Golden Age for (Jazz) Books

[BeBop]

I just finished biographies of Herbie Nichols and Richard Twardzik (both good, by the way). Between those two, yet another fictional treatment of Wardell Gray's mysterious death. Not long ago, a fourth and fifth Bud Powell biography (unless I've lost count).

I find it hard to imagine these being published before the age of self-publication/vanity press/short run books. I'm really enjoying this.

Jazz is, of course, just one beneficiary. I've got other interests in the non-fiction, niche realm.

Long term, I've got two books I'm working on but won't finish until after I retire (and it's likely I'll only finis one). Neither is likely to be commercially viable.

E-books aside, I feel like I'm living in a golden age.

[Big Beat Steve]

My jazz book buying has slowed down a bit in recent months but during the past few years there have been numerous moments when I was exactly under the same impression.

Following a recent thread about local jazz history books here, my most recent purchase was "The Boston Jazz Chronicles - Faces, Places, and Nightlife 1937-1962" by Richard Vacca.

Though one of the main target groups of this book clearly are Bostonians eager to learn about the past of their town in general, as long as real niche subjects such as this can still get published times cannot be THAT bad overall.

[BillF]

I just finished biographies of Herbie Nichols and Richard Twardzik (both good, by the way). Between those two, yet another fictional treatment of Wardell Gray's mysterious death. Not long ago, a fourth and fifth Bud Powell biography (unless I've lost count).

I find it hard to imagine these being published before the age of self-publication/vanity press/short run books. I'm really enjoying this.

Jazz is, of course, just one beneficiary. I've got other interests in the non-fiction, niche realm.

Long term, I've got two books I'm working on but won't finish until after I retire (and it's likely I'll only finis one). Neither is likely to be commercially viable.

E-books aside, I feel like I'm living in a golden age.

You're right - this is a golden age for jazz books - at least where quantity is concerned. There was a time when I used to boast that I'd read every book on jazz. That was in 1960 and, compared with today, there were so few jazz books that my boast wasn't far from the truth. It may be that today's academicization of jazz - jazz studies courses, etc - has something to do with this. I'm reminded that when I was studying English Literature in university in the 1960s a lecturer said that we no longer lived in a great age for literature, but that writing about literature had never been better. However, to accept this thesis you have to agree with me that we no longer live in an age of great jazz - something we're still wrangling about in another thread.

[GA Russell]

BeBop, thanks to self-publishing (and eBooks), I think that your observation is relevant to many fields.

For example, in the past three months I have purchased two eBooks and six print books regarding the Canadian league.

[BeBop]

Quality absolutely remains a mixed-bag. But even in 1960 we had "Lady Sings the Blues"

I'd have to concede that I'm a poor judge of whether or not we live in an era of great jazz. I'm not able to buy current recordings*, and I know that what I hear on the radio isn't indicative of anything. Concerts I can attend are so hit-or-miss that I wouldn't extrapolate.

Books have become "where I get my jollies".

* I travel perpetually; my computer allows neither downloading nor streaming.

[marcello]

I just started to read this one, which is very well written as these things go:

[gmonahan]

I'm reading (and mostly enjoying) Herbie Hancock's autobiography right now. Thinking of getting hold of Clark Terry's next. Both from the library.

gregmo

[medjuck]

BeBop, thanks to self-publishing (and eBooks), I think that your observation is relevant to many fields.

For example, in the past three months I have purchased two eBooks and six print books regarding the Canadian league.

What Canadian league? The CFL?

[GA Russell]

Yes, Joe.

I believe that the term "the Canadian league" started in the US in the late '40s, when the organization's title was the Canadian Rugby Union. There was probably a reluctance among some people to use that name because they weren't playing rugby!