Guardian: Reggie Nadelson's top 10 jazz books

[jostber]

Guardian has a list of 10 of the best jazz books selected by Reggie Nadelson:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/may/18/reggie-nadelson-top-10-jazz-books

[Big Beat Steve]

Interesting listing, and there are SOME that are timeless and essential indeed (such as "Hear Me Talking to Ya") but otherwise the listing does look a lot like some attempt at being "intellectual" throughout to me. Or why would the "jazz prose" be given that much space? You might just as well give "We called it music" or the like a shot. Because in THAT book the jazz scene of that time really did come alive. And not in a fictional or imagined way (at least mostly not ).

I also have a somewhat uneasy feeling about the Giddins/Deveaux book. Haven't read it in detail but what I've seen of it hasn't made me jump for it. Hope Deveaux gets a more balanced say there than in his "bebop" book.

And that Ira Gitler's "Swing to Bop" did not get a mention is a real shame.

In short, one might rightfully claim that there are as many valid "Top Ten" lists as there are dedicated and substantially knowledgeable jazz fans.

[Joe]

Interesting listing, and there are SOME that are timeless and essential indeed (such as "Hear Me Talking to Ya") but otherwise the listing does look a lot like some attempt at being "intellectual" throughout to me. Or why would the "jazz prose" be given that much space? You might just as well give "We called it music" or the like a shot. Because in THAT book the jazz scene of that time really did come alive. And not in a fictional or imagined way (at least mostly not ).

I also have a somewhat uneasy feeling about the Giddins/Deveaux book. Haven't read it in detail but what I've seen of it hasn't made me jump for it. Hope Deveaux gets a more balanced say there than in his "bebop" book.

And that Ira Gitler's "Swing to Bop" did not get a mention is a real shame.

In short, one might rightfully claim that there are as many valid "Top Ten" lists as there are dedicated and substantially knowledgeable jazz fans.

It may be flawed, but I'd rather read Clellon Holmes THE HORN many times over than spend my time with either the Morrison on Ondaatje books cited here. Same goes for any of the volumes that constitute Nathaniel Mackey's FROM A BROKEN BOTTLE TRACES OF PERFUME STILL EMANATE.

[paul secor]

Some interesting choices. Her choices wouldn't be mine, for the most part, but that's ok. I would toss the Giddins/Deveaux and Teachout books without a thought. The Teachout - even his name irritates me - seemed to be mostly a rehashing of other Armstrong books and material that I was already familiar with. Haven't seen the Williams, but I doubt that one would interest me either. Her other choices are - the ones I've read - or would seem to be interesting. (I know that Whitney Balliett annoys a goodly number of people, but at least he has his own style of writing - Most writers on jazz can't make that claim.)

Edited May 20, 2011 by paul secor

[Larry Kart]

Long gone but still obtainable used and at its frequent best superb is "Modern Jazz: The Essential Records," written by the best of the vintage Jazz Monthly crew (Max Harrison, Jack Cooke, Michael James, et al.):

http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/13353917/used/Modern%20Jazz%3A%20The%20Essential%20Records

Certainly specialized, but Walter van de Leur's "Something To Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn" is a model of scrupulous, insightful-empathetic scholarship.

Likewise, Larry Gushee's "Pioneers of Jazz: The Story of the Creole Band." Few works of history of any sort bring back "lost time" better than this.

Gitler's "Swing To Bop" for sure.

John Litweiler's "The Freedom Principle."

Not a central text, I guess, but Charlie Barnet's autobiography "Those Swinging Years" is something else.

As for fiction, Rafi Zaboor's "The Bear Comes Home."

[Unk]

As for fiction, Rafi Zaboor's "The Bear Comes Home."

[Big Beat Steve]

Not a central text, I guess, but Charlie Barnet's autobiography "Those Swinging Years" is something else.

I agree, but on that level I'd just as well go for "Good Vibes", Terry Gibbs' autobiography. Really VIBE-rant, eh... vibrant.

