BeBop Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 More bios: Gordon Clarke, Lonnie Johnson, Valaida Snow A few jazz technique and theory books. Print books only. http://www.lulu.com I buy a lot from these guys and love them. Not really fast, but be patient. 30% off with code GOPHIL (all caps) Also a nice book on San Francisco in the 1960s by Don Alberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I bought the farlow bio from them. It was okay, but there's rumors of a better one coming out some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Thanks BeBop! Tonight I ordered the Canadian football book I've been planning to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 (edited) I bought the farlow bio from them. It was okay, but there's rumors of a better one coming out some day. Hadn't heard of that Tal Farlow book (by Guy Littler-Jones) before (seems like it is not distributed through the usual worldwide channels ...) but maybe that was for the better even though you can't go much wrong at $12.95. Last fall I bought the Tal Farlow bio produced by Paris Jazz Corner (author Jean-Luc Katchoura). Excellent in every respect and I haven't regretted shelling out the money (344 pages, limited edition - 1100 copies or so). If this is the one that sgcim's rumours allude to, then I for one would recommend it any time. http://www.amazon.fr/TAL-FARLOW-Parfait-Biographie-Biography/dp/2954962607/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1423050661&sr=8-4&keywords=Tal+Farlow Edited February 4, 2015 by Big Beat Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fer Urbina Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Thanks Bebop for the heads-up on Lulu. They seem to have a few books by Mark Miller. He's one of the good guys, his book on Charlie Parker in Canada (not on Lulu, I'm afraid) is the definitive account on the 1953 Massey Hall concert (proving that Ross Russell's version is mostly b.s.). And thanks, too, Big Beat Steve for the big Farlow book. I didn't know about it! F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I bought the farlow bio from them. It was okay, but there's rumors of a better one coming out some day. Hadn't heard of that Tal Farlow book (by Guy Littler-Jones) before (seems like it is not distributed through the usual worldwide channels ...) but maybe that was for the better even though you can't go much wrong at $12.95. Last fall I bought the Tal Farlow bio produced by Paris Jazz Corner (author Jean-Luc Katchoura). Excellent in every respect and I haven't regretted shelling out the money (344 pages, limited edition - 1100 copies or so). If this is the one that sgcim's rumours allude to, then I for one would recommend it any time. http://www.amazon.fr/TAL-FARLOW-Parfait-Biographie-Biography/dp/2954962607/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1423050661&sr=8-4&keywords=Tal+Farlow The French one is definitely longer than the British one by GLJ, which is only 64 pages of writing, but it has a 50 page discography. I didn't know the French one had been translated already. Hopefully the French one goes into more detail about Eddie Costa and Vinnie Burke, because the UK one is skimpy on those two, and doesn't go into TF's decline after the 50s. The book I'm alluding to is being written by his protege, not a pro author, but bound to be interesting. He didn't have a publisher yet, the last I heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Don't know if "decline" is the right word to describe TF's doings after the 50s. "Voluntary retirement" or maybe "seclusion" would be more apt, I think. And by all recorded accounts he did not actually decline. Dont know what you expect to find on Costa and Burke. The trio is covered but without going into bios of Costa and Burke themselves. His post-1960 period is covered extensively. BTW, the book was published bilingually from the start and if I get the acknowledgments right it was written in both languages by the author (without subsequent fine-combing, editing and proofreading of the English text by an English native speaker). Though the French/English texts running in parallel sometimes make it a bit confusing picking up where you left off on preceding pages (with the page(s) in between taken up by photographs). Speaking both languages I find myself alternating randomly between both languages and then either repeating or omitting some sections and having to go back and forth to pick up at the right place again (the layout of the French and English-language pages obviously is not the same because the illustrations are there only once, of course, and the space they take up differs from page to page). But that's a minor detail ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBop Posted February 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 (edited) That Twardzik is $147.50 on Amazon, used! The Nichols is $99.99. I see an arbitrage opportunity here. I haven't picked up the Farlow, but I'm tempted. I spent a day or so with him back in the early 1980s. "Interesting" guy at that point, anyway. I wouldn't judge him from that non-representative snapshot (in the context of his whole life/career). He didn't seem to be really happy