Shorter bio Footprints by Michelle Mercer to be released Paperback

[ISODignity]

http://www.amazon.com/Footprints-Life-Work...TF8&s=books

There is an interesting thread on Organissimo based on the hardcover version released circa December 2004.

Edited December 20, 2006 by ISODignity

[bertrand]

I would like to take this opportunity to briefly explain the nature of my involvement in the paperback version of this book (as I alluded to in another thread).

As ISO alludes to in his post above, several us had some reservations concerning the hardcover edition of this book due to numerous errors that cropped up. After seeing this thread, Michelle (with whom I had spoken a couple of times concerning the research I have been conducting on Wayne's music at the Library of Congress) contacted me to explain what had happened, and also to see if there was anything I might like to suggest for the forthcoming paperback edition.

I will not pretend to speak for Michelle, but from what I understand the publisher wanted to rush the hardcover through even though Michelle had submitted corrections. So, a lot of what was pointed out in the other thread had already been caught by Michelle even before the hardback came out and submitted for correction before the publication date. However, most (if not all) of the corrections were not made in their haste to get the book out the door, and probably a few errors slipped in which she was not given the opportunity to correct. Again, this is how I understand it. I will come back to edit this later if I am slightly off-base.

In any case, as we were talking, I mentioned to Michelle how I thought that an inventory of Wayne's compositions would be a great addition to her book, especially as I had information concerning some obscure unrecorded pieces that Wayne himself had told me about. So we agreed that we would put this together, based on a first draft that I had from my research. I put together a list of questions that Michelle submitted to Wayne, and we got some very interesting (and of course non-linear) responses from him which we incorporated into the inventory as best we could.

So I hope that this will be of interest to a few people here. I consider Wayne to be one of the greatest American composers in any style of music, and I think it's important to have some sort of guidepost to his work, especially as his music is scattered in several locations. For instance, there are several fascinating pieces that he copyrighted that he has never performed.

I do not claim this inventory is complete. We tried our best to leave no stone unturned, but there are still several mysteries that we have not (yet) been able to clear up. Of course, one issue is the nature of the music played at the (rejected) Blue Note session from 10/13/70. Based on the sketchy song titles, it would seem that this music was totally improvised. However, after the final draft was submitted, I had a chance to talk to Alphonse Mouzon. Although he does not remember this exact session, his recollections of recording with Wayne is that he always brought some music to the sessions. So we still are in the dark about what this session is all about. Note that McCoy Tyner did not remember it at all when I asked him about 2 years ago; I've never met Barbara Burton, but I suspect she has a better memory of it since, unlike McCoy, she has not been on countless sessions. I can't even speculate as to what Miroslav Vitous might remember.

It was a thrill to be involved in this project. Wayne has been my musical hero for about 20 years, and I can't describe what an honor it is to have been able to participate in his biography. I hope he got some pleasure out of reading this appendix, and I hope some of you will as well. I really enjoyed all the personal stories that Wayne shared with Michelle and that she related in her book. Even if there are more biographies of Wayne in my lifetime, and I certainly hope there will be (he's a subject of endless fascination), I don't think any other writer will be afforded the same access to Wayne as Michelle had.

Bertrand.

Edited December 27, 2006 by bertrand

[GA Russell]

Bertrand, just to be clear...Did Michelle tell you that the errors in the body of the work have been corrected for the body of the paperback version? Or was the body unchanged with the corrections included in the addendum?

[bertrand]

My understanding is that the errors are corrected within the body of the text. The only addendum is the Appendix containing the inventory of compositions.

Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Bertrand.

[Guy Berger]

Props to Bertrand for putting together the composition list, and for Michelle for correcting the errors in the previous version.

Guy

[GA Russell]

Sounds great!

[GregK]

Can't wait for this!

[chris olivarez]

Looking forward to this.

[ValerieB]

bertrand: i cannot tell you how thrilled and excited i am to hear this news about your involvement!! wait until i tell darlene about it! it will blow her mind too! congrats to you for this huge contribution to our hero's bio! and additional props to michelle for her openess and willingness.

best,

valerie

[ValerieB]

(and of course there is a reference to you, Valerie, in the text....I read it in the hardcover edition)

hi, david: what's so strange about that is after knowing wayne and his family over 40 years and having so many experiences with them, the "anecdote" used re tina turner is rather peculiar. but, on the other hand, i certainly never expected to be included in the book in the first place!

best to you.

valerie

[brownie]

Great!

I'm glad I did not buy the hardcover after reading some of the comments here when it caùe out.

The paperback version is more than welcome!

Bravo Bertrand

[bertrand]

Thanks to everyone for their nice comments.

I updated the posting above for clarity.

Bertrand.

[JSngry]

Glad to hear that whatever rumblings there were of Ms. Mercer's possible "bimbo-ness" appear to have been greatly exaggerated, if not in fact totally unfounded!

[DukeCity]

Glad to hear that whatever rumblings there were of Ms. Mercer's possible "bimbo-ness" appear to have been greatly exaggerated, if not in fact totally unfounded!

I've always preferred the term "bimbocity"

[Jim Alfredson]

Glad to hear that whatever rumblings there were of Ms. Mercer's possible "bimbo-ness" appear to have been greatly exaggerated, if not in fact totally unfounded!

That's the danger of these types of boards. Anyone can come on, under a pseudonym, and make wild allegations without any repercussions while the person accused is threatened with having their reputation stained.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet, folks.

[bertrand]

Seriously, I wasn't sure what Jim S. was talking about at first, and then I remembered what unpleasant thread he was alluding to.

I thought we had killed that a few months ago (the postings are gone).

Maybe it would be best for this thread as well if postings # 14-16 were to 'magically disappear'.

Bertrand.

Edited December 27, 2006 by bertrand

[jdw]

Hi Bertrand,

Could you update us on your contributions to the paperback edition (released March 2007)? Were the majority of the errors taken care of?

Thanks

John

Vancouver BC

PS: my apologies if this has been addressed in another thread

[Ken Dryden]

Did anyone correct the oddball photo credit which listed Jaco Pastorius and Lew Tabackin as "unknown" and Denny Zeitlin as Lew?

It is a shame that the author gets the blame for mistakes that were corrected but not added by a publisher rushing a book to print. I've had my fill of Stuart Nicholson's poorly edited books, whoever is at fault...

There are some things that weren't likely to be improved with editing, such as the author's overzealousness to praise her subject and her comparison of the output of Shorter and Zawinul to Ellington and Strayhorn (not close by a long stretch in either quantity or importance).