Traveling Blues: The Life And Music of Tommy Ladnier

[EKE BBB]

"Traveling Blues: The Life And Music of Tommy Ladnier" by Bo Lindström & Dan Verhettes has just been published by Jazz'Edit in a limited edition of 500 copies.

http://www.jazzedit.org/Traveling-blues.html

I have read the Fletcher Henderson chapter, which was published in the two latest IAJRC Journals (Vol.42 nº2 - June 2009 & Vol.42 nº3 - September 2009), and it combines outstanding biographical research and thorough musical analysis. The book should be a must-read!

[brownie]

Thanks for letting us know about this!

Ladnier has always been a heartwarmer to me

Will get the book...

[EKE BBB]

Plus you can order, additionally, a CD with Ladnier's 189 known sides (mp3 files).

[EKE BBB]

Will get the book...

You'll have to rush, brownie. Notice that is a limited edition of 500 copies... and this book has already been announced in several traditional jazz circles (i.e. the RedHotJazz yahoo group, the 78 rpm mail list...).

[AllenLowe]

geez, it's too expensive. Silly way to price things.

[Big Beat Steve]

MY order went out at noon. Hope I won't be too late for this limited run.

geez, it's too expensive. Silly way to price things.

In what way? In view of the fact that this book is virtually published PRIVATELY without any huge publisher's backing behind it, I find this price rather decent.

And how would you rate the price of the the entire "Studies In Jazz" U.S. publications (very likely run by a better funded publishing organisation and with more resources to offset or cross-fund publishing costs) by comparison then?

As for shipping, do you have any idea of what many US sellers charge for overseas shipping of books that do not happen to fit the Flat Rate Priority envelopes?

So things really aren't worse than the other way round.

In fact I have a hunch you overseas buyers are being subsidized by the publishers by upmarking rates for European customers on this anyway.

11.50 euros just for Economy shipping from France to neighboring Germany is pretty hefty - would be so even for that (in international shipping) useless "Colissimo" shipping which does not even apply here as this is an "Economy" rate only. Compared to that 21 euros for worldwide priority isn't that bad. I don't really mind in this particular case as to me the overall final price is what counts (and to a point I can even understand those publishers' point if they picture a huge share of their takers as being from overseas).

Edited October 26, 2009 by Big Beat Steve

[AllenLowe]

well, not counting shipping it's 55 euros - and if my math is correct, that's about $75 US dollars - very silly, especially given that in this day and age, publish-to-order houses are available in which you only need to publish as many as you sell (and they do an excellent job). So, if done that way, you cannot lose money. If not, than it's still pointless to charge so much; pointing out other, US, jazz studies sellers that do the same does not defeat my argument, as I think that they, too, are crazy.

I say this as someone who has put out a great deal of his own work; I'm always careful to price it so that it's accessible. I think they do it this way to make it feel exclusive; what's the point? Get the work out and price it so that everyone can afford it.

Edited October 26, 2009 by AllenLowe

[Big Beat Steve]

First of all, you are wrong.

Not counting shipping, it its 40 euros for the book itself, not 55.

Secondly, given that reasoning, most book publications in such highly specialized fields (epsecially in ours) would be pointless and overpriced and a ripoff.

I don't feel that way because it always is a tradeoff of what you get for your money, i.e. how much went into it. And I am willing to reverse my advance judgment and trust if (IF!!!) upon receipt of the book the contents were sloppily thrown together and the lauding seen here and on the website are way over the top. But I doubt I'll have to.

But I guess in the end we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one.

BTW, yes - I did have to swallow deep when I first saw the price tag of the Fats Navarro bio. And by comparison with what that Noone bio seems to offer in the way of illustrations alone (which no doubt account for a good deal of the production cost), the Fats bio falls way short. And yet no one (don't remember if you intervened in the debate) seemed to have complained about the price when it was discussed here at length. If it therefore is a matter of one book being considered more essential than another then why reduce this aspect to a question of price? THAT is just matter of personal preferences and of how much one si willing to shell out for any given product but that definitely is not a question of a price being OBJECTIVELy too high, so why bother?

Edited October 26, 2009 by Big Beat Steve

[EKE BBB]

First of all, you are wrong.

Not counting shipping, it its 40 euros for the book itself, not 55.

Secondly, given that reasoning, most book publications in such highly specialized fields (epsecially in ours) would be pointless and overpriced and a ripoff.

I don't feel that way because it always is a tradeoff of what you get for your money, i.e. how much went into it. And I am willing to reverse my advance judgment and trust if (IF!!!) upon receipt of the book the contents were sloppily thrown together and the lauding seen here and on the website are way over the top. But I doubt I'll have to.

But I guess in the end we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one.

