

But, I'm sure you're right, but I think I will continue reading it, I find it interesting to read it when the person is 'I', when someone has described his own life.

:D

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by lazy bird
Which jazz books do you appreciate?

I haven't read a lot of jazz books yet, but I like these books:

Miles / Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe
The history of jazz / Ted Gioia
American mucicians II / Whitney Balliet

The most funny book I have ever read about jazz is a dutch translation of a book by the French writer Boris Vian. Unfortunately, this translation isn't in print anymore. I'm more used to read Englisch then French, thus I wonder I I could order his books on jazz in English.

There is a book about Ella Fitzgerald written by a jazz man, and it was to me so well written that it was surprising! It is written better than books by professional novelists. I read it quite a few years back, and it is upstairs now, where I don't know, I will try to see if I can find it later, and if I do, I will let you know who the author is and the exact name of the title. The author goes into different movements in jazz, it's influences, etc. He let's you feel like you are living it. She is an interesting read, however he goes into several jazz legends stories also. Very worthwhile read.

[Saundra Hummer]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Chris A.


Not so cool, really. Quincy Troupe fudges eith the facts--he has even been known to alter Miles' own words (from taped interviews) to suit his own notion of how things ought to have been.

Much has been written about this, BTW. Troupe also wrote a follow-up book Miles and Me, which is more Me than Miles, and, again, unreliable.

You would be better off reading John Szwed's book, So What: The Life of Miles Davis and Jack Chambers' Milestones .

I also recommendA Miles Davis Reader, an interesting compilation edited by Bill Kirchner. [/QUOT

You know, I used to go and watch Miles Davis and his group play from around 1953 to 1963 or so, and I really never saw him speak to hardly anyone. He often times would not even speak to his band members. He just hardly ever talked, even when he was being spoken to! It is hard to believe that he eventually gave his famous interview. He used to talk to John Levine, the owner of the Lighthouse but often times, that was it! I would almost have to see it on video, or film to believe that he talked to anyone, ha! He did talk to me a few times after Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane apoligized for his (Miles), being rude. He ended up being just great to me, but it took a while! I was just a teenager at the time. Knew these were great musicians, but never knew that they would grow into such legends! Wish I could remember more, and I would write a book, ha!

[Valerie]

Just pre-ordered George Wein's autobiography, "Myself and Others" from amazon.com. I am hopeful that this will be a fascinating read since George has dealt will just about everybody in jazz since at least the '50s.

I can just hear Chris A.'s comments now! LOL!!!

[BruceH]

Originally posted by Claude


Do you remember which one of the two "Making of Kind of Blue" books you have read? :)



The Ashley Kahn. Stick with that one. Trust me on this.

[brownie]

A picture being worth a thousand words, the best jazz book then is Lee Friedlander's American Musicians.
All (well almost all) jazz musicians - and more - are included in this book of photos by one of the greatest contemporary photographers. How fortunate we are that he turned his cameras on musicians of the caliber of Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Lester Young. The photo of Lester Young sitting in a backstage corner during a Birdland tour is worth the price.
It's available in paperback but this book is really worth taking the trouble to get in its original large format hardcover.

[solarjazzband]

Originally posted by Saundra Hummer
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Chris A.
[/QUOT

You know, I used to go and watch Miles Davis and his group play from around 1953 to 1963 or so, and I really never saw him speak to hardly anyone. He often times would not even speak to his band members. He just hardly ever talked, even when he was being spoken to! It is hard to believe that he eventually gave his famous interview. He used to talk to John Levine, the owner of the Lighthouse but often times, that was it! I would almost have to see it on video, or film to believe that he talked to anyone, ha! He did talk to me a few times after Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane apoligized for his (Miles), being rude. He ended up being just great to me, but it took a while! I was just a teenager at the time. Knew these were great musicians, but never knew that they would grow into such legends! Wish I could remember more, and I would write a book, ha!


??? Have you talked to Miles Davis!!???? Waow!! How's that possible! What did you talk about than? For how long!? Tell me!

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by solarjazzband



??? Have you talked to Miles Davis!!???? Waow!! How's that possible! What did you talk about than? For how long!? Tell me!

Hello SJB!

I talked to Miles back in the mid 50's when I was a teenager. I used to go to the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, and often times I would get there just as the band was arriving, setting up, etc.
A lot of times I would be the first one there, and no one else would be around except the bartender, John Levine, and the cook.
I would often times speak, saying "Hello!" as I walked in or as they walked by me. Everyone would say hello except Miles. He would just be blank as if I hadn't spoken or give a hard look. This went on several times, to the point that his band members apologized for him. The worst was when I asked him to play a certain song, and that look beat them all. John Coltrane and I believe it was Sonny Rollins who really apologized this time. Running out of space here, will have to write more in a bit!

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by Saundra Hummer


Hello SJB!

I talked to Miles back in the mid 50's when I was a teenager. I used to go to the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, and often times I would get there just as the band was arriving, setting up, etc.
A lot of times I would be the first one there, and no one else would be around except the bartender, John Levine, and the cook.
I would often times speak, saying "Hello!" as I walked in or as they walked by me. Everyone would say hello except Miles. He would just be blank as if I hadn't spoken or give a hard look. This went on several times, to the point that his band members apologized for him. The worst was when I asked him to play a certain song, and that look beat them all. John Coltrane and I believe it was Sonny Rollins who really apologized this time. Running out of space here, will have to write more in a bit!
One day, I was there and my little brother who was about 7 was peeking over the Dutch doors, and ducking down when anyone would see him. I didn't notice him but saw Miles watching something and acting odd about what it was, then I noticed my brother, Barry, so I got up and went out and brought him into the Lighthouse tg give him lunch, after first asking if it would be alright. I was explaining to him to be careful downtown, cars, people etc.

