Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
|
Your cart is empty |
|||
Books > Music > Contemporary popular music > Jazz
Despite the fact that most of jazz's major innovators and performers have been African American, the overwhelming majority of jazz journalists, critics, and authors have been and continue to be white men. No major mainstream jazz publication has ever had a black editor or publisher. Ain't But a Few of Us presents over two dozen candid dialogues with black jazz critics and journalists ranging from Greg Tate, Farah Jasmine Griffin, and Robin D. G. Kelley to Tammy Kernodle, Ron Welburn, and John Murph. They discuss the obstacles to access for black jazz journalists, outline how they contend with the world of jazz writing dominated by white men, and point out that these racial disparities are not confined to jazz but hamper their efforts at writing about other music genres as well. Ain't But a Few of Us also includes an anthology section, which reprints classic essays and articles from black writers and musicians such as LeRoi Jones, Archie Shepp, A. B. Spellman, and Herbie Nichols. Contributors Eric Arnold, Bridget Arnwine, Angelika Beener, Playthell Benjamin, Herb Boyd, Bill Brower, Jo Ann Cheatham, Karen Chilton, Janine Coveney, Marc Crawford, Stanley Crouch, Anthony Dean-Harris, Jordannah Elizabeth, Lofton Emenari III, Bill Francis, Barbara Gardner, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Jim Harrison, Eugene Holley Jr., Haybert Houston, Robin James, Willard Jenkins, Martin Johnson, LeRoi Jones, Robin D. G. Kelley, Tammy Kernodle, Steve Monroe, Rahsaan Clark Morris, John Murph, Herbie Nichols, Don Palmer, Bill Quinn, Guthrie P. Ramsey Jr., Ron Scott, Gene Seymour, Archie Shepp, Wayne Shorter, A. B. Spellman, Rex Stewart, Greg Tate, Billy Taylor, Greg Thomas, Robin Washington, Ron Welburn, Hollie West, K. Leander Williams, Ron Wynn
The life of jazz trumpeter Roland Bernard "Bunny" Berigan (1908-1942) resembles nothing less than an ancient Greek tragedy: a heroic figure who rises from obscurity to dizzying heights, touches greatness, becomes ensnared by circumstances, and comes to a disastrous early end. Berigan was intimately involved in the commercial music business of the 1930s and 1940s in New York City. Berigan was a charismatic performer, one of the few musicians in the history of jazz to advance the art. His trumpet artistry made a deep and lasting impression on almost everyone who heard him play, while the body of recorded work he left continues to evoke a wide range of emotions in those who hear it. Too often writings about the Swing Era skip over the interrelationship between the music business and the music that the giants of jazz created. In Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan, Michael Zirpolo takes on this difficult task, exploring connections between the business of music and contemporary music makers and the culture of social dancing that drove it all. Through detailed research and insightful analysis, Zirpolo rectifies many heretofore misunderstood events in Berigan's life and in the Swing Era more generally. In this panoramic examination of Berigan's personal and professional lives, Mr. Trumpet maps the great musician's role in what was a truly golden age of American popular music and jazz, offering close looks at some of his greatest performances and film work, comprehensive listings of all known broadcast recordings made by Berigan and his bands, as well as numerous previously unpublished photos of the great jazz artist.
The featured articles in this volume provide an overview of jazz studies writings from the 1990s to the present day, and each text engages with issues that are central to the changing discourse of jazz in popular culture. The volume includes studies of specific scenes, artists and periods from jazz history, and also comments on broader aspects of musical discourse, from ontological considerations to the politics of canon formation, from issues of representation to international perspectives. The collection encourages readers to engage in comparative thinking and analysis, and contributions touch on a range of themes that will be of interest to scholars who situate jazz at the heart of popular music studies. It is a highly valuable resource for researchers, enthusiasts, teachers and students.
