Which jazz book are you reading right now?

[Gheorghe]

On 11/2/2024 at 5:57 PM, JSngry said:

Have you read Notes and Tones? 

He has a lot to say there as well.

That´s a great book  because it is a brilliant musician (Art Taylor) who had played with almost ALL of THEM, and the answers of the musicians. 
I think the Rollins Interview was very early after his I don´t know which of all of his comebacks. 
 

[Brad]

Larry Tye, who has written several biographies, including ones on RFK and Joe McCarthy, which were well received, has written a relatively new one (May 2024) called The Jazzmen about Ellington, Armstrong and Basie.

He recently had an article in the NYT.

How a Refuge on Rails Inspired Jazz Classics

Has anyone read the book or thought about getting it?

[ghost of miles]

Just starting this:

[Big Beat Steve]

An interesting topic. Let us know what you think of the book when you've finished it (or in mid-course?).
I wonder how such a subject can be treated at book's length without becoming repetitive and full of commonplaces that are not strictly linked to JAZZ LPs.  But I'd like to see this a successful job.

[Ken Dryden]

[HutchFan]

What are your thoughts on the Dolphy biography, @Ken Dryden?  Is it good?

 

[Ken Dryden]

I am barely into the Dolphy biography, it only arrived yesterday. I am not much on reading e-books, they tire me...

[Big Beat Steve]

Browsing this one for reference right now:

What …? Do I hear someone say “Can’t be! There never was a 1955 edition of the Down Beat Record Reviews yearbooks!” ?? Well, no, there wasn’t ... Not until now … but now there is one on my bookshelf.
More on that here:

[ghost of miles]

Settling in with this newly-arrived one, which was always going to get immediate attention and go straight to the top of the stacks (if not the charts) of my book-clogged coffee table. I’ve even cleared a special place for it, that’s how committed I am to delving in right away. 
 

On 12/8/2024 at 1:29 PM, Big Beat Steve said:

An interesting topic. Let us know what you think of the book when you've finished it (or in mid-course?).
I wonder how such a subject can be treated at book's length without becoming repetitive and full of commonplaces that are not strictly linked to JAZZ LPs.  But I'd like to see this a successful job.

I’ve bogged down a bit in that one. Interesting and insightful, but tinged with jargon that I think some would find offputting. Still in the top 40 of my in-progress reads.

[Big Beat Steve]

17 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

I’ve bogged down a bit in that one. Interesting and insightful, but tinged with jargon that I think some would find offputting. Still in the top 40 of my in-progress reads.

Thanks for your feedback on "At the Vanguard of Vinyl - A Cultural History of the Long-Playing Record in Jazz".
After having read more attentively the contents of my home-made 1955 Down Beat Record Reviews (see above ) I've noticed that the reviewers (mostly Nat Hentoff) during that pivotal year of 1955 (when the move from 10" to 12" occurred) often complained that not all that few artists just weren't ready yet to sustain a 12"-length of recordings of ongoing INTEREST. And often the insight (on the part of the artists and/or producers/labels) to limit things to a 10" LP for the time being was considered desirable. I wonder if the book reflects on such details of the "reception" of vinyl in the marketplace. And this would be just ONE aspect of many ...

BTW, what kind of "jargon" do you think might be considered offputting?

[Rooster_Ties]

Ted Gioia’s West Coast Jazz, Modern Jazz in California 1945-1960 (U of C Press, 1992).

Just stumbled a decent used copy over the weekend down in Richmond. Only a dozen pages in, and quite enjoying it!

Definitely an area of jazz I’m a bit deficient in, beyond the scads of stuff I’ve absorbed reading posts around here for the last 20+ years.

[sgcim]

Just finished, John Pizzarelli:  "World On A String:  A Musical Memoir" 2013 .

Although I like both Bucky and John Pizzarelli's guitar playing, this book mainly deals with the show biz aspects of the neo-swing scene, and john says, "Too often, jazz is held up as an intellectual exercise that can be only understood by the chosen few who can whip out their Village Vanguard matchbooks from the night in 1962 when Eric Dolphy cut loose while playing alongside John Coltrane".

