OUT OF NOWHERE -The Musical Life of Warne Marsh

[JSngry]

Just finished reading this fascinating, compelling, and, at times, deeply moving work by Marcus M. Cornelius, and I don't know what to say (or think).

What Mr. Cornelius has apparently done is to combine historical research with the impressions of many of Warne's accquaintances over the years, and combined them into a mix of biography and novel. It's not quite like any other "jazz book" I've ever read, and I mean that in a wholly positive way.

Although there are many "literary devices" on display throughout the book, many times blatantly so, the amazing thing is that with only one or two exceptions, I never lose the illusion that this is actually Warne Marsh speaking, telling his life's story "from beyond", and entirely in his own voice.

This is a risky assumption to make, because I never knew Warne Marsh. NEver even got to see him perform, But I know his music intimately, and to the extent that anybody can ever "know" anybody through thier music, I feel as if I "know" Warne Marsh. And I tell you - the Warne Marsh that Mr. Cornelius crafts in this novel is very, very much like the Warne Marsh I "know".

From the recounting of his ancestry, to the detatched ambivalence of his childhood, to the variuos reasons why he did or did not do certain things in his life (personal and career-related), very little rings false when placed up against waht I know about Warne through his music, his "real" biography, and the comments others have made about him through the years. The author really seems to have captured the "voice" of his subject.

But I don't know if he has, or if he just wrote a really good piece of fiction. I'd be interested in hearing opinions from those who would know better than I. But either way, it's a damn good book.

[Uncle Skid]

Jim,

Have you read "An Unsung Cat : The Life and Music of Warne Marsh" (Safford Chamberlain)? If so, how does it compare?

Is OUT OF NOWHERE a new book?

Thanks,

Mark

Edited May 21, 2005 by Uncle Skid

[JSngry]

Neither are new. But both are recent, within the last 5 or so years.

I liked Chamberlain's book quite well, but this one is something altogether different. I really can't tell if I'm supposed to approach it as entirely fiction, as a work of fiction wrapped around a deeply historical construct, or just what. But being written in the first person as it is, there's an element of "immediacy" that Chamberlain's book lacks which is as probably it should be.

Both would be required reading for "deep" Warne Marsh fans, I'd think.

[Kalo]

Sounds very interesting.

Chet Flippo wrote a biography of Hank Williams that read very much like a novel, and used a lot of invented dialogue. As far as I remember, though, it was not in the first person (I read it a long time ago).

Have you read Geoff Dyer's But Beautiful? That's a very good book written as a suite of fictionalized meditations on various jazz figures, putting the reader inside their heads. Subjects include Bud Powell, Art Pepper, and Chet Baker. The whole book is knit together with little short passages evoking Harry Carney and Duke driving across county together from gig to gig as Ellington composes in the back seat. Highly recommended.

Edited May 21, 2005 by Kalo

[JSngry]

Sounds interesting. Thanks for the tip.

[Kalo]

I just took a look at my copy of But Beautiful. I had forgotten that the other figures he writes about are Monk, Mingus, Ben Webster, and Lester Young. Guess I'll have to reread this one myself.

Edited May 26, 2005 by Kalo

[ajf67]

I didn't know about this book, so thanks for posting about it.

I just started "An Unsung Cat," which is now out in paperback and much cheaper (and actually available!). I have been trying to find it for some time and just got it sent to me from Powells.com. Haven't read enough to have thought yet, but the more I listen to Marsh the more fascinated I am and the more I want to learn.

[emsee]

Dear JSngry,

I realise your post is a little old but I am the author of the book you read (Out of Nowhere) and I wanted to let the jazz community (and all music lovers everywhere) that the book is being reprinted in April 2008.

I have two questions: can I use your comments in publicity material for the reprint? and where would you advise I post an announcement about the reprint? I am new to the forums and haven't yet found my way around.

Kind regards

Marcus Cornelius

Just finished reading this fascinating, compelling, and, at times, deeply moving work by Marcus M. Cornelius, and I don't know what to say (or think).

What Mr. Cornelius has apparently done is to combine historical research with the impressions of many of Warne's accquaintances over the years, and combined them into a mix of biography and novel. It's not quite like any other "jazz book" I've ever read, and I mean that in a wholly positive way.

Although there are many "literary devices" on display throughout the book, many times blatantly so, the amazing thing is that with only one or two exceptions, I never lose the illusion that this is actually Warne Marsh speaking, telling his life's story "from beyond", and entirely in his own voice.

This is a risky assumption to make, because I never knew Warne Marsh. NEver even got to see him perform, But I know his music intimately, and to the extent that anybody can ever "know" anybody through thier music, I feel as if I "know" Warne Marsh. And I tell you - the Warne Marsh that Mr. Cornelius crafts in this novel is very, very much like the Warne Marsh I "know".

From the recounting of his ancestry, to the detatched ambivalence of his childhood, to the variuos reasons why he did or did not do certain things in his life (personal and career-related), very little rings false when placed up against waht I know about Warne through his music, his "real" biography, and the comments others have made about him through the years. The author really seems to have captured the "voice" of his subject.

But I don't know if he has, or if he just wrote a really good piece of fiction. I'd be interested in hearing opinions from those who would know better than I. But either way, it's a damn good book.