There wasn't a waitress there, as it was actually before lunchtime so I walked back into the kitchen on my crutches, and ordered lunch for Barry and myself.

The next thing I knew Miles carried out our lunch for us, exchanged some pleasantries, asked me if I had a request, and told me he would take requests from me anytime, anywhere. I was amazed after how everything had transpired before this.
I actually didn't realize how amazing the request thing was until fairly recently, I just didn't know that he would get angry if someone requested a song. Actually angry.
Too bad John Levine isn't still alive, as he would talk and talk to him. This is the only person I actually saw him talk to for more than one or two sentences, even his band.
John was an amazing man, and when he was gone the Lighthouse died as a jazz Mecca for the West Coast.

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by Saundra Hummer

One day, I was there and my little brother who was about 7, was peeking over the Dutch doors, and ducking down when anyone would see him. I didn't notice him but saw Miles watching something and acting odd about what it was, then I noticed my brother, Barry, so I got up and went out and brought him into the Lighthouse tg give him lunch, after first asking if it would be alright. I was explaining to him to be careful downtown, cars, people etc.

There wasn't a waitress there, as it was actually before lunchtime so I walked back into the kitchen on my crutches, and ordered lunch for Barry and myself.

The next thing I knew Miles carried out our lunch for us, exchanged some pleasantries, asked me if I had a request, and told me he would take requests from me anytime, anywhere. I was amazed after how everything had transpired before this. He always spoke to me after this.
I actually didn't realize how amazing the request thing was until fairly recently, I just didn't know that he would get angry if someone requested a song. Actually angry.
Too bad John Levine isn't still alive, as he would talk and talk to him. This is the only person I actually saw him talk to for more than one or two sentences, even his band. Now I wish I had been nosey and eves droped, but I avoided doing so.
John was an amazing man, and when he was gone the Lighthouse died as a jazz Meca for the West Coast.
I wish he, Miles, had told me the secret of his talent, his favorite color, etc., but there is nothing earth shaking here, just an amazing happening for me, and my brother. He still remembers it also.
John has a son, but I never knew him, perhaps someone reading this will know him or know where he is now. Maybe John related things to him that would be of interest to everyone. A friend of mine knew him and I guess pretty well, I will try to find out about him for you if you would like that.

[Saundra Hummer]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by brownie
A picture being worth a thousand words, the best jazz book then is Lee Friedlander's American Musicians.
All (well almost all) jazz musicians - and more - are included in this book of photos by one of the greatest contemporary photographers. How fortunate we are that he turned his cameras on musicians of the caliber of Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Lester Young. The photo of Lester Young sitting in a backstage corner during a Birdland tour is worth the price.
It's available in paperback but this book is really worth taking the trouble to get in its original large format hardcover. [/QUOT

"Old Europe" as in Rumsfield??

[Valerie]

Originally posted by Saundra Hummer
John was an amazing man, and when he was gone the Lighthouse died as a jazz Meca for the West Coast.

Saundra: I totally respect and am envious of your personal experiences in the '50s and '60s, but are you actually saying that the Lighthouse of the '70s ceased to be a West Coast jazz Mecca?!? Cannonball, Lee Morgan, Horace, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy, etc., etc., were they chopped liver?!?

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by Valerie


Saundra: I totally respect and am envious of your personal experiences in the '50s and '60s, but are you actually saying that the Lighthouse of the '70s ceased to be a West Coast jazz Mecca?!? Cannonball, Lee Morgan, Horace, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy, etc., etc., were they chopped liver?!?

You are right of course! I am wrong on the dates. I had moved to Northern California, and had no access to jazz where I lived, as radio reception was even bad, except in the middle of the night, and that wasn't consistant. I just know that when I went down to have surgery on my foot, that people told me that the Lighthouse only played Rock and Roll since John Levine had died, partly because of not being able to support the fees that people had to have. True or not, this is what I was told. I moved away from the beach in 1960, moved back a year later, lived there until about 1963, and after that, I really don't know what went on there, as far as first hand information goes. I just know that the jazz venue's were not as hot as they had once been, and it is too bad. I guess because I wasn't up on what happened down there, I thought it's demise was sooner. After my parents moved up to Oregon in 1973, I really didn't hear any more of the Lighthouse news. I'm not even sure of what year John died in. I just know that he and his place has to be missed. He ran a great ship!

[solarjazzband]

Woww I can't believe that there are guys out here who have spoken, even seen Lord Miles Davis! When he was in his coolest period!
I wish I could have seen him, but when I was born, miles was already passed away... :(
Did anyone of you also talked seriously about music or something to miles?

[kh1958]

I found Bird's Diary by Ken Vail to be quite fascinating. It's a chronological scrapbook which lists his known concerts and recording dates, with lots of photos, reviews, correspondence, telegrams, etc.

[Valerie]

Originally posted by Saundra Hummer
...I really didn't hear any more of the Lighthouse news. I'm not even sure of what year John died in. I just know that he and his place has to be missed. He ran a great ship!

Just wanted you to know that Howard Rumsey also ran a "great ship" all the many years that he had the Lighthouse filled with jazz greats. And, after Howard left to open "Concerts by the Sea" in Redondo Beach to continue the tradition, his "bartender/manager" (can't remember his name) took over until he left to open "Hop Singh's" in Marina del Rey in the '80s.

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by Valerie


Just wanted you to know that Howard Rumsey also ran a "great ship" all the many years that he had the Lighthouse filled with jazz greats. And, after Howard left to open "Concerts by the Sea" in Redondo Beach to continue the tradition, his "bartender/manager" (can't remember his name) took over until he left to open "Hop Singh's" in Marina del Rey in the '80s.

Hi Valerie!

Sounds like you spent some time there yourself. Great wasn't it?