The Beatles and Duke Ellington's Orchestra stand as the two greatest examples of collaboration in music history. Thomas Brothers delivers a portrait of the creative process at work, demonstrating that the cooperative method at the foundation of these two artist-groups was the primary reason for their unmatched musical success. While clarifying the historical record of who wrote what, with whom and how, Brothers brings the past to life with photos, anecdotes and more than thirty years of musical knowledge, and analysis of songs from "Strawberry Fields Forever" to "Chelsea Bridge". Help! describes in rich detail the music and mastery of two cultural leaders whose popularity has never dimmed, and the process of collaboration that allowed them to achieve an artistic vision greater than the sum of their parts.
Revisit favorite arrangements, discover new ones, and inspire your jazz ensemble with sound and adventurous music to play. This new book recommends and analyzes sixty-seven quality jazz arrangements recommended by eighteen of the foremost jazz experts in the field today, including directors and professors from high schools and colleges across the country, including the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Bloomington High School, Fiorello La Guardia Performing Arts High School, Juilliard School, Berklee College of Music, and Harvard University. Listed alphabetically, each analysis includes information on instrumentation, ranges, playability, and requirements for rendering the score. This book includes eight indexes of musical features to help instructors select repertoire and teaching topics, five indexes for quick navigation and reference, three appendices on survey data results, a glossary, a bibliography, a list of jazz ensemble music publishers, and a general index.
Revisit favorite arrangements, discover new ones, and inspire your jazz ensemble with sound and adventurous music to play. This new book recommends and analyzes sixty-seven quality jazz arrangements recommended by eighteen of the foremost jazz experts in the field today, including directors and professors from high schools and colleges across the country, including the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Bloomington High School, Fiorello La Guardia Performing Arts High School, Juilliard School, Berklee College of Music, and Harvard University. Listed alphabetically, each analysis includes information on instrumentation, ranges, playability, and requirements for rendering the score. This book includes eight indexes of musical features to help instructors select repertoire and teaching topics, five indexes for quick navigation and reference, three appendices on survey data results, a glossary, a bibliography, a list of jazz ensemble music publishers, and a general index.
Someone Out There is Listening tells the story of Eddie Hazell, a jazz guitar player and vocalist with a unique style unmatched in the last half century. Hazell had a combination of good looks, skills, and style. He was a '50s guy - heady, hopeful, and a believer in the system even though it didn't always work for him. As a rising star, Hazell had great bookings across the country and Canada. He was compared to some of the top stars in the music business, columnists and critics gave him solid reviews and high praise for his performances, and disc jockeys played his recordings and were eager for more. People who knew him had no doubt that he would make the big time - it was only a matter of when. Eddie Hazell's story is about the times and the vicissitudes of the music business, and what it took to accomplish one's goals. Eddie strove not only for success, but to persevere during bad times and personal hardships, while still maintaining artistic integrity and enjoyment of life. Eddie Hazell went the full mile; he didn't leave anything out. The celebrated music producer George Martin once said: "The music business is littered with shooting stars that burned out. So pace yourselves; it's not a sprint. It is more like a marathon. Remember you have to keep running." Eddie Hazell's life is a musical marathon - reading about it is like running with him and the many other runners in his field.
Within one of the most complex musical categories yet to surface, Cal Tjader quietly pioneered the genre as a jazz vibraphonist, composer, arranger and bandleader from the 1950s through the 1980s. Reid tells the life story of a humble musician, written in a familiar, conversational tone that reveals Tjader's complex charisma. Tjader left behind a legacy and a labyrinth of influence, attested by his large audience and innovation that would change the course of jazz. Expanded and revised, this intimate biography now includes additional interviews and anecdotes from Tjader's family, bandmates, and community, print research, and rare photographs, presenting a full history of an undervalued musician, as well as a detailed account of the progression of Latin Jazz.
