The Story of Blue Note

[montg]

While looking around amazon for something new to read about jazz, I came across some upcoming books that caught my attention. I hope the Blue Note book turns out well, there's clearly a good story in there somewhere that's yet to be told

Ashley Kahn Somethin' Else: The story of Blue Note Records and the Birth of Modern Jazz

due april 16, 2009

blue note story

Gary Giddins Scott Devaux: Jazz

due 3/09

jazz

Penguin Guide (9th edition)due 11/08

penguin jazz

The Jazz Ear Ben Ratliff due 11/08

jazz ear

Jazz Life William CLaxton (25th anniversary edition)

due 9/08

Jazz Life

[Dave James]

Based on Ashley Kahn's previous work, I would eagerly anticipate his Blue Note "tome". Same with Gary Giddins and Scott DeVaux. Giddins pedigree is unassailable and DeVaux's Bebop is a book I really enjoyed. Both these strike me as well worth picking up. As a matter of fact, I just pre-ordered the Kahn.

Up over and out.

[andybleaden]

April...........that is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo not fair

[BillF]

Ashley Kahn Somethin' Else: The story of Blue Note Records and the Birth of Modern Jazz

due april 16, 2009

Penguin Guide (9th edition)due 11/08

penguin jazz

Kahn's book will be in addition to the late Richard Cook's Blue Note Records: the Biography which was pretty sound, I thought. Pleased to see the Penguin Guide has survived co-author Cook's demise.

[sidewinder]

I enjoyed the Cook book but it was a bit cursory, to say the least. Looking forward to this one ! And hopefully there's something positive in there about Grachan Moncur.

[marcello]

I'm waiting for youmustbe's book.

And Chris' too!

[sidewinder]

And Chris' too!

Bring it on !

[montg]

I enjoyed the Cook book but it was a bit cursory, to say the least. Looking forward to this one ! And hopefully there's something positive in there about Grachan Moncur.

If Kahn's 'Blue Note' book is similar to his Coltrane/Impulse book, I would expect it to delve a lot more into the Alfred Lion/business side of the story than Richard Cook did. I wonder how much cooperation Kahn had from MC, Lundvall and others? I've enjoyed Kahn's other jazz books, I'm betting this will be a winner, worth preordering.

[Bluerein]

THe Cook Book was full of errors (obvious ones since even I could see them). I expect the Kahn book to be of much more interest.

[bertrand]

Reiner,

Could you point out some examples?

Thanks,

Bertrand.

[mikeweil]

What is Ashley Kahn going to write up next? I'm not sure that I want to read label stories ... now if he'd cover Prestige, Savoy, Fantasy (that would be a hard one), Riverside, I probably would go for it. Aren't there any other jazz albums of the stature of Kind of Blue or A Love Supreme?

[Face of the Bass]

That cover for the ninth edition of the Penguin is fucking dreadful.

[A Lark Ascending]

What is Ashley Kahn going to write up next? I'm not sure that I want to read label stories ... now if he'd cover Prestige, Savoy, Fantasy (that would be a hard one), Riverside, I probably would go for it. Aren't there any other jazz albums of the stature of Kind of Blue or A Love Supreme?

I've heard he's working on 'Come Away With Me'.

[Bluerein]

Bertrand: first thing which comes up was a bit about the first recording by Jimmy Smith or something which wasn't correct. There were more of these but of course I forgot about them (why should you remember errors...)

[J.A.W.]

Amazon.com just cancelled my order for Ashley Kahn's Blue Note book, which was due out about now. The reason they gave me is that "it is not available from any of their sources at this time." It still seems to be available for pre-order at Amazon U.K.

[Rooster_Ties]

Amazon.com just cancelled my order for Ashley Kahn's Blue Note book, which was due out about now. The reason they gave me is that "it is not available from any of their sources at this time." It still seems to be available for pre-order at Amazon U.K.

I can't even find it on the U.S. Amazon site (no listing even). Searched three or four different ways (including by author).

[BruceH]

What is Ashley Kahn going to write up next? I'm not sure that I want to read label stories ... now if he'd cover Prestige, Savoy, Fantasy (that would be a hard one), Riverside, I probably would go for it. Aren't there any other jazz albums of the stature of Kind of Blue or A Love Supreme?

