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garthsj
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Posts posted by garthsj
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Garth my friend - fewer books, more music. B)
Chuck.. indulge me please.. just two more...
This is quite rare ... it is an early Marxist interpretation, almost Burnsian in its concentration on jazz as the product of the black experience, but otherwise the historical chronology is pretty standard "up the river from New orleans" sort of stuff. There is, as indicated on the jacket blurb, a strong "exploitation of Negroes" thematic treatment. JAZZ: A PEOPLE'S MUSIC, The Citadel Press, N.Y., 1952.
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..... and finally .... here is one classic that should not be overlooked. It still offers a spirited examination of how jazz developed into a major art and entertainment in the period up to the mid 1950s. This copy is very dear to my heart, as it was signed and sent to me as a 17 year-old by Professor Stearns in response to a letter that I had sent to him, which he had published in Metronome Magazine, much to my surprise and delight. Marshall Stearns, THE STORY OF JAZZ, Oxford University Press, 1956.
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The theme of the influence of jazz on white Americans was first discussed in some (sane) detail by Neil Leonard in the early 1960s. By the time I took a course in American Studies with him when I was a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania in the early 1970s, he had lost most of his interest in the topic of jazz .. bummer! But this is still a provocative book ... JAZZ AND THE WHITE AMERICANS: THE ACCEPTANCE OF A NEW ART FORM, Uuniversity of Chicago Press, 1962.
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The issue of the acceptance of jazz into a "white America" is a frequent theme. Here is a one contribution, THE JAZZ REVOLUTION: Twenties America and the Meaning of Jazz, (Oxford UP, 1989).
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Here is another that takes the rather mundane subject of the history of swing bands, and discusses its significance in the context of Depression America with its complex compost of politics, economics, race, and popular culture. In Stowe's thesis Swing becomes a major component of maintaining social unity during the years of WWII. A really good read .....
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Believe me, it is difficult to write what might be termed "compelling" social history. Unless the author comes up with a dramatic new thesis, interpretation, or data, the resulting work is likely to leave the knowledgable reader with a sense of "Hell, I know this already!" I think that is the problem here ... most of you on this board are extremely knowledgeable about jazz in all of its aspects (I have been enormously impressed in my short time here), and thus it might be difficult to come up with something that is likely to make you sit up and take notice. (One again, Ken Burns's documentary annoyed the cognoscenti, not the ignoscenti).
I hope that these scans of books in my collection are not annoying ... I love book design, and I thought that I would share with you some of the recent (and a few older classic) social histories of jazz which I would recommend as making significant contributions to our greater understanding of the role of jazz in shaping modern society.
This book is highly recommended, and does offer a very original interpretation: SWINGING THE MACHINE: Modernity, Technology, and African American Culture Between The World Wars, University of Massachusetts Press, 2003.
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Garth, are you familiar with the writings of Ekkehard Jost? I have a German book by him titled "Social History of Jazz in the USA," which is really very good. I was wondering whether there are more such social-historical approaches to jazz history.
Apart from "Free Jazz," Jost's own work has only been published in German I believe.
I am aware of Jost's book, which has a fine reputation, but my German language skills do not allow me to read it. I wonder if there will ever be an English translation .. what about you doing it Couw?
The "social history of jazz" is a subject that has a somewhat checkered history. In the past the issue revolved largely around issues of race, but in recent years there has been an interest in the development of jazz as a symbol of "modernization" in the twentieth century. I believe that there might have been a previous discussion of this issue in this forum, but I can't seem to locate it. In any case, this is a topic well worth further discussion. Unfortunately I do not have a lot of time at this precise moment, but as a start may I suggest the following recent book, which is provocative, engaging, annoying in places, but a worthy contribution to a reassessment of the role of jazz in modern culture.
Alfred Appel, JAZZ MODERNISM: FROM ELLINGTON AND ARMSTRONG TO MATISSE AND JOYCE, Knopf, 2002.
Garth.