The Music and Life of Theodore "Fats" Navarro: Infatuation is the first comprehensive study of the jazz trumpeter Theodore "Fats" Navarro. It provides biographical and discographical information on this talented musician, whose premature death from tuberculosis at 26 robbed the jazz world of his brilliance. Through an analysis of his recorded legacy, this book offers new perspectives on Navarro's role in the history and emergence of Bebop. Through years of study and collecting ephemera, some of which is reprinted here, Leif Bo Petersen and Theo Rehak depict an inclusive history of Navarro and his music. Their information is based on interviews with musicians and people in the music business, contemporary newspaper and magazine articles, and the music itself, which has not been commonly known or described until now. The book features images, musical examples, and depictions of Navarro's recordings, and it provides several appendixes, including explanations of contemporary recording techniques and discographical terms, lists of Navarro's recordings and compositions, and a chronological overview of Navarro's performances, recording sessions, and engagements. Complete with a comprehensive list of sources and a full index, this volume presents a host of new and useful information for anyone interested in jazz and its history.
"Both as a person and as a musician, he was number one in my book." -Benny Carter Bassist George Duvivier (1920-1985) was one of the most universally respected musicians in jazz. His impeccable musicianship graced the big bands in the 1940s and led to musical associations with virtually every important jazz and popular artist. His prolific recording career spanned all styles of music, from Eubie Blake to Eric Dolphy, Billie Holiday to Barry Manilow. Duvivier was a most astute and articulate observer of the musical scene. A large part of this book is devoted to his own reflections on growing up in Harlem in the 1920s and 1930s, the evolution of the bass, life in the commercial studios, and his memories of close associates-Coleman Hawkins, Jimmie Lunceford, Bud Powell, Lena Horne, and many others. In addition, twenty of Duvivier's colleagues, including Louie Bellson, Ron Carter, Milt Hinton, Ed Shaughnessy, Arthur Taylor, and Joe Wilder, have contributed, covering a variety of musical and social issues, as well as providing a loving portrait of an extraordinary artist. Duvivier's musical style is discussed by David Chevan, who has included transcriptions of several solos. An extensive discography/solography traces Duvivier's incredibly diverse recording career. With dozens of previously unpublished photos.
The Annual Review of Jazz Studies (ARJS) is a journal providing a forum for the ever expanding range and depth of jazz scholarship, from technical analyses to oral history to cultural interpretation. Addressed to specialists and fans alike, all volumes include feature articles, book reviews, and unpublished photographs. This 14th issue contains four intriguing articles that to some degree contravene accepted precepts of jazz orthodoxy. John Howland traces the connection between Duke Ellington's extended works and the 'symphonic jazz' model of the 1920s as exemplified by Paul Whiteman and his chief arranger, Ferde GrofZ. Horace J. Maxile Jr. takes an unfashionably broad perspective of Charles Mingus's 'Ecclusiastics, ' applying recent developments in cultural theory as well as the formal tools of traditional music theory. Brian Priestley's exploration of the ties between Charlie Parker and popular music challenges the canonical depiction of Parker as a lone revolutionary genius, instead underscoring the saxophonist's ties to the popular music of his time. Finally, John Wriggle presents an extensive examination of the life and work of arranger Chappie Willet, an unsung hero of the Swing Era. The book reviews cover a cross-section of the burgeoning jazz literature, and Vincent Pelote has again compiled a list of books received at the Institute of Jazz Studies.
"What a life it was, and what a career...I wouldn't have dreamed that I could get lost in the pages of a bio-discography, but that's exactly what happened when I started to thumb this volume." -from the foreword by Leonard Maltin Who could forget Rock-a-bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody or The Jazz Singer? Al Jolson (1886-1950) was billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer" and to this day is still considered the standard by which entertainers' goals are measured. He achieved the top spot in virtually every medium in which he performed: stage, film, records, and radio. This is a comprehensive study of Jolson's career and touring data, providing extensive information on each of the performances. Bibliography and indexes.
The Culture of Jazz is a collection of essays that view jazz from an anthropological perspective. It focuses on aspects of jazz culture and the ways in which jazz scrutinizes the American lifestyle. Jazz musicians filter their perspective on culture based on African roots. They have an obligation to tell truth to power and provide views of alternative realities. These essays explore many dimensions of the jazz life and its perspectives on cultural realities. Heavily influenced by the perspectives of Neil Leonard and Alan Merriam, The Culture of Jazz covers a broad range of topics making it an unparalleled compilation.