I hear Howard is living down in Balboa up on the hill over Newport. I wish he would write a book, or start telling the stories he must know on video. It would be of great historical importance as far as jazz, and the the musicans who lived it goes.

I have a mental block on the two bartenders that I knew who worked the Lighthouse for so many years. Was one of them the manager for Howard? One had sandy red hair, and had been there for years. I want to say George, but just can't remember his last name, and the other was a fellow with black curly hair, and for the life of me I can't put a name to their faces. Mike McNulty's stepdad bartended there for years, but he wouldn't be the one, as he had passed away. I can't think of his name either. 40 years is a long time, ha, Senility???

Didn't mean to slight Howard, thought he was a given! It's just that everyone, even Howard thought so highly of John. We all loved him.

[Valerie]

Originally posted by Saundra Hummer


Hi Valerie!

Sounds like you spent some time there yourself. Great wasn't it?

I hear Howard is living down in Balboa up on the hill over Newport. I wish he would write a book, or start telling the stories he must know on video. It would be of great historical importance as far as jazz, and the the musicans who lived it goes.

I have a mental block on the two bartenders that I knew who worked the Lighthouse for so many years. Was one of them the manager for Howard? One had sandy red hair, and had been there for years. I want to say George, but just can't remember his last name, and the other was a fellow with black curly hair, and for the life of me I can't put a name to their faces. Mike McNulty's stepdad bartended there for years, but he wouldn't be the one, as he had passed away. I can't think of his name either. 40 years is a long time, ha, Senility???

Didn't mean to slight Howard, thought he was a given! It's just that everyone, even Howard thought so highly of John. We all loved him.

Yes, Saundra, I'm very happy and grateful to be able to say that I spent lots of time at the Lighthouse in the '70s!

And, yes, I believe Howard is still living in the Balboa/Newport Beach area. Sadly, his wife passed away not too long ago so he may have moved to another house. I've seen him quite a few times in the past couple of years and he looks wonderful and is as sweet as ever. In fact, he was feted last year, along with Herbie Hancock, John Levy, and a few others, by the L.A. Jazz Society. He's also extremely humble about the huge contribution he's made to the jazz scene. I definitely agree with you about wishing he'd write about his many jazz-related experiences.

The bartender/manager subsequent owner I'm thinking of was a very eccentric guy with a long beard, glasses and a generally unkempt look. I'd remember his name if I didn't suffer from that CRS Syndrome!!

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by Valerie


Yes, Saundra, I'm very happy and grateful to be able to say that I spent lots of time at the Lighthouse in the '70s!

And, yes, I believe Howard is still living in the Balboa/Newport Beach area. Sadly, his wife passed away not too long ago so he may have moved to another house. I've seen him quite a few times in the past couple of years and he looks wonderful and is as sweet as ever. In fact, he was feted last year, along with Herbie Hancock, John Levy, and a few others, by the L.A. Jazz Society. He's also extremely humble about the huge contribution he's made to the jazz scene. I definitely agree with you about wishing he'd write about his many jazz-related experiences.

The bartender/manager subsequent owner I'm thinking of was a very eccentric guy with a long beard, glasses and a generally unkempt look. I'd remember his name if I didn't suffer from that CRS Syndrome!!

That couldn't have been "Big Mike?"

He used to own the Pitcher House in Hermosa Beach, up on the Highway, but he died several years back, and I can't imagine him running a bar for someone else.

That was a fun beer bar, and we spent a lot of time there also. It was before they enlarged and changed it. I only went there about two times after they did that, and that was in the 1980's and Mike had already died, and Pablo was the sole owner as far as I know.

Anyway, that fits the description of Mike. Can't recall his last name, but really liked him, he was fun to be around. He used to drive around in his old Model T Ford convertible with that hair and beard just flying. I just don't think it could have been him however.

A good friend of mine was invited to the event for Howard, and didn't go, and he is still kicking himself. He was very fortunate that John Levine had given him every recording that the Lighthouse had ever made. He was another teenager that John was so kind to. He was also a friend of Johns son, and therefore probably knew everyone on a more personal note than I did. Anyway, he is so sorry about not going.

I just know that the 50's and early 60's were great times, and it saddens me that it is all gone now, although it makes me happy that I was able to be in on it in what was some of it's best years.
Some of the guys were legends in their own time like Charlie Parker, and Dizzy, and to be able to see them up close and personal was a thrill.

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by solarjazzband
Woww I can't believe that there are guys out here who have spoken, even seen Lord Miles Davis! When he was in his coolest period!
I wish I could have seen him, but when I was born, miles was already passed away... :(
Did anyone of you also talked seriously about music or something to miles?

For me to have talked to Miles Davis about his music, other than telling him how much I enjoyed his, would have been presumptious of me. Just a fan, not an authority, not a musician myself. I was just a kid who loved the music, and to try to talk music to him would have been out of the question. I never tried to talk music with any of the guys there, and they sure weren't interested in talking music to me, on a level that I could unterstand. When I did hear them talk music, it was Greek to me!

One thing they did talk to me about was being upset how popular the Rock and Roll performers were. I would just tell them that I still liked Fats Domino and a few others, and they would laugh about it. Frank Rosolino especially. Saw they couldn't change my mind, when to them that music was just the worst. It was funny really.

[Munch]

Saundra,
Enjoy your posts. You really must get all your jazz memories down on paper, if not in book form, then in article form. I am sure they would be read with great interest in one of the many jazz magazines.
I dug all that west coast jazz that came winging it's way from The Lighthouse. A particular favourite track of mine has long been, 'Morgan Davis', with some fine solo's by Milt Bernhardt, Bob Cooper, Jimmy Guiffre, and Hampton Hawes.