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Speaking of James Clay .. it is unfortunate that "circumstances" surrounding the jazz life prevented him from making more albums during his lifetime. Both his tenor and flute playing were outstanding. I do not believe that anyone has yet mentioned his terrific work on Red Mitchell's first album "Presenting Red Mitchell" (Contemporary) ... where he is featured extensively, with Lorraine Geller, who also died young, on piano. This was the first time that I heard Clay, and that album became a favorite of mine. It is still available .. see below.
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...685&style=music
Garth.
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Not my thing. His treatment of Ayler is BS.
Simon Weil
As someone who writes large social histories as part of my profession, it is only fair to point out that no one author is capable of writing something as cosmic in its coverage as a "History of Jazz" and end up pleasing everyone. Each one of us will complain that some favorite musician or other has been given short shrift, and therefore we must assume that the rest of the book is worthless. For a personal example, how could Thomas Owens write a book entitled "Bebop: The Music and the Players," (Oxford UP, 1995), and have just two short references to Buddy DeFranco, neither of which discusses the clarinetist's contribution. I can provide literally hundreds of such examples dealing with other musicians in the many jazz histories now available. The point is that when you write a book that is this all-encompassing you have to make choices (like, God help him! Ken Burns had to do in his unfairly maligned television series). The Gioia book is very good, and his earlier volume "West Coast Jazz" (Oxford, 1992) being more specialized, is even better.
I have many jazz histories in my collection .. here is a very interesting, and opinionated, early one from 1955 .....
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No.. it is that question that every married jazz fan eventually faces: "Do you REALLY need another CD?"
Garth. (Been there, done that .. I now live alone..)
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FWIW, every time I visit Houston, I go to this used vinyl place that's upstairs in a kinda rickety house (the name & location escape me at the moment), and never, ever, leave empty-handed.
I wish that you could remember the name or location as I would like to visit it myself. Unless it is The Sound Exchange, which is in a rickety old house,on Alabama, but on the ground floor. You do have to climb steps to the porch, of course.
Garth.
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Tower? Tower? You have a Tower? We only dream of having a Tower...
(with apologies to Monty Python)
Garth,
Houston.
Hey Garth -
Can you point me towards some good jazz stores in Houston? I was there this past week, but the only place I checked out was one of the Soundwaves stores (the one on Montrose). Fairly good selection of new and used, I thought (though compared to Corpus Christi, your Wal-Marts probably have a better jazz selection).
Thanks,
Erik
Erik,
First let me confess that I buy ALL of my CDs from stores on the internet .. that should tell you something about the state of record shops in Houston. But, if browsing is your thing (and we all need to do that on occasion) then you should try the two Border's stores; one is on the 610 Loop south, the other is at Westheimer and Gessner. They usually have a very good selection, and bins of cut-outs. The Sound Exchange on Alabama in Montrose sometimes has some interesting used items. You have already discovered the Soundwave store, which also has good used items. A really good place is Alrecords on West Gray just east of Shepherd; Fred Alred who owns the store is a good man, however, being in River Oaks area he gets full price for his stuff, but he has an excellent selection. However, I have found over the years it is just easier to find what I want by going online.
I hope that helps ... we need a Tower, which for years was rumored to be coming to Houston ... but there is no chance now.
Garth.
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Thanks Chuck! My CD arrived today ... it is playing as I write this ... the sound is great! I really missed my LP, and this fills that gap ... thanks again for your effort to keep this music alive.
Garth.
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Where in Canada can you buy codeine? I grew up in Canada and don't ever recall being able to buy codeine over the counter. I must have missed something
Greg.. I am not sure that I want to encourage the consumption of codeine, but in Canada such products at "222's" and Anacin with Codeine, which contain 1/8th gr. codeine, are available over-the-counter in every drug store, and especially in the border cities. I should know, because in my wayward youth I was a product manager for Whitehall Laboratories, who manufacture Anacin. In places like Windsor, Fort Erie, Niagara Falls, etc. we would sell more codeine products than in cities like Toronto. The fact is that you would have to take at least 10-12 of these tablets to get the same "buzz" effect as taking a one prescription-only hydrocdone tablet in the U.S. Of course, if people are willing to distill shoe polish for a high, then taking 12 analgesic pills to get a codeine buzz is small potatoes.
Garth.