EThe Jazz SingersE is an overview of the great vocalists who have sung jazz. In addition to covering the key singers from the past Scott Yanow puts a strong emphasis on the current jazz scene where there are scores of talented vocalists. By drawing on original interviews conducted exclusively for this book along with Yanow's extensive knowledge EThe Jazz SingersE offers fresh and insightful information in its 521 main entries. Other features include a historical overview a section on Jazz Vocal Groups and a comprehensive list of Jazz in Film. This definitive history covering the years from 1911 to 2007 will be a valuable resource and an enjoyable read for decades to come.
In early 2005, an engineer at the Library of Congress accidentally discovered, in an unmarked box, the recording of Thelonious Monk's and John Coltrane's performance at a 1957 benefit concert at Carnegie Hall. Long considered one of the most important musical meetings in modern jazz, Monk's and Coltrane's work together during a scant few months in 1957 had, until this discovery, been thought to be almost entirely undocumented. In this book, Gabriel Solis provides an historical, cultural, and analytical study of this landmark recording, which was released by Blue Note records later in 2005. Taking a wide-ranging approach to the recording, Solis addresses issues of "liveness," jazz teaching and learning, enculturation, and historiography. Because nearly a half century passed between when the recording was made and its public release, it is a particularly interesting lens through which to view jazz both as a historical tradition and as a contemporary cultural form. Most importantly Solis accounts for the music itself. Offering in depth analytical discussions of each composition, as well as Monk's and Coltrane's improvisational performances he provides insight into Monk's impact on Coltrane as he developed his signature "sheets of sound" style, as well as into the influence of a strong side-man, like Coltrane, on Monk at his creative and professional peak. The first study of one of the most significant jazz releases of the twenty-first century, Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall is essential reading for all jazz scholars, students, musicians, and fans.
Hot Lips Page was a seminal figure in the history of jazz trumpet. After making his name as the top trumpeter in Kansas City in the middle 1930s, he moved to New York City and performed in Harlem and on 52nd Street, headlining at the Apollo Theater and in Greenwich Village. He was a star trumpet soloist with Artie Shaw's Orchestra in 1941. He recorded with Billie Holiday and Pearl Bailey and made many early TV appearances in the 1950s. Perhaps most significantly, Page was also one of the greatest blues players of his generation. Dizzy Gillespie may have said it best, When it comes to the blues, don't mess with Lips, nobody not Louis, not Roy, not me.Despite his many successes, Page's personal life was fraught with troubles. His father died when his son was eight, and the boy was forced to leave school and go to work to help support his family. Page's second wife, Myrtle, who by all accounts was the love of his life, died suddenly in New York in 1946 at the age of twenty-eight, leaving Hot Lips as the sole parent of their young son, Oran Jr. Throughout the 1940s, he struggled to maintain his audience as the popular style of music changed from Swing to Bebop to Rhythm and Blues.He died suddenly of a heart attack in 1954, at age forty-six. Through the use of interviews, anecdotes and oral histories, author Todd Bryant Weeks has pieced together Page's personal story. He has contacted dozens of people (many in their eighties and nineties), who knew Page personally, and has spent many hours interviewing several of Page's family members, including his son, Oran Page, Jr., who is now a Municipal Judge in Jackson, Mississippi. Weeks has also been granted access to files, photographs and personal scrapbooks belonging to Page at the Institute of Jazz Studies in Newark, New Jersey. Luck's In My Corner: The Life and Music of Hot Lips Page is the definitive work on this legendary jazz figure.