I think he may be working on Such Sweet Thunder right now.

[garthsj]

Amazon.com just cancelled my order for Ashley Kahn's Blue Note book, which was due out about now. The reason they gave me is that "it is not available from any of their sources at this time." It still seems to be available for pre-order at Amazon U.K.

Does anyone have any further information about when this book will actually be published? It seems to have mysteriously disappeared from several bookseller sites.

Garth.

[Hardbopjazz]

My order was just canceled by Borders books. Maybe this book isn't happening after all. I placed my pre-order 2 months ago.

[Guest youmustbe]

The book biz is not very healthy right now. Also with Kindle the whole idea of a 'book' is kinda outdated maybe?

I am self publishing my book. Limited edition, numbered. Pick my own paper, etc.

[A Lark Ascending]

Despite its rather obvious theme, this could be interesting.

The Blue Moment: Richard Williams

http://www.faber.co.uk/work/blue-moment/9780571245062/

A book about the impact of 'that' album.

Brits of a certain vintage will recall Williams fronting 'Disco 2' and the first 'Old Grey Whistle Test' programmes. He wrote for the main music papers in the UK in the early 70s, always erudite with a contextual understanding that reached much further than the rock writers of the day. I think he's been mainly a sports writer since.

I recall being really miffed around '72 by his put downs of prog-rock, comparing it to Stan Kenton in the 50s (at the time I hadn't a clue who Kenton was). With hindsight, he was probably right on the money. About ten years back I did a review of his collection of music writings - 'Long Distance Call' - for a UK magazine. I got a very nice postcard from him, along with an admission that he was the ogre who had upset my musical worldview in '72!

'Long Distance Call' was a great read - gave a real sense of just why we get hooked on music with a range that went from Dupree Bolton to Nick Drake. Which has me expecting something rather more than the usual hagiography for this new 'Kind of Blue' book.

[bertrand]

Kahn told me this should be ready by early 2010.

Bertrand.

[sidewinder]

Brits of a certain vintage will recall Williams fronting 'Disco 2' and the first 'Old Grey Whistle Test' programmes. He wrote for the main music papers in the UK in the early 70s, always erudite with a contextual understanding that reached much further than the rock writers of the day. I think he's been mainly a sports writer since.

Yep, along with Steve Lake he covered jazz for Melody Maker back in the mid-70s. I used to buy that regularly. I recall long articles about Miles 'Dark Magus' and 'Pangaea' (then rare imports on vinyl to the UK), Basil Kirchin's 'Worlds Within Worlds' recordings, Booker Little's 'Legendary Quartet Session' released on Island plus I vaguelly recall one about Dupree Bolton too. It's a shame that the old Melody Makers are not available on line. Not sure which of these articles was written by Williams and which by Lake but they were very good, nevertheless.

He also did a nice tribute book about Miles Davis - 'Man In The Green Shirt'.

Edited May 28, 2009 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

Brits of a certain vintage will recall Williams fronting 'Disco 2' and the first 'Old Grey Whistle Test' programmes. He wrote for the main music papers in the UK in the early 70s, always erudite with a contextual understanding that reached much further than the rock writers of the day. I think he's been mainly a sports writer since.

Yep, along with Steve Lake he covered jazz for Melody Maker back in the mid-70s. I used to buy that regularly and his jazz column was damn good. I recall very good, long articles about Miles 'Dark Magus' and 'Pangaea' (then rare imports to UK), Basil Kirchin's 'Worlds Within Worlds' recordings, Booker Little and I vaguelly recall one about Dupree Bolton too. It's a shame that the old Melody Makers are not available on line.

He also did a nice tribute book about Miles Davis - 'Man In The Green Shirt'.

Along with Lake, Nick Kent and the late Ian MacDonald, Williams always had more of interest to say than most in those days (in fact I made a mistake re: Nick Drake - that was in a MacDonald collection that came out around the same time as Williams' collection.)

[sidewinder]

Nick Kent - ah, yes. Often see him these days as a 'talking head' on TV music programmes. I think he wrote much more about punk though. It's writers of that quality that distinguished it from the NME (sputtering of jazz) and the likes of 'Sounds' (jazz-free zone).