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Wrapped up Achebe's Arrow of God, completing my pass through the "African Trilogy."  My favorite of the three was No Longer at Ease.

Just starting in on Ovid's Metamorpheses.  While the Humphries is still my favorite translation, this time around I'm also going to take a look at Melville (Oxford) as well as Golding (Shakespeare worked from this translation).

 

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"Fifties Jazz Talk" by Gordon Jack.

What other book has loads of stories about obscure musicians like Tony Fruscella and Don Joseph?  Who knew that Don Joseph was Gerry Mulligan's favorite trumpet player (other than Chet), and that he was supposed to be the trumpet player in the sextet that Mulligan formed in 1955, but he just didn't show up, so he had to get Idrees Sullieman.

Or that Getz phoned the A&R man the day after they recorded "The Girl From Ipanema", to make sure that Astrud Gilberto didn't get any kind of deal on the hit record, and that all the money went to Getz.

Although I have some records with Frank Isola playing drums on them, I had no idea that he was considered one of the most respected drummers in NY.

I'm only up to page 70, but this has got to be one of the best collections of oral history on jazz musicians of the 50s ever compiled into one book.

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1 hour ago, sgcim said:

"Fifties Jazz Talk" by Gordon Jack.

What other book has loads of stories about obscure musicians like Tony Fruscella and Don Joseph?  Who knew that Don Joseph was Gerry Mulligan's favorite trumpet player (other than Chet), and that he was supposed to be the trumpet player in the sextet that Mulligan formed in 1955, but he just didn't show up, so he had to get Idrees Sullieman.

Or that Getz phoned the A&R man the day after they recorded "The Girl From Ipanema", to make sure that Astrud Gilberto didn't get any kind of deal on the hit record, and that all the money went to Getz.

Although I have some records with Frank Isola playing drums on them, I had no idea that he was considered one of the most respected drummers in NY.

I'm only up to page 70, but this has got to be one of the best collections of oral history on jazz musicians of the 50s ever compiled into one book.

Good book! There's a thread somewhere ...

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2 hours ago, sgcim said:

"Fifties Jazz Talk" by Gordon Jack.

What other book has loads of stories about obscure musicians like Tony Fruscella and Don Joseph?  Who knew that Don Joseph was Gerry Mulligan's favorite trumpet player (other than Chet), and that he was supposed to be the trumpet player in the sextet that Mulligan formed in 1955, but he just didn't show up, so he had to get Idrees Sullieman.

Or that Getz phoned the A&R man the day after they recorded "The Girl From Ipanema", to make sure that Astrud Gilberto didn't get any kind of deal on the hit record, and that all the money went to Getz.

Although I have some records with Frank Isola playing drums on them, I had no idea that he was considered one of the most respected drummers in NY.

I'm only up to page 70, but this has got to be one of the best collections of oral history on jazz musicians of the 50s ever compiled into one book.

Excellent book.

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17 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Excellent book.

Best line in the book so far: Don Joseph on being kicked out of most big bands in NYC for general carousing, and exiled from Charlie's for bumming one too many drinks, yells out to Charlie from outside the bar, 

"Hey, Charlie, it's me, Don Joseph. I'm banned from bars, and barred from bands!"

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817P2Wo44mL.jpg

The most memorable part for me - and I suppose it's true - is how the youthful Benny went into the Messengers and reformed them, first getting Art to fire the existing members (not named, but I'm guessing Hardman, Dockery and DeBrest) and replacing them with fellow Philadelphians Morgan, Timmons and Merritt, Art allegedly at first saying, "What's this Philadelphia shit?" :lol: Benny then re-writes the book, telling Art he needs tunes like "Moanin'" and "Blues March". He then plans the famous Blue Note album and tells Art a European trip is essential, so they go to Paris...

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13 hours ago, BillF said:

817P2Wo44mL.jpg

The most memorable part for me - and I suppose it's true - is how the youthful Benny went into the Messengers and reformed them, first getting Art to fire the existing members (not named, but I'm guessing Hardman, Dockery and DeBrest) and replacing them with fellow Philadelphians Morgan, Timmons and Merritt, Art allegedly at first saying, "What's this Philadelphia shit?" :lol: Benny then re-writes the book, telling Art he needs tunes like "Moanin'" and "Blues March". He then plans the famous Blue Note album and tells Art a European trip is essential, so they go to Paris...

And the rest, as they say...😄

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On 19/06/2019 at 1:01 AM, Brad said:

IMG_0953-L.jpg

That looks intriguing

I'm just finishing this. Enjoyable enough read but strikes as quite superficial and betrays the it's culled from so many sources. Taught me things I didn't know about the period that just predates me. I've grown up with its influence. A good primer, perhaps.

41b9SJAyquL._SX325_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

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The Most Heartless Town in Canada by Elaine McCluskey

A look at some outcasts from a small town in Nova Scotia.  Not entirely sure where it is going.

Probably after this The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra.

At some point I'll have to read Lincoln in the Bardo as my director gave me his copy.

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