Luck s in My Corner is a comprehensive biography of one of the most compelling jazz musicians of the Swing Era, Oran "Hot Lips Page. Page was the greatest of the Kansas City trumpeters, whose crackling, growling solos made him the go-to man during Count Basie s earliest days as a bandleader. Page went on to be a featured trumpeter with Artie Shaw, a star of New York s 52nd street, and a pioneer of the R & B scene of the 1950s. This book presents an in-depth chronology of Page s career, with special attention paid to the development of his trumpet style. Luck s in My Corner examines the life and music of a forgotten figure of the Swing Era and returns him to his rightful place as a leading light in the world of jazz. Todd Bryant Weeks has combined genealogical, musicological, discographical and historical research, resulting in a revealing and entertaining examination of a life that spanned major changes in American popular music. This book includes a new and complete discography by the author and dozens of unpublished photos. "
Jazz: The Basics gives a brief introduction to a century of
jazz, ideal for students and interested listeners who want to learn
more about this important musical style. The heart of the book
traces jazz's growth from its folk origins through early recordings
and New Orleans stars; the big-band and swing era; bebop; cool jazz
and third stream; avant-garde; jazz-rock; and the neo-conservative
movement of the 1980s and 1990s. Key figures from each era including: Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Wynton Marsalis are highlighted along with classic works. The book concludes with a list of the 100 essential recordings to own, along with a timeline and glossary. Jazz: The Basics serves as an excellent introduction to the players, the music, and the styles that make jazz 'America's classical music.'
Inside British Jazz explores specific historical moments in British jazz history and places special emphasis upon issues of race, nation and class. Topics covered include the reception of jazz in Britain in the 1910s and 1920s, the British New Orleans jazz revival of the 1950s, the free jazz innovations of the Joe Harriott Quintet in the early 1960s, and the formation of the all-black jazz band, the Jazz Warriors, in 1985. Using both historical and ethnographical approaches, Hilary Moore examines the ways in which jazz, an African-American music form, has been absorbed and translated within Britain's social, political and musical landscapes. Moore considers particularly the ways in which music has created a space of expression for British musicians, allowing them to re-imagine their place within Britain's social fabric, to participate in transcontinental communities, and to negotiate a position of belonging within jazz narratives of race, nation and class. The book also champions the importance of studying jazz beyond the borders of the United States and contributes to a growing body of literature that will enrich mainstream jazz scholarship.
Nearly 700 works by over 500 authors are presented in Jazz Fiction: A History and Comprehensive Reader's Guide, a comprehensive annotated bibliography of stories and novels that contain a jazz component. Presenting a valuable overview of the history of the genre from its beginnings to the near present, the book compartmentalizes the titles into literature genres, such as children, teen, and young adult stories; mystery and detective fiction; fantasy and science fiction; women and jazz; works based on the lives of actual jazz artists; international jazz fiction (representing over 20 countries); and even "Jazz" Fiction Sans Music: books that imply musical content but actually have none. A series of sub-genres such as "Big Band and Swing," "Blues," "Pulp and Smut," and "Novelizations" are identified, providing examples of works that characterize these categories and offering readers with specialized interests an easy reference. Also included are two short-lists, one for short stories, the other for novels, giving readers who desire to learn more about jazz fiction suggestions on where to begin. David Rife's annotations qualify as short critical essays, generally providing a jargon-free, often witty presentation, making them a pleasure to read. Broad in scope, meticulously researched, and comprehensive with titles that have long been inaccessible, this definitive resource is essential for libraries and valuable to scholars and fans of jazz and literature.
David Amram-composer, jazz artist, conductor, and world music pioneer-has been described by the Boston Globe as "the Renaissance man of American music." From early collaborations with Kerouac and Sinatra, chosen by Leonard Bernstein as the New York Philharmonic's first composer in residence, Amram's artistry has taken him from concerts with Willie Nelson to jamming with the Massai tribe of Kenya. In Upbeat: Nine Lives of a Musical Cat, Amram recounts his extraordinary adventures in the many worlds of music he calls home, all told in a rollicking anecdotal style that makes you feel that you are at home around the world. He writes, "Everywhere I have been in the world, music transcends politics. As musicians, we were able to go beyond all that and just be fellow human beings." Threading through Amram's tale of music, hard work, respect, and friendship are unforgettable stories of fellow great artists-Dizzie Gillespie, Hunter S. Thompson, Janet Gaynor, George Plimpton, Lyle Lovett, Zoe Caldwell, Willie Nelson, and many more.
