Few people know jazz as well as Gene Lees. As a musician,
songwriter, former editor of Down Beat, and creator of the
acclaimed Jazzletter, he has steeped himself in the music for
decades. And no one writes about jazz better than Lees. He is
widely acknowledged to be one of the leading jazz historians. The
Washington Post called him "one of those writers who's a joy to
read on any subject at all." No less than Dizzy Gillespie has
called Lees "the glowing jewel of jazz" for his perceptive writing
about the music. Now comes the book that jazz lovers (and Lees's
fans) have been waiting for--Leader of the Band, a vivid,
full-scale biography of Woody Herman.
Asked by Herman in 1986 to write his biography, Gene Lees has
spent close to a decade working on it, interviewing many of
Herman's childhood friends and lifelong acquaintances as well as
numerous musicians, including Les Brown, Milt Jackson, Peggy Lee,
Tony Martin, and Red Norvo. The result is a strikingly immediate
and well informed portrait of one of the great figures in jazz
history--a musical giant whose career spanned the big band and
bebop eras. Lees unfolds Herman's dramatic life from his childhood
in Milwaukee to his final tragic days hounded by the IRS. We follow
his rise to prominence in the 1930s as leader of "the band that
plays the blues," when he quickly earned the love and respect of
his peers that became the enduring hallmark of his career. Lees
illuminates Herman's great success between 1945 and 1950, when
bebop rapidly developed, revealing how Herman successfully made the
transition with bands that became famous as Herman's "First Herd"
and "Second Herd." (The Second Herd in particular won a stellar
place in the annals of bebop, boasting many brilliant musicians,
most notably, tenor saxophonist Stan Getz.) Lees also captures the
ultimate tragedy that broke Herman's career--when Herman's manager
diverted the band's withholding tax to settle gambling debts.
Herman was tormented by the IRS for decades, until he died,
penniless, in 1987. Along the way, Lees brings to life the weary
routine of performing on the road, with its constant one-night
engagements and unending travel, broken only by brief stays at home
and moments of camaraderie. And perhaps most important, we not only
see Herman's legion of friends and admirers, we see why this
commanding figure was so loved and respected, even by that
fractious bunch who make their living by playing jazz.
Woody Herman played a central role in the development of jazz--and
he played it, as he did the music, with dignity and breathtaking
ability. In Leader of the Band, one of our finest writers captures
the life of this great bandleader, vividly portraying the triumph
and tragedy of a life in jazz.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
