Francis Davis - Jazz & Its Discontents

[Peter]

Anybody have this book? Does it repeat any stuff from his earlier collections? Does it include any Nat Hentoff articles. Thanks!

[desertblues]

Yes, I have it - it does include material from "Outcats" (including The Mystery Of Herbie Nichols w/interesting discussion of the Mosaic box), "In The Moment" with his terrific Sonny Rollins piece, and from "Bebop And Nothingness". Also there are newly collected essays including "Jim Hall Has It Made" as well as non music-related material on subjects like films and Bob Hope. Davis calls it his "greatest hits" in the intro. I like this one a lot and have re-read some of it - Davis is one of the best jazz scribes out there, IMHO!

No Hentoff articles though... B)

[Peter]

Thanks. Yes, I very much like Davis as well. I'll pass on this book since I already have "Outcats", "In The Moment" and "Bebop And Nothingness". Do you know what periodicals publish his stuff besides Atlantic Monthly? Thanks.

[jlhoots]

I believe he's doing some writing for the Village Voice since Giddins stopped.

[ghost of miles]

I believe he's doing some writing for the Village Voice since Giddins stopped.

I wasn't aware that Giddins had stopped, but I catch the VV only on occasion... why did he quit? I guess that explains why he's in the New Yorker this week.

Is Davis still working on a Coltrane biography?

[BruceH]

I wasn't aware that Giddins had stopped, but I catch the VV only on occasion... why did he quit?  I guess that explains why he's in the New Yorker this week.

Giddins did a final column ("Flee As A Bird," in the December 15, 2003 Voice) in which he basically said, "It's time." But friends of mine have speculated that smaller wordage limits at the Voice may have also had something to do with it.

Edited May 30, 2004 by BruceH