New book: Ellington Uptown

[ghost of miles]

Just got this and started reading it today--thought it might be of interest to some other posters here:

Ellington Uptown: Duke Ellington, James P. Johnson, and the Birth of Symphonic Jazz

It's part of the University of Michigan's Jazz Perspectives series, which Lewis Porter edits.

[David Ayers]

Looks good - thanks for the tip.

[David Ayers]

Yeah - picked this one up and been reading it. It's in bookstores at the moment so there's a good opportunity to check it out. A lot of information, but a lot you don't already know. Probably most interesting for discussion of 1890s-1920s, lots of background you might not know, and for sections on Johnson. It's well researched and rich in detail, and right now I'd set it alongside the DeVeaux book as one of the recent jazz books I've learned (or am learning) the most from.

[ghost of miles]

I'm about 2/3 of the way through, and like you, David, I'm finding the sections on Johnson very interesting (reading the chapter about "Harlem Symphony" right now...man, I'd love to hear that 1939 transcription performance!). Some of the Ellington-related info is new to me as well (and I really need to track down the Mark Tucker article he refers to, "Genesis," on the sources of BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE). Hoping to do a write-up for the Night Lights blog over the weekend.

[David Ayers]

Maybe you can post the write-up here too? I hope other board members will be encouraged to check out this book.

[Enterprise Server]

Think I'll check this book out.......