Jazz Guitar Styles is an instruction book designed for the guitarist who already knows the fundamentals but wishes to explore the "classic" style of swing-era guitar. It offers a clear, concise introduction to the basics of jazz guitar, built on the student's basic knowledge of forming chords and basic picking patterns. Jazz Guitar Styles opens this world to any guitarist who has a basic knowledge of guitar technique and willingness to learn.
Winner of the 2013 Association for Recorded Sound Collections Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research in Jazz During his 13 year career between 1955 and 1968, Paul Chambers was one of the leading double bass players in jazz, performing with a wide variety of artists and a range of the music's sub-genres and recording over 300 albums for labels such as Blue Note, Riverside, Mercury and Columbia Records. Chambers performed alongside some of the greatest names in jazz including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Wes Montgomery, Joe Henderson, Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Gil Evans and Freddie Hubbard. Although he recorded half a dozen LPs under his own name, including his own compositions, he is probably best remembered for his contribution to the greatest jazz recording of all time; Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue where his bass notes are legendary. Mr P. C. tells the story of this quiet giant of jazz; his birth in Pittsburgh, youth in Detroit, his early rise to jazz celebrity, his time at the top, his struggle against alcoholism and heroin addiction and the circumstances surrounding his tragic death of tuberculosis, aged 33, in 1969. Using material from other literary sources and interviews with family members, friends and colleagues in the jazz fraternity, this book tells in full for the first time this influential musician's story. The book includes a comprehensive discography detailing all of his recordings both as a sideman and bandleader.
Jim Godbolt first emerged on the British jazz scene as unofficial manager of George Webb's Dixielanders in the late 1940s. Throughout the trad boom he was an agent and club manager, and his story also encompasses the pop revolution of the early sixties when, uncharacteristically, he enjoyed a brief taste of success as agent of the Swinging Blue Jeans. In 1971, Godbolt retired from the music business in order to become a writer. His memoirs are packed with hilarious anecdotes and accurate portraits of British jazz stars such as George Melly, Sandy Brown, Humphrey Lyttelton and Ronnie Scott. With his renowned humour and insight, he recalls his years as an electricity meter reader, exiled from the jazz world and struggling for recognition as a writer. The final chapters chart his return to eminence in British jazz, becoming by dint of stubborn application a published author and editor of "Jazz" at Ronnie Scott's.
This is Whitney Balliett's long-awaited "big book." In it are all the jazz profiles he has written for "The New Yorker" during the past 24 years. These include his famous early portraits of Pee Wee Russell, Red Allen, Earl Hines, and Mary Lou Williams, done when these giants were in full flower; his recent reconstructions of the lives of such legends as Art Tatum, Coleman Hawkins, Jack Teagarden, Zoot Sims, and Dave Tough; His quick but indelible glimpses into the daily (or nocturnal) lives of Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus; and his vivid pictures of such on-the-scene masters as Red Norvo, Ornette Coleman, Buddy Rich, Elvin Jones, Art Farmer, Michael Moore, and Tommy Flanagan. Also included are such lesser known but invaluable players as Art Hodes, Jabbo Smith, Joe Wilder, Warne Marsh, Gene Bertoncini, Joe Bushkin, and Marie Marcus. All these profiles make the reader feel, as one observer has pointed out, that he is "sitting with Balliett and his subject and listening in." The book can be taken as a kind of history of jazz, as well as a biographical encylopedia of many of its most important performers. It can also be regarded as a model of American prose. Robert Dawidoff said of Whitney Balliett"s most recent book, "Jelly Roll, Jabbo and Fats," that "few people write as well about anything as Balliett writes about jazz." And the late Philip Larkin wrote in 1982 of the "transcendence of Balliett's prose." |
You may like...
Indianapolis Jazz - The Masters, Legends…
David Leander Williams
Paperback
Washington, Dc, Jazz
Regennia N Williams, Sandra Butler-truesdale
Paperback
|