[Saundra Hummer]

Originally posted by Munch
Saundra,
Enjoy your posts. You really must get all your jazz memories down on paper, if not in book form, then in article form. I am sure they would be read with great interest in one of the many jazz magazines.
I dug all that west coast jazz that came winging it's way from The Lighthouse. A particular favourite track of mine has long been, 'Morgan Davis', with some fine solo's by Milt Bernhardt, Bob Cooper, Jimmy Guffre, and Hampton Hawes.

Hello Munch!!!

Thank you for your interest. It has really been fun going back over things in my mind!

I have just forgotten so much, it would be a shame to get it wrong, and think someone played something they didn't, etc.

I'm not exagarating when I say I was away for it too long, I really was. It was just impossible for me to keep up with it, as much as I missed it. Having my album collection taken really hurt how much I was able to remember over the years, as I wasn't able to listen to anyone anymore, and keep a face on the artist.

There are a few of course that one never forgets, or I guess I should say several.

I was just a kid going through some tough times, fighting to save my leg, which the doctors wanted to amputate, and I was fighting that with everything that I had in me, and thank goodness I had the Lighthouse to go to as it was so great it would take my mind off of that, and I was able to really enjoy myself, not that I didn't enjoy myself swimming, going on surfing trips to Malibu, Laguna, and Doheney, riding my bike on the strand, and taking my dog on long walks along the ocean. He was white with a long coat, a Samoyed, and at night when the moon was full, and the stars were out, he looked like he had a million stars on his coat, as it glistened from the saltwater spray. It was all great fun. Just had some difficult times once in a while, and when I did, the Lighthouse was my buddy!

Got into UCLA, and the doctors there worked wonders, and they were able to help me a lot.

Frank Rosolino danced his happpy dance when he saw I was finally off of my crutches.

I'm sure there are more people out there with more knowledge of the place than me. I just know it was really important to me, even though I am sure I must have driven them crazy at times. Hope I didn't but almost know for sure that I did once in a while!

A friend of ours, down there was really into music, and did some concerts. He still lives in Hermosa, or did the last time I talked to him. He put on the concerts with some of the legends of Rock and Roll, like Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, etc. He then went on to talk Judy Garland into coming back, and he put on her concerts at the Shrine. His name is Mike Casino, and he is the one that should write a book, lots of funny experiences. He started doing this at a really early age, just in his twenties, and maybe some of the Rock and Roll concerts in his teens, not real sure, but it seems that he was that young! He started puting these on at the Hermosa Biltmore, which has been torn down and is no longer there, just a parking lot now. Ah, progress!

Thank you for your nice comments! Your favorites are mine also, along with some others of course, Ray Brown, Frank Rosolino, Art Pepper, Dizzy G., Charlie Parker, and on and on. Just liked so many of them, and will probably never hear the likes of them again. Don't we old ones always say this?

[brownie]

Originally posted by Saundra Hummer

"Old Europe" as in Rumsfield?? [/B]
Mais oui. Signed off that way the day Rumsfeld mentioned 'the Old Europe' continent.

Hey, Saundra, liked your posts about Miles at the Lighthouse

[Saundra Hummer]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by brownie

Mais oui. Signed off that way the day Rumsfeld mentioned 'the Old Europe' continent.

Hey, Saundra, liked your posts about Miles at the Lighthouse [/QU

Whew! My spelling is hurting!

[solarjazzband]

Saundra, you must have had a great jazz experience in your life! I wish I could have been there when all the magical jazz was going on which are now legends... But I'm going into the 21th century, so hopefully there will be also a lot of these concerts, that will be later 'legends'. :)

[Chris A.]

Here's a review Heaney didn't write. :D

Shameless plug (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/10/09/1065676092112.html)

[Hardbop]

It would be awful hard to write a review of a book I've never read and, to add insult to injury, have no plans to read any time soon. However, I must admit if I knew how much the now infamous Amazon.com review bothered you, I might have moved "Bessie" up on my reading list just so I could pan it over there. Some day.

I must say I was impressed to see the copies of the Smith tome in various bookstores in Manhattan. In fact, yesterday there were four of five copies in Tower Lincoln Square Store, hard by Winnie's digs. They are no doubt still there today as I stuck copies of that Frank Stewart book about Wynton "Sweet Swing Blues on the Road" in front of the Smith books so no one would see them. Some sort of symmetry there.

[Philip]

HB you claimed to have bought secondhand (and read) Chris' Bessie a while ago. Now you are denying all knowledge...

[Hardbop]

Originally posted by Philip
HB you claimed to have bought secondhand (and read) Chris' Bessie a while ago. Now you are denying all knowledge...

You are wrong. I wrote I bought a used copy of Aljerkoff's tome (before the super, revised volume was released by the way.) However, I never said I read it.

[wjd]

"The Trouble With Cinderella" by Artie Shaw is a great book.

[AllOrNothingAtAll]

"[I] have no plans to read ['Bessie'] any time soon. However, I must admit if I knew how much the now infamous Amazon.com review bothered [Chris Albertson], I might have moved "Bessie" up on my reading list just so I could pan it over there." [Hardbop]

Whatever one's criticisms of Albertson as an interlocutor, why would anyone be so foolish to reveal his intellectual dishonesty in anticpating reading a book with a prejudgement against it?

[Bill Barton]

Originally posted by David H
Hans

Interesting to hear that the review of the Matheison books were not favourable. I suppose it depends on what the person is looking for in the book. I'd say that for the jazz fan with an in-depth knowledge of the biographies and works of the musicians they would find nothing new or of interest in the books. However, someone seeking a good primer that provides two good overviews of the post-war to early 60s jazz scene these could be ideal. I also liked the chapters devoted to each musician and an useful recommended listening list of their work. A sad fact we have to face is that quite a few of our favourite musicians (an example for me is Kenny Dorham, who's music I love) are fringe figures more or less forgotten by the music buying/listening population, a chapter in a book is better than nothing at all.

