Stanley Crouch Parker biography reviewed

[danasgoodstuff]

I loved Harper Collins' "new books similar to this one" hyping of a Joy Division book on the page for Crouch's magnumb bogus...

And "Rise & Times" isn't a clever neolism conjoining two thoughts, it's just a clumsy expression of a mixed up message.

[John L]

I am very interested in reading this book, if only to see what Crouch has gathered in those years of research.

I suspect that there is probably an agenda to bury the myth of Charlie Parker as an irresponsible and unpredictable drug addict as deeply as possible, and to portray Bird as a reliable hard working professional in spite of his addiction. As long as that is expected, it shouldn't bother me too much. In fact, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

[brownie]

Doubt that there is really anything substantial to be learned about Bird's life at this stage.

Will wait for the book's release and its first reviews to check if it's worth being purchased!

[Christiern]

Stanley's previous attempt at writing fiction was a disaster.

[king ubu]

so, when is soon? and could it be too soon, no matter when?

[ATR]

Is this the book he abandoned 'Outlaws and Gladiators' for? I always like to hear 'The Crouch Opinion'.

[fasstrack]

This has been a long time in the works. He told me in 2006 it was already in gallies. At the time I understood Stanley to mean the entire work covered Parker's life up to the period with McShann. In other words, no Volume II. I suppose I misunderstood, or something changed since then.

It's hard to conceive of any possible new take on the life of Charlie Parker. Also, the research of neccesity becomes further from the source as principals in Parker's life, even musicians that worked with him even a few times have mostly died off. I'll give SC the benefit of the doubt, though. I enjoy reading him, even though he overwrites and his prose can be riper than a May mango on Maui. He rarely fails to make me laugh or piss me off---or make me think.

Edited March 14, 2013 by fasstrack

[Fer Urbina]

This has been a long time in the works

In a 1985 interview Crouch said he had been working on it for four years at the time. That would make 32 years, on-and-off, I presume.

As for what could be new, I don't know, but as I was once told, it's been over 200 years since Mozart died and new stuff about him keeps coming up. For the record, it was Crouch who found out about Parker's first wife and actually found her.

I've read a lot by Crouch, and I wouldn't read anything by him, but this, I will.

F

Edited March 18, 2013 by Fer Urbina

[slide_advantage_redoux]

I'll pass. So much of Crouch's work seems to come attached to some sort of racial/political agenda.

Who needs it; it is just music.

[Christiern]

Stanley is an opportunist (Exhibit 1: Wynton) and, yes he has agendas that get in the way.

[Quasimado]

Seems to have generated a lot of interest ... looking forward to reading it so I can have an informed opinion.

Q

[robertoart]

Stanley is an opportunist (Exhibit 1: Wynton) and, yes he has agendas that get in the way.

Get in the way of 'what'? ...'who'?... - You?

[Blue Train]

For anyone interested.


http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/profiles/article/58958-crouch-plays-bird-stanley-crouch.html

Edited September 3, 2013 by Blue Train

[Larry Kart]

Stanley is an opportunist (Exhibit 1: Wynton) and, yes he has agendas that get in the way.

Get in the way of 'what'? ...'who'?... - You?

Read Crouch's liner notes for all those Wynton Marsalis albums and you'll know what his agendas get in the way of, though I might have put it differently, feeling that there's not much more there than the agendas themselves, and thus little or nothing for them to get in the way of.

As for Crouch's prose, here's an excerpt from the new book: "Parker was basically a melancholy and suspicious man, a genius in search of a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs.” I kind of see what he's getting at there, but "a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs” is the kind of b.s. "poetry" that leaves me grasping for my secret decoder ring.

[mjzee]

Amazon

[gmonahan]

Stanley is an opportunist (Exhibit 1: Wynton) and, yes he has agendas that get in the way.

Get in the way of 'what'? ...'who'?... - You?

Read Crouch's liner notes for all those Wynton Marsalis albums and you'll know what his agendas get in the way of, though I might have put it differently, feeling that there's not much more there than the agendas themselves, and thus little or nothing for them to get in the way of.

As for Crouch's prose, here's an excerpt from the new book: "Parker was basically a melancholy and suspicious man, a genius in search of a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs.” I kind of see what he's getting at there, but "a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs” is the kind of b.s. "poetry" that leaves me grasping for my secret decoder ring.

Well, you may see what he's getting at here, but it's a mystery to me.

gregmo

[Larry Kart]

Stanley is an opportunist (Exhibit 1: Wynton) and, yes he has agendas that get in the way.