Then he talks about how George Benson and his handlers omitted the word jazz, when publicizing his biggest hit "Breezin'" as if it was a dirty word. Other than Zoot Sims, and Benny Goodman, and Bucky, no chapters are devoted to jazz musicians, other than JP's small groups and the musicians they played with.

It's mostly about the tough business of being a singer-jazz guitarist, and having to travel 200 days a year trying to make a living. He also has a chapter on his time with Rosemary Clooney, one on touring as the opening act for Frank Sinatra's tour in his later years, his career as a rock musician, his stint as a radio DJ, his role in a musical on Broadway, his recording sessions with James Taylor and Paul McCartney, The great American Songbook, Jonathan Schwartz, NY radio stations, and a lot of funny stories.

Stephen Holden of the NY Times writes a blurb on the back of the book, endorsing it.

If that's your cup of tea, go for it.

[mikeweil]

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, mikeweil said:

I missed this one, just ordered. Thanks for shining the light!

[mikeweil]

7 hours ago, JSngry said:

I missed this one, just ordered. Thanks for shining the light!

You're welcome. Several interviews with composing jazz musicians, Hancock, George Duke, Rushen, Tony Williams etc.

Got the Kindle edition for ten bucks.

[JSngry]

I also noticed names such as Hale Smith, George Walker, Olly Wilson, and isn't that George Russell upper right?

Looking forward to some hopefully interesting talk about an under-visible area of music.

[GA Russell]

 

I was surprised to learn that Miles' album sales dropped when Wayne Shorter joined the group.

I wonder if about that time college students lost interest in jazz.

I also learned that the sales of jazz albums dropped dramatically when mono LPs were discontinued.

I would love to see a website which listed an album's unit sales each year, and with a running total.

[sgcim]

Just finished the book Larry mentioned on Tom Talbert. When I was a kid, my father had the "Bix, Duke and Fats" album laying around the house, and it was before I had any interest in music, other than listening to 45s like "Snoopy Vs The Red Baron" over my best friend's house. I don't think my father trusted me with his Harmon-Karden set yet, buried in the frightening unfinished basement.

 I always wondered who the hell Thomas Talbert was. In the decades that passed, I never heard a word about him. I just happened to find the book in Columbia U's library, and fought past the cops and demonstrators with the book clutched in my little hands.

I was astonished to find two of the greatest players I ever worked with, Aaron Sachs and Eddie Bert not only recognized for their incredible prowess as musicians, but even interviewed in the book. I had considered Aaron a close friend of mine musically, but he never mentioned Talbert once to me. Also included was Bobby Tricarico, a former teacher of a sax player friend of mine, who along with Talbert, Sachs and Barry Galbraith was part of that circle of NY's elite musicians who played on the two albums Talbert made in the 50s.

I haven't heard any of the stuff that Talbert did during his comeback phase in LA, but if you've heard it, is it on the same level as his great 50s stuff?

TIA

 

 

[Chuck Nessa]

On 1/10/2025 at 8:43 AM, Big Beat Steve said:

Browsing this one for reference right now:

What …? Do I hear someone say “Can’t be! There never was a 1955 edition of the Down Beat Record Reviews yearbooks!” ?? Well, no, there wasn’t ... Not until now … but now there is one on my bookshelf.
More on that here:

I have volumes from 1956 through 1963, when they stopped publishing them - courtesy of my old friend Don DeMichael.

[medjuck]

On 4/13/2025 at 6:05 PM, GA Russell said:

 

I was surprised to learn that Miles' album sales dropped when Wayne Shorter joined the group.

 

Wasn't Bitch's Brew his highest selling record ever? (Though I think, over time, KOB surpassed it again.)

[GA Russell]

5 hours ago, medjuck said:

Wasn't Bitch's Brew his highest selling record ever? (Though I think, over time, KOB surpassed it again.)

Joe, that sounds right.

I had thought that Miles' career during the Kennedy administration was a fallow period saleswise.  But Porter says that ESP and what followed sold much less than Seven Steps to Heaven.