[AllenLowe]

mostly odd and bad choices - though I do like the Teachout, which I thought was extremely good.

I will tell you that an essential book, IMHO, for anyone interested in New Orleans, is Dr John's autobiography, which tells us more about that city's relationship to not just jazz but American song than a lot of other things that are supposedly closer to the topic.

I also love Charlie Barnet's book; Louis Armstrong's ORIGINAL bio (written very much by Louis) is more than essential.

Beneath The Underdog;

Sue Mingus' book about Charles;

Devilin' Tune (my book, which sold about 6 copies by itself but which beats a lot of other stuff, he said humbly) -

Gitler Jazz of the 1940s (which seems to be mostly based on convesations with Dick Katz)

Hadlock's Jazz of the 1920s -

The Max Harrison things that Larry mentions -

Larry Kart's collection (which puts Larry, to my way of thinking, as one of the 2 or 3 essential jazz critics; wish he'd write another book) -

I'm sure there's lots more, but they are not in that Guardian list -

Edited May 20, 2011 by AllenLowe

[Larry Kart]

Not a central text, I guess, but Charlie Barnet's autobiography "Those Swinging Years" is something else.

I agree, but on that level I'd just as well go for "Good Vibes", Terry Gibbs' autobiography. Really VIBE-rant, eh... vibrant.

I need to track that down.

Devilin' Tune (my book, which sold about 6 copies by itself but which beats a lot of other stuff, he said humbly) -

[JSngry]

Gitler Jazz of the 1940s (which seems to be mostly based on convesations with Dick Katz)

Hadlock's Jazz of the 1920s -

That whole Jazz Master Of The... series is pretty damn good. The Joe Goldberg book about the '50s is still valuable, as is the one Rex Stewart wrote about the '30s (or was it the "Swing Era"?)

[paul secor]

Some personal favorites:

Hear Me Talkin' to Ya - Shapiro and Hentoff

Selections from the Gutter - Oral histories, interviews, and essays from Art Hodes' and Dale Curran's The Jazz Record magazine

Bud Freeman: You Don't Look Like a Musician and Bill Crow: From Birdland to Broadway - Anecdotes and stories from two well known musicians

Don Asher: Notes from a Battered Grand A journeyman musician (and co-author of Hampton Hawes' autobiography - another book worth reading) tells the story of his musical life.

Sidney Bechet: Treat It Gentle - The best jazz autobiography I've read.

George E. Lewis: A Power Stronger than Itself - The history of the AACM. Perhaps not the most deftly written book, but the information and detail are priceless.

A.B. Spellman: Four Lives in the Bebop Business - Cecil, Ornette, Herbie Nichols, and Jackie McLean - I first read this when it was published in 1966, and it holds up today.

Milt Hinton: Bass Line - Photographs and stories from a man who lived through most of the lifetime of jazz

Roy de Carava: The Sound I Saw - A master photographer looks at the music

Jean-Jacques Sempe: The Musicians - Wonderful drawings that capture the spirit and humanity of musicians

The Hearing Eye: Jazz and Blues Influences in African American Visual Art - Edited by Graham Lock and David Murray (not the musician David Murray) - At the beginning of the introduction of this book, Charlie Parker is quoted as saying: "Hear with your eyes and see with your ears." I don't know if Charlie Parker actually said that, but this book attempts to do just that and imo succeeds.

And two books that I haven't yet read but look forward to reading:

Louis Armstrong in His Own Words and Donald Clark's biography of Billie Holiday: Wishing on the Moon

[jlhoots]

Some personal favorites:

Hear Me Talkin' to Ya - Shapiro and Hentoff

Selections from the Gutter - Oral histories, interviews, and essays from Art Hodes' and Dale Curran's The Jazz Record magazine

Bud Freeman: You Don't Look Like a Musician and Bill Crow: From Birdland to Broadway - Anecdotes and stories from two well known musicians

Don Asher: Notes from a Battered Grand A journeyman musician (and co-author of Hampton Hawes' autobiography - another book worth reading) tells the story of his musical life.