about playing/traveling, especially in "large audience" settings. I suppose I can understand that. Homesick? Working at that point again with Red Norvo. Edited February 4, 2015 by BeBop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Don't know if "decline" is the right word to describe TF's doings after the 50s. "Voluntary retirement" or maybe "seclusion" would be more apt, I think. And by all recorded accounts he did not actually decline. Dont know what you expect to find on Costa and Burke. The trio is covered but without going into bios of Costa and Burke themselves. His post-1960 period is covered extensively. BTW, the book was published bilingually from the start and if I get the acknowledgments right it was written in both languages by the author (without subsequent fine-combing, editing and proofreading of the English text by an English native speaker). Though the French/English texts running in parallel sometimes make it a bit confusing picking up where you left off on preceding pages (with the page(s) in between taken up by photographs). Speaking both languages I find myself alternating randomly between both languages and then either repeating or omitting some sections and having to go back and forth to pick up at the right place again (the layout of the French and English-language pages obviously is not the same because the illustrations are there only once, of course, and the space they take up differs from page to page). But that's a minor detail ... Thanks for the info on the French Tal bio, but I have to disagree with you on the subject of the decline in Tal's playing ability after the 50s. The person that I mentioned before, who is writing a book on Tal, attributed it to the effects of alcohol and life on the road, as well as the deterioration of his marriage to Tina Hammerstein. At least Tal returned to playing; two other guitarists from that era, Dick Garcia and Billy Bean stopped playing altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) Well, sgcim, I cannot be authoritative on that subject because I have heard only a few of his later recordings (and admit that to a degree I am going by "conventional wisdom". Can't say I find his "Return" and "Cooking on All Burners" albums really a letdown (apart from the fact that I dislike Gary Mazzaroppi's bass playing which sometimes crowds out the guitar). He may well have been in a slump in the 60s (maybe during that unrecorded hiatus period?) but IMO if his playing "deteriorated" then it was from an exceedingly high level to a level that still was very, very high, and on a level many other guitarists would have wished to achieve ever. As for that person you cite, are you sure he has the full first-hand picture through several decades? After all Tal Farlow's life after the 50s continued for close to 40 years and he WAS prolific in the recording studios as well as on stage later on so there ought to be enough evidence for everybody to judge by himself. The author of the book by PJC seems to have been close to Tal Farlow too in his later years, BTW, ever since he staged a concert tour for him in the early 80s. And Tal Farlow's dislike for life on the road and large audience settings indeed is stressed repeatedly throughout the book. Edited February 5, 2015 by Big Beat Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Basically, the decline I'm talking about is the simple fact that he became incapable of executing the fast, long, complex lines cleanly and in time, that he used to be able to execute in the 50s. Keep in mind that TF had brought that type of playing to its highest level (which still has yet to be surpassed IMHO), in the late 50s, and anything he did afterwards could only be the same or worse. I first found out that something was wrong when I picked up "The Return" (which is still a wild, enjoyable LP, despite the fact that there was something wrong with TF's ability to execute. I then found that out in person, when I attended the Newport in NY Central Park concert he played with Jim Hall and rhythm, and left with the profound pronouncement, WTF???? This wouldn't be an issue if TF had changed his style like Lee Konitz (who also said that his time on the road with Kenton messed him up), and stopped playing in that manner, but TF still played in that style a great deal. He did incorporate chord solos into his playing, which was one way of dealing with this issue. The person I cited was close to him from the late 60s till his death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fer Urbina Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) Re: Tchakoura's Farlow. Expensive, but looks great, good edition, hardback, quality paper, plenty of images. Got it in London in 5 days. Mine is #523 from a limited run of 650 (according to ParisJazzCorner). F Edited February 9, 2015 by Fer Urbina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 Sales of that book must be picking up fast, it seems. Got mine in October, and it was no. 137. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fer Urbina Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Re: feedback on Lulu.com, they've delivered to the UK in six days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.