Peter Pullman-- Bud Powell Biography

[J.A.W.]

Anyone know the status of this book? Does this mention on Amazon.com mean anything? Thanks. http://www.amazon.com/Biography-Bud-Powell-Peter-Pullman/dp/0374112614/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272392496&sr=8-1

If it does mean anything, it's bad news...

[Christiern]

I hope it is published in my lifetime—seems like I've already waited a lifetime.

[AllenLowe]

we're all gonna have to go to Larry Kart's house to get a copy -

[blind-blake]

Dag! I've been eagerly awaiting this book for years! I'll probably be dead by the time it comes out. Where does Larry live and is there an easy way in?

[ghost of miles]

Dag! I've been eagerly awaiting this book for years! I'll probably be dead by the time it comes out. Where does Larry live and is there an easy way in?

The drive itself isn't so bad...but then you gotta hike the "Jazz-Camino-in-Search-of-Itself" trail to get there:

...

[blind-blake]

[Fer Urbina]

Straight from the horse's mouth:

My biography, Wail: The Life of Bud Powell, will soon be available from Kindle, and from my website as a download.

Source: Peter Pullman's blog.

Website not quite up yet, but still, great news.

F

[Dan Gould]

I've been playing something of an informal advisory-editorial role here. The book is completed and is IMO excellent -- everything one could wish for when it comes to nailing down facts, sorting out myth from reality, establishing social context, etc., etc. Pullman's labors here are almost awe-inspiring in their thoroughness, and no less important, their scrupulousness. In particular (and I think this was a very wise choice), Pullman doesn't presume to be able to read Powell's mind. Also the book is not, nor is it intended to be, a book in which Powell's music is analyzed. Pullman writes very well. The density of information is at a very high level when such information exists and can be dug up (and information of that density is what most people like us would want, I think), but the book certainly flows and has moments of high drama. The only problem now is bringing it into dock with the publisher. I don't know all the details there and probably wouldn't tell you if I did, but I expect docking maneuvers will be completed successfully and soon.

Astonishing that Larry posted this over four years ago, and now its clear that the "docking maneuvers" with a publisher were never completed. I'm very excited to know this will finally be available to purchase but how could such an undertaking not find at least a university press to publish it properly?

Oh well, the times aren't a changin', they've changed. I'm not getting a Kindle just for this book and have no interest in adapting the technology but I'll be happy to pay for a downloaded PDF. The fact that there is no musical analysis just means more text to enjoy and none to skim over.

[Fer Urbina]

Pullman's website is up now.

You can read an excerpt of the book here.

There's also a chronology, which should give an idea of the quality of Pullman's research.

F

Edited September 26, 2011 by Fer Urbina

[JohnS]

Thanks for posting the link F.

This is a book I'd like to read but like Dan I have no interest in a Kindle.

[Christiern]

I know Peter Pullman.

Peter Pullman is no Gourse or Yanow, he is meticulous...

He writes one word at a time...

Sometims, he puts it aside for a week, or so...

...then returns toe study it, carefully.

If a word has not passed the test of time, Peter won't hesitate to replace it.

Mark my words...every comma, every period, every cedilla will be in its rightful place.

[jazzbo]

Like Dan and John, I want to read this book but don't want an electronic version. Hope it can find a hardcover publisher.

It's hard to publish books these days. My father gave up trying to find a publisher for his fifth biography, after spending years of research and years of compiling and writing. Sort of broke his heart. And this is an eminently publishable book in any other time and clime.

[jlhoots]

I want an actual book too.

Neither an e-book nor a download are of interest to me.

[paul secor]

I've pretty much given up reading music bios - with a very few exceptions. I'll probably just listen to more Bud recordings. But that's just me.

[Christiern]

I've pretty much given up reading music bios - with a very few exceptions. I'll probably just listen to more Bud recordings. But that's just me.

Why have you given up on bios?

[AllenLowe]

I've very eagerly anticipated this for years - just reading the intro and am confused by the following:

"The Daly residence was a salon for modern ideas. The room even had its own exit" -

what room DOESN'T have it's own exit?

will keep reading, however.

[alankin]

I've very eagerly anticipated this for years - just reading the intro and am confused by the following:

"The Daly residence was a salon for modern ideas. The room even had its own exit" -

what room DOESN'T have it's own exit?

will keep reading, however.

Perhaps this means the room had an exit from the house (as opposed to an door to the hall).

[AllenLowe]

likely.

[alankin]

One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

[Christiern]

Then, too, it was a dark and stormy night...

[paul secor]

I've pretty much given up reading music bios - with a very few exceptions. I'll probably just listen to more Bud recordings. But that's just me.

Why have you given up on bios?

In general, I find too much emphasis on the unhappy or negative in music bios. I hear a lot in the music that I don't read much about in the biographies.

The last musician's bio I read was Kelley's Thelonious Monk. After reading it, I felt depressed. Perhaps all of the details that Kelley reports occured, but there must have been a lot more than those details, because I hear Monk's music very differently than what I experienced in reading that book.

All of this leads to a discussion of how much of musicians' lives go into their music, and how do life experiences find their way into the music. I don't have enough lifetime left to go there. I'd rather just listen.

I guess what I want to say is listening to the music brings me far closer than any biography could ever hope to.

Edited September 26, 2011 by paul secor

[Fer Urbina]

Ethan Iverson blogs about Powell, and gives some space to Pullman, who talks about this project.

http://dothemath.typepad.com/dtm/2011/09/buds-birthday.html

F

Edited September 27, 2011 by Fer Urbina

[mracz]

I've pretty much given up reading music bios - with a very few exceptions. I'll probably just listen to more Bud recordings. But that's just me.

Why have you given up on bios?

In general, I find too much emphasis on the unhappy or negative in music bios. I hear a lot in the music that I don't read much about in the biographies.

The last musician's bio I read was Kelley's Thelonious Monk. After reading it, I felt depressed. Perhaps all of the details that Kelley reports occured, but there must have been a lot more than those details, because I hear Monk's music very differently than what I experienced in reading that book.

All of this leads to a discussion of how much of musicians' lives go into their music, and how do life experiences find their way into the music. I don't have enough lifetime left to go there. I'd rather just listen.

I guess what I want to say is listening to the music brings me far closer than any biography could ever hope to.

I sympathise, but for me Kelley's book made me realise the extent to which Monk overcame some very profound personal difficulties to create extraordinary music, and to that extent I found the tale inspiring rather than depressing. But yes, the details about his last years are harrowing!

[AllenLowe]

I have just the opposite response to things like the Monk bio - to me, such large and blunt doses of reality are inspiring. It's like having access to the the kind of consciousness which produces such important work, for better or for worse. You just have to face this stuff. Same with Bud. I find it exhilarating. We're not in Kansas anymore......

[paul secor]

I'm not in Kansas, but I just find that biographies tend to capture facts rather than essence. That's probably the nature of the game, and that's why I'm not that much interested in them.