David

Some valid points here, but a "good primer" should be accurate, and Cookin' is packed with misinformation.

Here's the original version (pre-editing) of the combination review I wrote of Rat Race Blues and Cookin' for Signal to Noise. The McCann errors are just the tip of the iceberg...



Rat Race Blues: The Musical Life of Gigi Gryce
By Noal Cohen and Michael Fitzgerald
© 2002 Berkeley Hills Books (436 pages)

Cookin’: Hard Bop and Soul Jazz 1954-65
By Kenny Mathieson
© 2002 Canongate Books (376 pages)


Rat Race Blues: The Musical Life of Gigi Gryce has established a new standard against which all future jazz biographies must be judged. The authors did a voluminous amount of obviously meticulous research to compile this book, and put the results together in a very readable and cogent format. 61 original interviews with Gryce’s family, friends and colleagues are listed prior to the introduction, and are conveniently coded to reference the extensive quotes that tie the chronological narrative together. Many of the quotes appear to be essentially verbatim, lending a conversational unaffectedness to the flow of the text. The bibliography cites an additional 41 books or magazine articles, and 21 discographies or reference materials. Two appendices list all of Gryce’s recorded and unrecorded compositions and the complete holdings of his publishing companies. A comprehensive discography is also included. It’s too bad Gryce’s close friend and frequent musical associate didn’t receive treatment as encyclopedic and evenhanded in Nick Catalano’s Clifford Brown: The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter, a flawed and inconclusive work that covers much of the same territory. Benny Golson’s foreword demonstrates eloquence with the written word that rivals his prodigious talent as a writer and arranger of music. Perhaps an autobiography is in order?
As Cohen and Fitzgerald state in the epilogue, “Despite the fact that he was able to collaborate with the greatest artists of his era, Gigi Gryce seemed an outsider in his chosen field of jazz. His polite, formal manner was established early on… While he was able find a few like-minded colleagues, Gryce refused to give in to the pressures of the commercial world to any meaningful extent or to reconcile his ideals with the harsh realities of the music business.” Like Brownie, Gryce was an anomaly among the hard-living, hard-drinking, often chemically dependent musicians of the bop and hard bop era. As the authors point out in the introduction, “He didn’t smoke. He didn’t drink. He wasn’t involved with drugs… He was serious, quiet, secretive, and very much concerned with the business aspects of music and the inability of musicians and composers to reap the proper rewards from their creations… His efforts as a music publisher were bold and groundbreaking but, sadly, contributed to his downfall and premature withdrawal from a very productive career.” In the early 1960s, he withdrew from the jazz world, cutting himself off from any contact with former colleagues (even his musician brother Tommy) and was able to “reinvent himself as a superb public-school teacher who commanded the respect and admiration of students, teachers, and parents alike.” He was known only by his Muslin name, Basheer Qusim, during this latter phase, and in fact, C.E.S. #53, the last school he taught at in the Bronx, was subsequently renamed the Basheer Qusim/G. G. Gryce School in his honor. “This plaque [at the school] is the only reminder of Gryce’s presence there. Though Gryce is one of the few jazz musicians to be honored with such a dedication, it was not his jazz career that prompted the renaming. Nearly two decades later, even his educational accomplishments have largely been forgotten, as new students and faculty take their places at the school.” The authors go into great detail about his transition from jazz musician to educator, and lay to rest once and for all the rumors that coursed through New York’s jazz community at the time.
Readers in search of analysis and insights into Gryce’s lamentably short but enormously prolific career as musician, composer, arranger, mentor, creative catalyst and music publisher will not be disappointed. The authors succeed admirably in the daunting task of putting it all in the context of his background and paradoxical personality, providing clarity where only innuendo and postulation existed before. This quote from Cohen’s interview with saxophonist Bob Mover provides a fitting coda here: “The world is waiting to discover Gigi in a way. His compositions have a quality just as Mingus’s compositions have a quality. Just because Gigi leads you by the hand and Mingus grabs you by the throat doesn’t make one superior to the other…”

Cookin’: Hard Bop and Soul Jazz 1954-65 is very different. Presumably aimed at listeners new to the music, Kenny Mathieson attempts to provide an overview of the era. His glowing enthusiasm comes through in some evocative turns of phrase, but Cookin’ is full of factual errors and questionable assertions. Why – for instance – is an entire chapter dedicated to the Modern Jazz Quartet? Their connection to hard bop or soul jazz is peripheral at best, and he spends much of the chapter painting a picture of Milt Jackson as a blues-based master improviser adrift in The Third Stream. “Soul jazz” is by very definition a populist branch of the tree, and many of its primary exponents are mentioned only in passing or not at all. The Jazz Crusaders are conspicuously missing. The Three Sounds get a few sentences, but only in connection with Nat Adderley’s Branching Out album, and in the chapter focusing on Lou Donaldson and Stanley Turrentine. Les McCann is referred to as a “soul-jazz organ star” on page 229, again as an ”organist” on page 267, and credited “on piano rather than organ” in the discussion of Turrentine’s That’s Where It’s At. Has Mathieson actually listened to the albums he discusses? It seems unlikely in this case, as McCann was primarily a pianist, and only dabbled in other keyboards much later in his career. It would take about 3,000 more words than allotted to list the errors in the Lee Morgan/Hank Mobley chapter alone. To his credit, Mathieson did his homework in the Gigi Gryce section, not repeating previously published misinformation, and crediting Cohen and Fitzgerald as sources. Anyone with a computer, an Internet connection, and access to liner notes could glean the same information in a couple of hours. This is a cut-and-paste approach to jazz journalism. Don’t waste your money.