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Tower? Tower? You have a Tower? We only dream of having a Tower...
(with apologies to Monty Python)
Garth,
Houston.
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Well.. crossing the river into Windsor, Ontario (where the casino is located) is the highlight of a trip to Detroit ... leave your gun on the American side, though. And you can buy codeine over the counter in Canadian drugstores ... try the Tunnel BBQ ...
Garth.
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This is listed on Ebay ... does anyone here know anything about it?
Thanks,
Garth.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=20809
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I am deeply saddened by the death of Chuck Niles. I have been a regular listener, through the miracle of the internet, to Chuck for the last five years, and during the times I have spent in L.A. I loved the soothing timbre of his voice, his wry humor, and most of all, his choice of music. I remember with fondness the fact that he and I both shared a very deep admiration for the work of Buddy DeFranco; Chuck would always go out of his way to mention how DeFranco "frightened" other clarinet players (obviously we both had that experience as young clarinetists ...). His afternoon show will be sadly missed. God! They keep chipping away at portions of my life!!
Garth.
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Alas, King Ubu, other than this GREAT new album, which is really quite startling in its technical competency, and the two "Jazz In Africa" albums that you recommended last year, my own extensive jazz collection lacks South African jazz. I have asked my one friend in SA who is into jazz to recommend some other things for me. Based upon our previous discussions of this topic, you have a better collection than most. But whatever Dave turns up, I will pass on to you.
I envy you the ability to get material like this off radio broadcasts .... we can only dream of such things here in Houston.
Garth.
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I posted this CD on the "What I am currently listening to" thread, but I also thought that I would give a strong recommendation here .. this CD comes packaged with a DVD which has an amazing number of extra goodies, including a documentary on how the disc was made; artist interviews; transcriptions and analyses of solos; printable music from a PC (haven't tried this on my Mac yet); and links to related websites ...
Besides which the music is wonderful ...
Brookmeye; Wheeler; John Hollenbeck, d; Jeremy Allen, b; and Frank Carlberg, p.
Garth.
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Here is the front cover ....
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King Ubu,
Knowing your special interest in South African jazz, I thought that you would enjoy this wonderful album, just released on the Heads Up Label (HUCD 3079). Great, current South African "straight ahead" jazz with that fascinating township tinged sound. Highly recommended ....
Garth.
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Dick Bock removed Baker's singing ... if you did not know the original version of these tracks, you would never know that "Pretty/Groovy" wasn't the original. The truth be told, this is not quite the messup you would think, and both Perkins and Giuffre play some fine, if mellow, solos.... I wonder if that album will ever be released as such in the U.S.? I know that it was once available as a Japanese CD issue.
Garth.
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...... and let's not forget Jim Hall's contribution to the some of the greatest 34.41 minutes of jazz available on CD... GRAND ENCOUNTER - 2 Degrees East / 3 Degrees West , with John Lewis, Bill Perkins, Chico Hamlton, and Percy Heath. One of my all-time favorite desert island discs..
Garth.
Hell I WISH this was available still!
That track on the BFT disc is great!
Is this OOP!!!??? I've always thought that the reason I could never find this on cd was that I
didn't know under who's name to look. Or under what title (Is it called "Grand Encounter" or
"2 Degrees East/ 3 Degrees West"?). I guess the true reason I can't find it is that I'm an idiot. And what's "the BFT disc"?
Medjuck .. The album is called GRAND ENCOUNTER, subtitled "Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West" (two musicians from the east, and three from the west) which, of course, is one the major titles on the disc ... and which later became a staple in the MJQ repertoire ... It is currently available on CD only as an expensive Japanese import. I assume, given this album's importance that it will resurface sometime soon in a 24 bit restored edition. It is, as you probably know, a wonderful album, unfortunately limited to just that 34 minutes of sublime improvisation by all concerned.
Garth.
History of Jazz (book)
in Jazz In Print - Periodicals, Books, Newspapers, etc...
Posted · Edited by garthsj
... and finally ... two pages from another rarity... Dare I enter the argument about "German intellectualism" here? This was, in every respect a pioneering work by someone who became a very respected jazz critic and photographer.