Workmanlike biography of a famed big bandsman. Woody Herman (1913 -
87) was one of the great figures of the big-band era, as
instrumentalist, vocalist, and particularly as band leader. His
famous series of "herds" introduced many key musicians,
particularly the noted saxophone section of the Second Herd,
featuring Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, and Al Cohn. Herman's first group,
which came to prominence in 1937, took a more swinging approach to
the music than other bands of the day and became known as "The Band
that Plays the Blues," thanks to their earthy repertoire. After the
war, Herman was one of the first to embrace the progressive
harmonies and jagged melodies of bebop, which was pushing out the
edges of acceptable jazz. However, with the decline of the big
bands in the '50s - attributed by Lees to the success of rock 'n'
roll and the closing of many large ballrooms - Herman struggled to
keep his group going. By the late '60s, he had half-heartedly
embraced rock 'n' roll, even recording the Doors' "Light My Fire"
and other rock songs. In his later years, charged by the IRS with
tax evasion, Herman had to keep performing despite declining band
standards and his own poor health. Lees (Cats of Any Color, 1994,
etc.) is a noted jazz writer and a friend of Herman's; he even
worked for a while as a publicist for him. Although obviously a
dedicated fan (his negative feelings toward rock and contemporary
pop make for some curmudgeonly passages), he is even-handed. Lees
covers much the same ground as William Clancy's recent Woody
Herman: Chronicle of the Herds (p. 191), although Clancy's book is
more of an oral history, while this is a straight narrative. A few
high notes from the past, bathed in a warm, nostalgic glow. (Kirkus
Reviews)
Woody Herman was a central figure in the development of jazz - a musical giant whose career spanned the big band and bebop eras. Gene Lees has spent close to a decade interviewing Herman's friends and fellow musicians, to produce a vivid portrayal of the triumph and tragedy of a life in jazz.
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