Sidney Bechet: Treat It Gentle - The best jazz autobiography I've read.

George E. Lewis: A Power Stronger than Itself - The history of the AACM. Perhaps not the most deftly written book, but the information and detail are priceless.

A.B. Spellman: Four Lives in the Bebop Business - Cecil, Ornette, Herbie Nichols, and Jackie McLean - I first read this when it was published in 1966, and it holds up today.

Milt Hinton: Bass Line - Photographs and stories from a man who lived through most of the lifetime of jazz

Roy de Carava: The Sound I Saw - A master photographer looks at the music

Jean-Jacques Sempe: The Musicians - Wonderful drawings that capture the spirit and humanity of musicians

The Hearing Eye: Jazz and Blues Influences in African American Visual Art - Edited by Graham Lock and David Murray (not the musician David Murray) - At the beginning of the introduction of this book, Charlie Parker is quoted as saying: "Hear with your eyes and see with your ears." I don't know if Charlie Parker actually said that, but this book attempts to do just that and imo succeeds.

And two books that I haven't yet read but look forward to reading:

Louis Armstrong in His Own Words and Donald Clark's biography of Billie Holiday: Wishing on the Moon

Very nice list.

How about Raise Up Off Me & Straight Life?

[marcello]

I'd add:

Duke Ellington In Person by Mercer Ellington

Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond By Doug Ramsey

CELEBRATING THE DUKE & LOUIS, BESSIE, BILLIE, BIRD, CARMEN, MILES, DIZZY & OTHER HEROES by Ralph J. Gleason

[Stonewall15]

For West Coast jazz fans I highly recommend Ted Gioia's "West Coast Jazz- Modern Jazz In California 1945-1960". This book traces modern jazz history in California interspersed with biographies of the participating musicians.

[jeffcrom]

I second Larry's endorsement of Modern Jazz: The Essential Records. I would add Max Harrison's A Jazz Retrospect, which was a very important book for me, and one from which I'm still learning.

I also wanted to mention a somewhat strange choice, but it's one of my favorite books on jazz: Jazz: A People's Music by Sidney Finkelstein, published in 1948. It's a little dated, but for the most part holds up very well. Finkelstein has some remarkable insights.

[BillF]

I second Larry's endorsement of Modern Jazz: The Essential Records. I would add Max Harrison's A Jazz Retrospect, which was a very important book for me, and one from which I'm still learning.

I also wanted to mention a somewhat strange choice, but it's one of my favorite books on jazz: Jazz: A People's Music by Sidney Finkelstein, published in 1948. It's a little dated, but for the most part holds up very well. Finkelstein has some remarkable insights.

Finkelstein helped get me into jazz when I read it in 1957 at the age of 17. Marxist interpretation of African American history, as far as I recall.

For West Coast jazz fans I highly recommend Ted Gioia's "West Coast Jazz- Modern Jazz In California 1945-1960". This book traces modern jazz history in California interspersed with biographies of the participating musicians.

Gioia's book sits alonside Robert Gordon's West Coast Jazz on my shelf and both get frequently consulted.

[jeffcrom]

I second Larry's endorsement of Modern Jazz: The Essential Records. I would add Max Harrison's A Jazz Retrospect, which was a very important book for me, and one from which I'm still learning.

I also wanted to mention a somewhat strange choice, but it's one of my favorite books on jazz: Jazz: A People's Music by Sidney Finkelstein, published in 1948. It's a little dated, but for the most part holds up very well. Finkelstein has some remarkable insights.

Finkelstein helped get me into jazz when I read it in 1957 at the age of 17. Marxist interpretation of African American history, as far as I recall.

Yeah, there's some of that, which I don't pay too much attention to. I'm more impressed with his musical insights.

