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"The City Was Yellow: Chicago Jazz And Improvised Music 1980-2010"


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6 minutes ago, BillF said:

When I hear the words "Chicago jazz" I think of the period from King Oliver to Von Freeman. Does Mike Reed's post-1980 remit mean the city's music before this time has already been well documented?

I don't think there is a comprehensive book devoted to Chicago jazz from 1930-1980, but Larry Kart or another poster w/Chicago connections might know of one.  William Kenney's book covers 1904-1930.

Aaron Cohen says he believes Reed's book will be available for sale after June 30 through the Jazz Institute of Chicago's website.  Here's a link to it that includes all of the events they have planned for their 50th birthday celebration:

Jazz Institute of Chicago

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My understanding is that It's not a normal book per se, but an anthology of recordings and (I believe)  scores for those carefully chosen representative pieces, with accompanying descriptions/background material on those pieces and artists. I wrote about Josh Berman and his piece, and likewise about Keefe Jackson, Mike Reed, Rich Corpolongo and their pieces. John Litweiler and others wrote about other artists and pieces. Actually, I'm not entirely sure whether the pieces will be represented by their original recordings or recordings of them by the fine band that Reed assembled to play some of those pieces at a concert last winter. I contributed about 800-1,000 words on each artist and piece I wrote about; I assume that other contributors did the same. I don't have the full list of artists and pieces in front of me, but IIRC there were about 25-30 in all. I expect it will be a handsome effort. 

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This makes it clearer: 

A release event for the “real book” anthology compiled by drummer, composer, and presenter Mike Reed. Containing fifty transcribed compositions, newly contributed bios, and insightful candid photography, the collection is “a soundtrack for a city that was yellow, illuminated by the hue of high-pressure sodium street lamps.”

In cooperation with the Jazz Institute of Chicago, all proceeds from the sale of the new book will benefit the ongoing educational programs of the Institute. To celebrate, Reed and colleagues play music and video to discuss compositions in (and not in) the book, as well as music made in (and about) Chicago. 

 

So no less than "fifty transcribed compositions," not recordings of them (those are commercially available in almost every case), with bios, etc. The analogy is to the familiar "real book," but a "real book" that is done right (i.e. done accurately, not done half-assed) and that is aimed at celebrating, and perpetuating for further use, the music of the Chicago jazz scene 1980-2010.

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On 6/24/2019 at 11:49 AM, JSngry said:

What would take their place, if there was ever to be that?

https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/3/8/18254833/chicago-street-lighting-orange-glow

16 minutes ago, jlhoots said:

I'm interested in this - BUT not in the sheet music. How much of the book is devoted to that?

Don't know -- haven't seen the book yet .

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2 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

This debate comes up every time LEDs are slated to replace sodium lighting. The LEDs definitely take some getting used to (when the streetlights on our street were updated, I initially thought it made everything in the area look like a prison yard at night), but it's hard to see the change as anything but inevitable - they put out more/brighter light, they last much longer, and they use far less energy.

Oh, and Jim, I did the same swapout over our kitchen sink, and my wife was not happy at all. They definitely stand out compared to the remaining incandescent bulbs in the kitchen. In retrospect, I should've probably done a bit more research on the color temperature before buying.

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14 hours ago, jlhoots said:

I'm interested in this - BUT not in the sheet music. How much of the book is devoted to that?

14 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Got the book last night. About half is sheet music.

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