[peter rh]

from BBC website :http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/music/muze/index.pl?site=music&action=biography&artist_id=28007
"Fortunately, one of the books, Chris Albertson's Bessie, is an immaculately researched and well-written account of the life, times and music of one of the greatest figures in the history of American music."
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Copyright Muze UK Ltd. 1989 - 2002
No fee required Chris! ;)

[EKE BBB]

This "poor" (I know) review is mine, peter ;)

Just finished "Bessie Smith. Revised and expanded edition"

All I can say is that, after reading Chris Albertson´s book I will never be able to listen to Bessie´s recordings the same way!

It´s an interesting and well documented research, full of first-hand interviews (wow, Ruby had an amazing memory).

But, furthermore, it´s written with much more than great respect and appreciation for Bessie: I would say it´s a "love affair".

Besides the technical and critical (in a good sense, of course ;) ) comments on Bessie´s recording dates and gigs, you find many, many wonderful anecdotes, many personal affairs, narrated with innocence, naivety... (sorry if these are not apropiate English words to express it)

The best jazz/blues biography I´ve ever read, for sure! Well, pardon my impetuosity. I´m not a critic, so I only dare say it´s been the most interesting and fascinating one...

I highly recommend it!
(and I don´t get commission from Chris, don´t you think... :D )

[Mini_Miles]

I am reading So What - the Miles Davis biography by John Szwed and love it!

Kim xx

[jazzcritic]

Wilie Ruff's autobiography Call to Assembly: The Autobiography of a Jazzman

Milt Hinton: Bass Line

Anything by Gary Giddins, Martin Williams, and Gene Lees.

Bill Crow: Jazz Anecdotes

are among my favorites...

[Paul Secor]

A second to Four Lives in the Bebop Business by A.B. Spellman, mentioned by SEK.
Some other favorites:
if you know of a better life! please tell ME. and You Don't Look Like a Musician, both very entertaining collections of anecdotes by Bud Freeman.
Notes from a Battered Grand by Don Asher. Don Asher co-wrote Hampton Hawes' autobiography, Raise Up Off Me, and is also a jazz pianist. Notes is a look at the life of a jazz musician from the point of view of a journeyman.
John Litweiler: Ornette Coleman - A Harmolodic Life.
William Zinsser: Willie and Dwike. A well written look at the interesting lives of Willie Ruff and Dwike Mitchell.
And a book of photographs - The Sound I Saw by Roy DeCarava. The title says it all.

[tkeables]

Whitney Balliett's "Collected Works: A Journal of Jazz 1954-2000" (St. Martin's Press, 2000) is thouroughly enjoyable, offering sampples of the author's criticism and commentary in chronological order. It is as much a presentation on the evolution of the music as it is of Balliett as a writer and ardent jazz fan.

[peter rh]

a useful website to checkout available Jazz books of every kind
http://www.jazzscript.co.uk/

"a web site devoted to jazz and the written word. We stock over 600 books on jazz"

General history, biographies,reference,photography,jazz artwork & searches plus new and
forthcoming titles

[Fender Rhodes Freak]

The other day I picked up Chasin' The Bird: The Life And Legacy Of Charlie Parker at my local library. The author who wrote it is an English bloke by the name of Brian Priestley. While I think the author did a good job of chronicling Parker's life and subsequent demise, he is guilty of over-analyzing the subject matter at times. I really don't want to know the lurid details of Parker's drug addictions; I'd rather know about the way the music was made.

[Ornate Coalman]

"I'd rather know about the way the music was made"
Only listening to it will tell you that. A biography is supposed to give you info that the music cannot; not just describe the records.

[Paul Chambers]

Everybody who wants to know more about Blue Note Records should read the biography about the label which was founded in 1939. But I would recomment it only to real jazz fans because it'll be only interesting for those who are really interested in this stuff.

And Miles Davis Autobiography. I could read it twice, it's so amazing this book!

[EdByrne]

Has anyone mentioned Stan Getz: A Life in Jazz? It's a great read.

I've just finished a book of outrageous stories about my experiences with such well-knowns as Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, James Brown, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Percip, the BGs, and a great many more, called The Sublime and the Ridiculous: War Stories from a Jazz Life; but I'm afraid to release it for fear of being sued. The stories are funny--and tragic. Anyone have any thoughts?

[peter rh]

Has anyone mentioned Stan Getz: A Life in Jazz? It's a great read.

I've just finished a book of outrageous stories about my experiences with such well-knowns as Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, James Brown, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Percip, the BGs, and a great many more, called The Sublime and the Rediculous: War Stories from a Jazz Life; but I'm afraid to release it for fear of being sued. The stories are funny--and tragic. Anyone have any thoughts?
The Sublime and the Rediculous may attract ridicule :wink2:

[EdByrne]

The Sublime and the Ridiculous may attract ridicule :wink2:

OK Peter, it was a typo: I fixed it. No thoughts other than that?

[peter rh]

Ed - I'm not really sure how important titles are for books. I can understand
the need for "short" "punchy" "eye catching" etc, but are good titles, anything
other than good titles ? If your book contains both "funny and tragic" how about -
War Stories from a Jazz Life : Funny & Tragic
I'm sure a publisher will have many more ideas (good & bad!)

[EdByrne]

Ed - I'm not really sure how important titles are for books. I can understand
the need for "short" "punchy" "eye catching" etc, but are good titles, anything
other than good titles ? If your book contains both "funny and tragic" how about -
War Stories from a Jazz Life : Funny & Tragic
I'm sure a publisher will have many more ideas (good & bad!)

Peter,

Thanks for the title suggestion: It very well may be better than mine. I'm going to seriously consider it. My bigger concern, however, is about getting sued. I'm sure a publisher will advise, but I'm still concerned about pissing people--or their relatives--off and having it come back on me. If I edit the spiciest stuff out, it will be effectively emasculated. Then there is the issue of my part in these episodes. . . Nonetheless, I think a lot of people will like it and buy it. Everyone who has seen a draft has liked it, and I've told these stories verbally for years, so I know it goes over.

