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One O'Clock Jump : The Unforgettable History of the Oklahoma City Blue Devils

by Douglas Henry Daniels

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Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Beacon Press (due out on January 2, 2005)

ISBN: 0807071366

Editorial Reviews (from amazon.com)

The only book on the legendary band that included Lester Young, Count Basie, and Ralph Ellison

The Blue Devils have received very little attention from jazz historians, though the band members and the writer Ralph Ellison (who sometimes sat in with them) spoke with conviction about their sterling musicianship and their legendary ability to defeat all competitors in battles of the bands. In a literal sense, the band survived for ten years, from its founding in 1923 to its demise in 1933. In a figurative sense, the band continued for more than half a century because, as members Jimmy Rushing, Lester "Prez" Young, Oran "Hot Lips" Page, and Count Basie became jazz legends, their "apprenticeship" in the Blue Devils authenticated them as genuine jazzmen, real troupers ready to play for any and all occasions. Even as their fame grew, they always remained true to the group, believing, "Once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil."

Chronicling the ten years the band was officially together, with a peek at what the Devils became after they disbanded, Douglas H. Daniels provides a corrective to most accounts of musical groups. He delves into the potent social and cultural history of the Depression to show its influence on the group"s founding as well as on the players" careers. This meticulously researched history of an iconic jazz band rescues them from undeserved obscurity and clears away the fog of neglect.

Praise for Douglas H. Daniels´s Lester Leaps In:

"A groundbreaking account of one of the great figures of twentieth-century music and the rich cultural heritage that made a Lester Young and this wonderful art possible." —Robin D. G. Kelley, author of Freedom Dreams and Yo" Mama"s Disfunktional!

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"A somewhat complicated idea (with no sound evidence) for a book... "

Not sure what this means - can you explain? My only other comment would be that if Robin DG Kelley liked his other book, than I'm already wary...

Allen, I am looking forward to Robin's Monk biography. Curious to hear why you are wary of his review,

BTW if the "other book" is Daniels' Lester Young bio, I have to saythat I have very mixed feelings about it. Sure, it is full of interesting data, but I found instances where Daniels accepted stories far too readily, and obviously did not check them--this makes [i[me wary of that book, in general.

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I'm not a big fan of Kelley's work - he really doesn't, from what I've seen, know or understand very much about jazz (anyone ever read his article about Miles as sartorial model for pimps?) He's a guy who has latched onto jazz as an aspect of "cultural studies," and made a career of it, who loves to talk about a lot of sociology, but who really has next to no knowledge of the actual music. Just my opinion -

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  • 1 year later...

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