Get in the way of 'what'? ...'who'?... - You?

Read Crouch's liner notes for all those Wynton Marsalis albums and you'll know what his agendas get in the way of, though I might have put it differently, feeling that there's not much more there than the agendas themselves, and thus little or nothing for them to get in the way of.

As for Crouch's prose, here's an excerpt from the new book: "Parker was basically a melancholy and suspicious man, a genius in search of a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs.” I kind of see what he's getting at there, but "a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs” is the kind of b.s. "poetry" that leaves me grasping for my secret decoder ring.

Well, you may see what he's getting at here, but it's a mystery to me.

gregmo

What he's getting at, I think -- and I'll have to get a bit flowery myself here -- is that Parker sought a solution in music to a broader "blues" condition/state of life that was at once intensely galling and that, in its pain, stimulated in him a correspondingly intense musical expression of that state. Whatever, if I were Crouch's editor I sure would have suggested that he swap "a blues that wore razors for spurs" for "a blues that wore razor-sharp spurs." Also, unless surrounding context does this, I would have suggested that he not use "blues" in such a way that the term's literal musical meaning and its broader metaphorical meanings (as in the title of LeRoi Jones' "Blues People") could be confused.

[gmonahan]

Stanley is an opportunist (Exhibit 1: Wynton) and, yes he has agendas that get in the way.

Get in the way of 'what'? ...'who'?... - You?

Read Crouch's liner notes for all those Wynton Marsalis albums and you'll know what his agendas get in the way of, though I might have put it differently, feeling that there's not much more there than the agendas themselves, and thus little or nothing for them to get in the way of.

As for Crouch's prose, here's an excerpt from the new book: "Parker was basically a melancholy and suspicious man, a genius in search of a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs.” I kind of see what he's getting at there, but "a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs” is the kind of b.s. "poetry" that leaves me grasping for my secret decoder ring.

Well, you may see what he's getting at here, but it's a mystery to me.

gregmo

What he's getting at, I think -- and I'll have to get a bit flowery myself here -- is that Parker sought a solution in music to a broader "blues" condition/state of life that was at once intensely galling and that, in its pain, stimulated in him a correspondingly intense musical expression of that state. Whatever, if I were Crouch's editor I sure would have suggested that he swap "a blues that wore razors for spurs" for "a blues that wore razor-sharp spurs." Also, unless surrounding context does this, I would have suggested that he not use "blues" in such a way that the term's literal musical meaning and its broader metaphorical meanings (as in the title of LeRoi Jones' "Blues People") could be confused.

Something tells me that it would read better if you rewrote it, Larry!!

gregmo

[Chuck Nessa]

LOL!

[Larry Kart]

Stanley is an opportunist (Exhibit 1: Wynton) and, yes he has agendas that get in the way.

Get in the way of 'what'? ...'who'?... - You?

Read Crouch's liner notes for all those Wynton Marsalis albums and you'll know what his agendas get in the way of, though I might have put it differently, feeling that there's not much more there than the agendas themselves, and thus little or nothing for them to get in the way of.

As for Crouch's prose, here's an excerpt from the new book: "Parker was basically a melancholy and suspicious man, a genius in search of a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs.” I kind of see what he's getting at there, but "a solution to a blues that wore razors for spurs” is the kind of b.s. "poetry" that leaves me grasping for my secret decoder ring.

Well, you may see what he's getting at here, but it's a mystery to me.

gregmo

What he's getting at, I think -- and I'll have to get a bit flowery myself here -- is that Parker sought a solution in music to a broader "blues" condition/state of life that was at once intensely galling and that, in its pain, stimulated in him a correspondingly intense musical expression of that state. Whatever, if I were Crouch's editor I sure would have suggested that he swap "a blues that wore razors for spurs" for "a blues that wore razor-sharp spurs." Also, unless surrounding context does this, I would have suggested that he not use "blues" in such a way that the term's literal musical meaning and its broader metaphorical meanings (as in the title of LeRoi Jones' "Blues People") could be confused.

Something tells me that it would read better if you rewrote it, Larry!!

gregmo

Borrowing a line that a friend of mine uses in a near all-purpose manner, "Maybe so."

[Face of the Bass]

I like the sentence myself.

[JSngry]

I don't mind the sentence myself, just not sure if so many of them like that as to make a book is going to be a taste of the good life.

[John L]

I don't mind the sentence myself, just not sure if so many of them like that as to make a book is going to be a taste of the good life.

The kind of good life where you shave every morning with spurs.

[JSngry]

[jazzbo]

I like the sentence myself.

I do too.