[papsrus]

Clinton Forray writes:
Graham Locke's book on Braxton gave me a deeper understanding of what the man is all about.

Couldn't agree more. I just finished reading it and I found it to be instructive and at times charmingly amusing book.

[BeBop]

Man, you guys must be on a different plane on that Braxton book. I had to read it twice to make a bit of sense of it...and then it was only a bit!

[JazzNote]

the best jazz book i ever read is

HEAR ME TALKIN' TO YA
by Nat Shapiro and Nat Hentoff

though it was published in 1955, it is the stuff that lasts forever! musicians talking about other musicans, stories, incidents, their experiences in business and so on.

JazzNote

[Liebo]

Ashley Kahn's books about A Love Supreme and Kind of Blue were both excellent.

As far as the history of jazz and artists, A Rough Guide to Jazz is probably one of the best books. It is an encyclopedia of jazz artists and includes biographies and reviews of their recommended work. Its a great way to get into new artists for people who are relatively new to jazz. It is roughly 930 pages and has a ton of information in it. It also has a glossary of many jazz terms in the back for further understanding.

[jav]

I'm wondering what the status of Ed Byrn's book is? By the way, I much prefer his original title- THE SUBLIME AND THE RIDICULOUS: WAR STORIES FROM A JAZZ LIFE.

[bamacrazy]

Reading Jazz: A Gathering of Autobiography, Reportage, and Criticism from 1919 to Now. Editor Robert Gottlieb; Pantheon Books, 1996

A fantastic book! I'm currently rereading it. Enjoy!

[Tenorman]

This arrived in on an e-mail from one of the Jazz Promotional companies. Being an Ian Carr fan, the last one is going on my list





August 31, 2006




To: Listings/Critics/Features
From: Jazz Promo Services


Equinox Publishing’s new book series, Popular Music History, edited by Jazz expert

Alyn Shipton, available in North America exclusively through:

The David Brown Book Co.
PO Box 511 (28 Main Street)
Oakville CT 06779

Toll-free: 800 791 9354
Tel: 860 945 9329
Fax: 860 945 9468
Email: david.brown.bk.co@snet.net

Web: http://www.oxbowbooks.com


Or to Rest-of-World customers, directly through Equinox Publishing:

Equinox Publishing Ltd.

Unit Six, The Village

101 Amies St.

London SW11 2JW

Tel/Fax: +44 (0)20 7350 2836

http://www.equinoxpub.com/


About the series: Popular Music History publishes books that challenge established orthodoxies in popular music studies, examine the formation and dissolution of canons, interrogate histories of genres, focus on previously neglected forms, or engage in archaeologies of popular music.

Edited by Alyn Shipton, author of A New History of Jazz (Continuum, Winner of the 2001 Jazz Journalists Award for Best Book on Jazz).


Titles in this series:


Forthcoming October 2006:

LEE MORGAN: His Life, Music and Culture, by Tom Perchard

This is the first biography of the jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan (1938-72). He was a prodigy: recruited to Dizzy Gillespie's big band while still a teenage and joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers not much after; by his early 20s, Morgan had played on four continents and dozens of albums. The trumpeter would go on to cultivate a personal and highly influential style, and to make records - most notably The Sidewinder - which would sell amounts almost unheard of in jazz. While what should have been Morgan's most successful years were hampered by a heroin addiction, the ascendant black liberation movement of the late-60s gave the musician a new, political impulse, and he returned to the jazz scene to become a vociferous campaigner for black musicians' rights and representation. But Morgan's personal life remained troubled, and during a fight with his girlfriend at a New York club, he was shot and killed at age 33.

Although Lee Morgan lived and died in sensational style, the story told in this book doesn't just stumble between stages, studios, bars and needles; such a narrative couldn't do justice to the richness of the trumpeter's music, nor to the culture from which it came. Here, then, the events of Morgan's life are presented not just as items of biography, but also as points of departure for wider historical investigations that aim to situate the musician and his contemporaries in changing aesthetic, social and economic contexts. The work draws on many original interviews with Morgan's colleagues and friends, as well as extensive archival research and critical engagement with the music itself.

256p (Equinox Publishing 2006); ISBN 1845532058. Hardback; Price US $29.95.

Available to order now! Simply click here: http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/61322/Location/DBBC


JAZZ VISIONS: Lennie Tristano and His Legacy, by Peter Ind

Reviews
‘Jazz Visions is a remarkable book which presents a fascinating double portrait of the subject and the author.’ - John Chilton, professional jazz trumpeter and writer on jazz

'This book is just what is needed to inform musicians, students, teachers, and historians around the world with an “up close and personal” view of the genius of jazz pianist/composer/teacher, Lennie Tristano. Bassist Peter Ind describes vividly how exciting it was to be living in New York City as a creative musician. Peter’s writing skills throughout will enlighten and entertain the novice and non-musician as well. The best part for me is that it was written by a great player who was there right in the thick of it all. - Rufus Reid, Jazz Bassist

'The Lennie Tristano story has needed telling for a long time. Who better than Peter Ind, who knew Lennie and his music probably better than anyone.' - Ira Gitler, doyen of New York jazz critics

192p, 12 b/w photos (Equinox 2005); ISBN 1845530454. Hardback. Price US $29.95

For more information on this title, click here: http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/60774/Location/DBBC


OUT OF THE LONG DARK : The Life of Ian Carr, by Alyn Shipton

Reviews
Out of the Long Dark is a worthy successor to Shipton's excellent earlier biography of Dizzy Gillespie. It will further educate a new generation of jazz fans with an appetite for delving back into earlier British jazz, and will please greatly many of those who grew up with Carr's music first time round. - Jazzwise

'Erudite, elegant and eloquent, Ian Carr is the John Gielgud of jazz.' - Michael Gibbs, composer and bandleader

Trumpeter, composer, bandleader and writer Ian Carr grew up in the north-east, and his music has always had an appropriately down-to-earth grittiness about it.
He has been a major force in British jazz for 40 years, and his story – stylishly and perceptively told by Alyn Shipton –also stands as a history of the music in this country over that period. - Yorkshire Post

256p, 24 b/w photos (Equinox Publishing 2006); ISBN 1845532228. Paperback. Price US $25.00.

