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Posted

Just noticed this on Alan's site:

Jack Chambers - Bouncin' with Bartok: The Incomplete Works of Richard Twardzik (Berkeley Hills Press) Fall

Isn't Chambers the one who put up the long biographical essay about RT on the web? In any case, this is welcome news... I was already planning to do a program about Twardzik & will now wait till I've read the book!

Posted

I wonder if it will shed new light on Twardzik's relationship with Chet Baker. Some believe that Baker's heroin addiction pushed Twardzik's own addiction over the limit. I beleife there is some dispute about Twardzik's cause of death.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

One chapter of the Twardzik book will be in the next Coda.

I gather it's a pretty long book--boggles the mind really, considering how brief the guy's life was!

400 pages, according to Amazon. It's slated for publication on Sept. 9. Hoping to do a show or two based around this & possibly interview Jack Chambers for it.

  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...
Posted

What's going on with this? A few advance copies that were floating around online have all vanished or been marked up to ridiculous prices. An Alibris seller had one listed yesterday for $17, and I ordered it, but got an e-mail today saying the item was "unavailable." I'll try to call Berkeley on Monday & find out more... have an upcoming show about Twardzik to record, so hopefully I can at least get them to send me the galleys or something.

Posted

Will do, Mike. I think I have a printout of the bio that Chambers had online and can work with that, in addition to the passage in Gavin's Baker volume... was just hoping to incorporate any new material (and I assume there is some) that appears in the book. We already have the show listed for Jan. 29 in our monthly guide, and I could tape it as late as Jan. 26 or 27.

Posted

Gotta have it. Twardzik was a giant. I've always been very surprised that, at the engagement he did in Boston with Bird, with Mingus on bass, Mingus gave him such a hard time. Anyone have any insight on this?

(and by the way, for your show, do you have copy of the CD made from the home tape of Twardzik? Incredible version of I'll Remember April) -

Posted

Gotta have it. Twardzik was a giant. I've always been very surprised that, at the engagement he did in Boston with Bird, with Mingus on bass, Mingus gave him such a hard time. Anyone have any insight on this?

(and by the way, for your show, do you have copy of the CD made from the home tape of Twardzik? Incredible version of I'll Remember April) -

Allen, is that the one with the weird drawing of Twardzik on the cover? 1954 IMPROVISATIONS, or something like that? If so, yes. I have the PJ, the Boston 1952 date w/Bird, the Chaloff material, the Mariano date, the sides w/Baker in France... I think I've got it covered, music-wise, but really hope I can read the Chambers before doing the show. I might even go against our listening guide & postpone the program if I don't have the book yet; its appearance was a prime factor in my timing.

Posted

Yes, that's the one - incredible recording - it's funny, I met George Wein a few years ago and asked him if he had any recollections of Twardzik - he thought for a minute as though unsure of who I was talking about, and than said - "god damned degnerate junkie" - not exactly what I had in mind -

Posted

Yes, that's the one - incredible recording - it's funny, I met George Wein a few years ago and asked him if he had any recollections of Twardzik - he thought for a minute as though unsure of who I was talking about, and than said - "god damned degnerate junkie" - not exactly what I had in mind -

Man! Glad George Wein didn't get to inscribe Twardzik's tombstone.

Posted (edited)

Gotta have it. Twardzik was a giant. I've always been very surprised that, at the engagement he did in Boston with Bird, with Mingus on bass, Mingus gave him such a hard time. Anyone have any insight on this?

Didn't Mingus make a living out of giving people a hard time? ^_^

Edited by alankin
Posted

News from Jack Chambers!

David Brent Johnson-- I am happy to hear from you, and especially pleased about your plans for playing Richard Twardzik's music on your program. Publication of the book has been delayed because of a grave accident suffered by the publisher last summer, but I am happy to tell you that the book is now in production. I hope to read proofs and make the index in the next month or so, and we expect spring publication. I would certainly be happy to contribute to your program in any way you might wish, especially if it could be delayed to coincide with the release of the book. But in any case, it is good to know you are there. Happy

New Year, Jack Chambers

Late spring/early summer, perhaps? At least we know it's still on its way.

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