BTW, yes - I did have to swallow deep when I first saw the price tag of the Fats Navarro bio. And by comparison with what that Noone bio seems to offer in the way of illustrations alone (which no doubt account for a good deal of the production cost), the Fats bio falls way short. And yet no one (don't remember if you intervened in the debate) seemed to have complained about the price when it was discussed here at length. If it therefore is a matter of one book being considered more essential than another then why reduce this aspect to a question of price? THAT is just matter of personal preferences and of how much one si willing to shell out for any given product but that definitely is not a question of a price being OBJECTIVELy too high, so why bother?

Good points, BBS.

BTW, for me, this Ladnier bio is, at least, as essential as the Navarro book.

[AllenLowe]

hmmm...well, now I see it's 61 Euros, non-Europe priority - so I guess that would be a total of about $84 for US -

I do understand how specialized this stuff is - I am also hesitant because of how badly written so many self-published (and otherwise) jazz books are -

well, I'll let you guys read it and report back. I do love Ladnier's playing, though.

Edited October 26, 2009 by AllenLowe

[Big Beat Steve]

I am also hesitant because of how badly written so many self-published (and otherwise) jazz books are -

@EKE BBB:

You mentioned earlier a chapter from this book has been published in the IAJRC journal. Was this an unabridged, unchanged excerpt of the book? (I assume you have seen the entire book too) If it was in fact reprinted more or less verbatim then I'd say what's good enough for the IAJRC can't be that bad.

[EKE BBB]

I am also hesitant because of how badly written so many self-published (and otherwise) jazz books are -

@EKE BBB:

You mentioned earlier a chapter from this book has been published in the IAJRC journal. Was this an unabridged, unchanged excerpt of the book? (I assume you have seen the entire book too) If it was in fact reprinted more or less verbatim then I'd say what's good enough for the IAJRC can't be that bad.

I'll check the two issues of the IAJRC journal tonight but, from memory, I think it was an unchanged excerpt of the book. And no, I haven't put my hands on the book yet; I ordered it yesterday.

[AllenLowe]

"what's good enough for the IAJRC can't be that bad."

well....I've seen some very poorly edited things in that journal, though I have not read it for some time -

[brownie]

Will pick up the book from the JazzEdit place in Ivry next week when they are remanned. I have a direct bus connection to their place!

Looking forward to enjoy this!

[Ted O'Reilly]

I've ordered it, and anticipate its arrival. The excerpts at http://www.jazzedit.org/excerpts.html show that it's a beautifully designed book to go along with the meticulous research. It's almost LP-sized, with 216 pages, so there'll have to be some shelf rearranging done...

[RJ Spangler]

And how would you rate the price of the the entire "Studies In Jazz" U.S. publications (very likely run by a better funded publishing organisation and with more resources to offset or cross-fund publishing costs) by comparison then?

Please tell me about the "Studies In Jazz: publications.

[Big Beat Steve]

@RJ Spangler:

Check this:

http://www.scarecrowpress.com/Catalog/Mult...1&AllReqd=T

As you can see they are masterminded by Institute ofr Jazz Studies at Rutgers Univ. so that spells quality.

But they are not exactly cheap (which was the point made above).

I have only a couple of the books published in that series (Terry Gibbs autobio., Bob inman's Swing Era Scrapbook, and the recently published and much-cited Fats Navarro bio. comes from that series too) so I cannot comment on the whole series.

But if you check out the series of books they published (they are at No. 59 or so now) you will see it's a VERY eclectic series that is not afraid to go where hardly any historian/publisher dares to tread (ever expected to see a bio on 20s orchestra musician Sylvester Ahola?)

[AllenLowe]

well, these, like the Ladnier, are part of the "books by the pound" series. Just be careful - when I went to Rutgers to buy one, Morgenstern tried to put his thumb on the scale.

[Big Beat Steve]

well, these, like the Ladnier, are part of the "books by the pound" series.

Couldn't possibly be so. The Fats Navarro bio is significantly lighter than the Bob inman Scwing Era Scrapbook but isn't THAT much cheaper. :

Anyway, the sample pages from the Ladnier book linked above look promising so I am really looking forward to receiving my copy which hopefully should be on its way by now.

[brownie]

BBS, the books are being shipped today. hoping to get my copy tomorrow!

[EKE BBB]

BBS, the books are being shipped today. hoping to get my copy tomorrow!

Yes, brownie, Dan Vernhettes just reported so.

[Big Beat Steve]

Thanks for the info.

So I guess I might find a mail notification to that effect in my inbox at home later today too.

Well, now I'll have to make up my mind:

Should I look forward to getting the book into my hands ASAP or should I tell my better half to grab it when the mailman knocks and stow it out of (my) sight and hold it as a Xmas present for me?? Definitely a worthy present but such a long wait?? :D

Edited November 4, 2009 by Big Beat Steve

[brownie]

Got the book. It is superb. A very professional and seriously documented job with numerous little known or unknown photos and documents.

Will really plunge into it later but must say it is one the items I mentioned in this thread several years ago.

The CDrs are not ready yet (a matter of a few days).

[Christiern]

Just goes to show the folly of pre-judging.

[brownie]

Indeed!

Chris, trust you are stompin' off and getting this book. It's right down your alley...