For more information and to order this title, click here: http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/61324/Location/


To request a review copy or for any publicity related questions, please contact Krista Zimmer at krista.zimmer@dbbcdist.com

[WestUpperZombie]

the best jazz book i ever read is

HEAR ME TALKIN' TO YA
by Nat Shapiro and Nat Hentoff

though it was published in 1955, it is the stuff that lasts forever! musicians talking about other musicans, stories, incidents, their experiences in business and so on.

JazzNote

I'll endorse that. I read it first in the sixties and it really fired my imagination about early jazz. Everyone from Buddy Bolden to Miles Davis by musicians about musicians.
One of the books that I feel must be described as indispensable.

[skoobydude]

What does everyone think about Geoff Dyer's But Beautiful?

I quite enjoyed it.

[GrahamClark]

Paul F. Berliner's "Thinking in Jazz" has some of the best insights I have read into the jazz mind. It contains many snippets from interviews with great players, as well as analysis and musical excerpts.

My favourite

gc

[andyp]

What does everyone think about Geoff Dyer's But Beautiful?

I quite enjoyed it.

Absolutely loved it !

It's been a great way of introducing vaguely jazz receptive friends to the music too - good fun putting together a compilation to go with the narrative, so they can read and listen ...

Right there with Graham about "Thinking in Jazz" too - a lot of it is way over my head, but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless !

[skoobydude]

Absolutely loved it !

Oh thanks.
I've discussed it before online, and it mostly just got acrimoniously rejected along the lines of lacking credibility, authenticity, politics, blah blah blah....none of which was what it was actually about. I'd summarise it perhaps as another (literary) way of communicating the jazz aesthetic. And theres nowt wrong with that. In fact its quite interesting.

[EdByrne]

Paul F. Berliner's "Thinking in Jazz" has some of the best insights I have read into the jazz mind. It contains many snippets from interviews with great players, as well as analysis and musical excerpts.

My favourite

gc

Excellent book! One of the best books ever written on any aspect of jazz. Berliner is a fine scholar in his own right: Pulitzer Prize winner.

[andyp]

Oh thanks.
I've discussed it before online, and it mostly just got acrimoniously rejected along the lines of lacking credibility, authenticity, politics, blah blah blah....none of which was what it was actually about. I'd summarise it perhaps as another (literary) way of communicating the jazz aesthetic. And theres nowt wrong with that. In fact its quite interesting.

I agree - lots of interesting stuff in there, about the nature of jazz, photography, the sound itself as well as the anecdotes - all linked together with the lovely Duke/Harry Carney (I think!) segments

[jagua]

I like to read more Jazz books,some of my favorite books i mentioned below,

Jazz:The First century
Leader ship jazz
Singers and the song
Brick top
Hip cat

[Paul Chambers]

I didn't go over the previous nine pages, so the book I recomment might have been mentioned a few times already, but anyways.

Miles - Autobiography (Just a joy to read it, the best jazz book out there!!!)

[Chris A]

It may be the best to some, "PC," but it is probably the most inaccurate account of Miles' life that's out there--a cut-and-paste job by Quincy Troupe that would have done Leslie Gourse proud. Don't blame Miles for this disaster, the culprit is Troupe, who did the writing and distorted the facts to suit himself. He exaggerates his own friendship with Miles and even routinely alters what Miles said on the tapes, so even the quotes are not to be believed. Troupe's follow-up book, "Miles and Me," is even more self-serving and dishonest.

There are good books on Miles out there, the latest being John Szwed's "So What." but the so-called "autobiography" is a sorry literary rip-off.

[jazzcritic]

Troupe's "Autobiography of Miles Davis" was a piece of shit, period. I don't think I ever bothered to finish reading it.

[Sal Sprezzatura]

Troupe's "Autobiography of Miles Davis" was a piece of shit, period.

:lol: I'm glad to see your gift for getting to the essence of a subject isn't confined to the KKJZ forum, jazzcritic!!

[Zed Omega]

Being a rather rabid Bill Evans fan I’ve read Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings, by Peter Pettinger & Bill Evans: Everything Happens to Me -- A Musical Biography by by Keith Shadwick.

However I haven’t read any other Jazz artist bios. Still not sure who I want to try next.

[gregk]

The recently published Miles Davis Downbeat Reader is a great read, collecting most of the articles, features (including Blindfold Tests) and reviews pertaining to Miles that appeared over the years.

[Vic J]

Lewis Porter"s Biography of J. Coltrane is one of the best......

[bluenote82]

I own several great jazz books. Here are a few of my favorites:

Jazz: Photographs of the Masters
History of Jazz
Voices in Jazz Guitar
So What: The Story of Miles Davis
Trumpet Kings: The Players Who Shaped the Sound of Jazz Trumpet
Horizons Touched: The Music of ECM

[jlhoots]

Andy Hamilton's book on Lee Konitz is excellent.

[So What]

Has anyone read either of these:

"Miles Davis, Miles Smiles and the Invention of Post Bop" by Jeremy Yudkin
"Miles, Ornette, Cecil: Jazz Beyond Jazz" by Howard Mandel

I just had these ordered at the library I work for and look forward to reading them.

[TedCheverton]

Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia I couldn't live without it.