What jazz artists need to be written about?

[Hardbopjazz]

Can you think of any well known jazz artists that history let slip under the radar and don't seem to get much or any coverage in books?

Edited May 8, 2005 by Hardbopjazz

[Rooster_Ties]

I wouldn't mind reading more about Andrew Hill (big surprise there ). Maybe a full-length bio really isn't realistic (and perhaps not even reasonable). But I could really go for an in-depth chapter-length kinda thing -- maybe 20 or 25 pages in length.

Larry Young's another one I could stand a good chapter-length write-up about.

Maybe Joe Henderson?? (Again, probably chapter-length.)

[Soulstation1]

lee freakin morgan

JOS

[Free For All]

I wouldn't mind reading more about Andrew Hill (big surprise there ). Maybe a full-length bio really isn't realistic (and perhaps not even reasonable). But I could really go for an in-depth chapter-length kinda thing -- maybe 20 or 25 pages in length.

Larry Young's another one I could stand a good chapter-length write-up about.

Maybe Joe Henderson?? (Again, probably chapter-length.)

What? No Osby? No Moran?

[Chuck Nessa]

Whay jazz artists?

Do you mean whey jazz artists? They are kinda' cheezy.

What do you mean?

[Free For All]

Whay jazz artists?

Do you mean whey jazz artists? They are kinda' cheezy.

What do you mean?

Well, as they say, you can't polish a curd.

[AllenLowe]

Jack Purvis. Johnny Carisi.

[Free For All]

Johnny Carisi.

I would be very interested to learn more about him. A great writer and arranger.

[Chuck Nessa]

Whay jazz artists?

Do you mean whey jazz artists? They are kinda' cheezy.

What do you mean?

Well, as they say, you can't polish a curd.

So is this the famous curd in the punk bowel?

[Christiern]

These immediately come to mind...

• Stump Evans
  
• Sirone
  
• Eddie Heywood
  
• Jabbo Smith
  
• Charlie Shavers
  
• Elmer Snowden
  
• Carlos Ward
  
• Omar Simeon
  

...but, sad to say, there are many more who deserve higher recognition.

[kdd]

Booker Little

[frank m]

A little known singer who performed with Teddy Wilson in the late 30's and dubbed for Rita Hayworth in films; Nan Wynn. Wilson said he much preferred her singing to Billie's.

[brownie]

Some I'ld be interested in reading biographies of:

- Art Blakey

- Wardell Gray

- Lennie Tristano

- Juan Tizol

All seemed to have interesting things going on when they were around.

[Free For All]

Booker Little

Second that.

Wynton Kelly

[BbM7]

Some I'ld be interested in reading biographies of:

- Wardell Gray

I was working on a Gray bio for a few years, until I learned of another would-be biographer's efforts. He's still working on it.

[A Lark Ascending]

I'd dearly like a book on the development of jazz in Italy. Not one of those heavy socio-cultural academic things; just a narrative of how it started, who the main musicians were over the years, where it seems to be today. It's quite hard piecing this together from the IJM site, CD sleeves, the occasional English language article.

I'm sure this exists in Italy...well, Italian jazz is fascinating enough to deserve an English language book.

In fact, thinking about it, there's room for a few books on jazz in individual European countries.

Edited May 8, 2005 by Bev Stapleton

[sidewinder]

I'd love to see a good book written about Tubby Hayes, up to the same sort of standard as the excellent bio of Joe Harriott. I believe Simon Spillett's currently working on one

A bio of Woody Shaw would be real cool...

[Michael Fitzgerald]

There is a book in the works that will deal with the history of jazz in Europe. It is being written by numerous authorities. This was reported to me by Francesco Martinelli when he gave a presentation on European jazz 1970-2000 a few months ago. Don't know about the language(s).

Mike

[sidewinder]

Sounds good !

[pasta]

Chris McGregor and the Brotherhood of Breath

Sonny Sharrock

Blue Mitchell

Johnny Hammond Smith

THE LIST GOES ON.............

[Kalo]

All the suggestions so far are good, I think. But the most necessary, most realistic in publishing terms, and most needed would be:

1: Art Blakey

2: European Jazz History (Large tome with chapters by country?)

3: Lennie Tristano (perhaps, a la Mosaic, incorporating Konitz and Marsh as well.)

4: ANDREW HILL (The one I would most like to read.)

And what about Herbie Nichols? (Though there is the Spellman book and Rudd's amazing Mosaic booklet.)

And isn't Peter Keepnews supposed to have been working on a definitive Monk bio, for how many years? Haven't read any of the available Monk books, but none of them seem any where near definitive. Any opinions?

[Michael Fitzgerald]

2 and 3 are in the works.

Mike

[Kalo]

It just struck me that regional histories are needed as well.

I believe thet there are several academic studies of various American regional jazz scenes, but as a denizen of Boston I am unaware of any extended treatment of the jazz scene here.

Off the top of my head, there are numerous Boston or Massachusetts area musicians who made indelible contributions to jazz: Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Chick Corea, Bobby Hackett, Ruby Braff, Ralph Burns, Serge Chaloff, Dick Twardzik(?), Tony Williams...

I know I'm forgetting many others.

[BruceH]

In that vein, there could and should be a book on Indianapolis jazz musicians, and another on the Detroit scene.

(BTW, the fact that two of the most pre-eminent baritone sax players---Carney and Chaloff---came from Boston has long fascinated me. What does it say about the Hub, I wonder? Probably signifies nothing. Just one of those things that your mind can't help thinking about, like a tongue exploring a missing tooth.)

[JPF]

It just struck me that regional histories are needed as well.

I believe thet there are several academic studies of various American regional jazz scenes, but as a denizen of Boston I am unaware of any extended treatment of the jazz scene here.

Off the top of my head, there are numerous Boston or Massachusetts area musicians who made indelible contributions to jazz: Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Chick Corea, Bobby Hackett, Ruby Braff, Ralph Burns, Serge Chaloff, Dick Twardzik(?), Tony Williams...

I know I'm forgetting many others.

←

...and Roy Haynes, Steve Kuhn, Gary Burton, Jaki Byard, Charlie Mariano, Alan Dawson, and the dean of the Boston jazz scene (because he stayed with it), Herb Pomeroy.

And slightly outside of Boston, Boots Mussulli, Frankie Capp, Don Fagerquist, Don Asher, Barbara Carroll...

Edited May 21, 2005 by JPF