[BillF]

Some personal favorites:

Hear Me Talkin' to Ya - Shapiro and Hentoff

Selections from the Gutter - Oral histories, interviews, and essays from Art Hodes' and Dale Curran's The Jazz Record magazine

Bud Freeman: You Don't Look Like a Musician and Bill Crow: From Birdland to Broadway - Anecdotes and stories from two well known musicians

Don Asher: Notes from a Battered Grand A journeyman musician (and co-author of Hampton Hawes' autobiography - another book worth reading) tells the story of his musical life.

Sidney Bechet: Treat It Gentle - The best jazz autobiography I've read.

George E. Lewis: A Power Stronger than Itself - The history of the AACM. Perhaps not the most deftly written book, but the information and detail are priceless.

A.B. Spellman: Four Lives in the Bebop Business - Cecil, Ornette, Herbie Nichols, and Jackie McLean - I first read this when it was published in 1966, and it holds up today.

Milt Hinton: Bass Line - Photographs and stories from a man who lived through most of the lifetime of jazz

Roy de Carava: The Sound I Saw - A master photographer looks at the music

Jean-Jacques Sempe: The Musicians - Wonderful drawings that capture the spirit and humanity of musicians

The Hearing Eye: Jazz and Blues Influences in African American Visual Art - Edited by Graham Lock and David Murray (not the musician David Murray) - At the beginning of the introduction of this book, Charlie Parker is quoted as saying: "Hear with your eyes and see with your ears." I don't know if Charlie Parker actually said that, but this book attempts to do just that and imo succeeds.

And two books that I haven't yet read but look forward to reading:

Louis Armstrong in His Own Words and Donald Clark's biography of Billie Holiday: Wishing on the Moon

Hampton Hawes' Raise Up Off Me is a close second to Art Pepper's Straight Life in my list of favourite jazz autobiographies.

Bill Crow's Jazz Anecdotes is a winner!

Like you, read Spellman when it came out and again recently, and it's good!

Edited May 21, 2011 by BillF

[sidewinder]

Long gone but still obtainable used and at its frequent best superb is "Modern Jazz: The Essential Records," written by the best of the vintage Jazz Monthly crew (Max Harrison, Jack Cooke, Michael James, et al.):

Totally agree, Larry. That book (the original silver paperback) is a gem and still a highly educational read for me. Very frustrating when it came out though (76?) as many of the LPs listed were OOP here or had never even been issued here in the first place.

I have yet to be disappointed with a title that appeared in that volume.

[A Lark Ascending]

I have the reprints of 'The Essential Jazz Records' from the 90s (2 volumes). Very useful, though at times they adopt that imperious 'delivering the tablets of stone from Mt. Sinai' pretension about their judgments - Thacker is the worst offender, if I recall correctly.

I loved Gioia's West Coast book because it overtly refused to do that - recognised that it was possible to interpret music with a range of reactions and responses dependent on ones context.

[sidewinder]

Thacker is the worst offender, if I recall correctly.

Wasn't he a vicar? - so sermon style came naturally I guess.

To the list of all time greats I would like to add Ian Carr's 'Music Outside' (Northway) - still the best overview of UK Contemprary jazz of the 70s.

Carr's biographies of Miles and Keith Jarrett were pretty damn good too..

[A Lark Ascending]

Thacker is the worst offender, if I recall correctly.

Wasn't he a vicar? - so sermon style came naturally I guess.

He was. It very much comes across as 'the truth sent from above'. Doesn't work for fundamentalist relativists!

I love Humphrey Lyttelton's two books on early jazz. None of the arty-farty nonsense that encrusts so much jazz writing with unsubstantiated projection. He just does a damn good job at explaining why the pieces he chooses were so remarkable for the time they emerged.

Edited May 21, 2011 by A Lark Ascending

[BillF]

Yes, Lyttelton's always great. His humour gets me thinking of this, a winner on the British jazz life:

[A Lark Ascending]

Yes, Lyttelton's always great. His humour gets me thinking of this, a winner on the British jazz life:

Must read Melly's trilogy.