"Songs Of Themselves: Jazz Autobiographies"

[ghost of miles]

I've put together a new bibliography for the Night Lights blog--this one covering jazz autobiographies.  Heads-ups for the inevitable oversights, omissions, etc welcome as always:

Songs Of Themselves: Jazz Autobiographies

 

[BillF]

Fascinating! Have added a few to my reading list and have just managed to get a used copy of the Val Wilmer at a giveaway price.

Nice to see favorites like the Hawes, Pepper and O'Day confirmed.

[Caravan]

When asked about certain things in his "autobiography", Miles answered "I don't know, I haven't read it". 

[duaneiac]

I would suggest adding:

Horace Silver:  "Let's Get To The Nitty Gritty"

George Shearing:  "Lullaby of Birdland"

Bob Wilber:  "Music Was Not Enough"

Clark Terry:  "Clark:  The Autobiography of Clark Terry"

Hugh Masekela:  "Still Grazing:  The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela"

Oscar Peterson:  "A Jazz Odyssey:  The Life of Oscar Peterson"

Lionel Hampton:  "Hamp"

John Pizzarelli:  "World On A String:  A Musical Memoir"

Edited August 22, 2016 by duaneiac

[mikeweil]

Nice opportunity to gather all these titles in one list - one also missing is Babs Gonzales. I, too, added a few to my wish list.

[BillF]

1 hour ago, duaneiac said:

I would suggest adding:

Horace Silver:  "Let's Get To The Nitty Gritty"

George Shearing:  "Lullaby of Birdland"

Bob Wilber:  "Music Was Not Enough"

Clark Terry:  "Clark:  The Autobiography of Clark Terry"

Hugh Masekela:  "Still Grazing:  The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela"

Oscar Peterson:  "A Jazz Odyssey:  The Life of Oscar Peterson"

Lionel Hampton:  "Hamp"

John Pizzarelli:  "World On A String:  A Musical Memoir"

I've read the Horace Silver and it's great! 

[Big Beat Steve]

Two ADDITIONAL ones for the list:

I have read and liked:

Charlie Barnet  - Those Swinging Years

Terry Gibbs - Good Vibes (hilarious!)

 

(Since other autobiographies that had input from co-authors are already in that list I figure these would rate as well)

[HutchFan]

A couple that I've particularly enjoyed that aren't on the list:

- David Liebman - What It Is: The Life of a Jazz Artist

- Lee Konitz - Conversations on the Improviser's Art 

[ghost of miles]

Thanks much--all of these suggestions have been added, save for the Konitz, which is an amazing book but may or may not qualify as an autobiography (Larry Kart, if you see these posts, what do you think?). 

[HutchFan]

A few more:

• Basie, Count and Albert Murray. Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie. 
• Freeman, Bud and Robert Wolf. Crazeology: The Autobiography of a Chicago Jazzman. 
• Garrick, Michael and Trevor Bannister. Dusk Fire: Jazz in English Hands. 
• Heath, Jimmy. I Walked with Giants: The Autobiography of Jimmy Heath. 
• Hodes, Art and Chadwick Hansen. Hot Man: The Life of Art Hodes. 
• O'Day, Anita and George Eells. High Times, Hard Times. 
• Shearing, George and Alyn Shipton. Lullaby of Birdland: The Autobiography of George Shearing. 

 

 

3 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

Thanks much--all of these suggestions have been added, save for the Konitz, which is an amazing book but may or may not qualify as an autobiography (Larry Kart, if you see these posts, what do you think?). 

That makes sense not to include Konitz. I'd assumed that his name was listed as the primary author.  But it isn't.  And if you include Konitz's book, then it would make sense to include other books of interviews, which technically are not autobiographies.

 

Edited August 22, 2016 by HutchFan

[gmonahan]

I'm reading Mezzrow's _Really the Blues_ right now.  It's fun (and the slang is wild), but I do find myself occasionally wondering how much of it comes anywhere close to being sort of kind of accurate!

 

gregmo

[BillF]

2 hours ago, gmonahan said:

I'm reading Mezzrow's _Really the Blues_ right now.  It's fun (and the slang is wild), but I do find myself occasionally wondering how much of it comes anywhere close to being sort of kind of accurate!

 

gregmo

Your comment reminds me of Johnny Mandel's wittily titled "Not Really the Blues". Love the Herman recording!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3sVa7E0EqA

 

[Milestones]

Randy Weston:  African Rhythms 

[Larry Kart]

Just read and enjoyed Jimmy Heath's autobio, "I Walked with Giants."

No, the Konitz book isn't technically an an autobio, but there's lots of information about and insights into the man.

[fasstrack]

I liked Raise Up Off of Me the best of all of these by a long shot.

Lee Konitz is an interesting, if kvetchy, commentator on improvising. That was a good read, even if IMO he thinks too much... 

[JSngry]

Gotta get the Marshall Royal book in there. I read that thing through in one sitting, it was that concise, that compelling, and that convincing.

[fasstrack]

10 hours ago, BillF said:

Your comment reminds me of Johnny Mandel's wittily titled "Not Really the Blues". Love the Herman recording!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3sVa7E0EqA

 

Dick Hyman has a chart called, I think, The Longest Blues in the World. I heard it. It was...

[duaneiac]

There's one autobiography I really regret never came to fruition and that is Louie Bellson's.  His second wife, Francine, was from the SF Bay Area, so they lived here part of the year and Mr. Bellson performed quite often in the area.  At every gig of his I went to, he always made time after the show to meet and greet the fans.  I asked him on one occasion if he had ever thought about writing a memoir.  He said he was at work on one with a co-writer.  A couple of years later, while he was on stage, I asked Francine (she always staffed the table selling all sorts of Louie Bellson merchandise) if there was any news on that book.  She gave me a disgusted look and said the co-writer had exited the project -- and her tone made clear she did not want to discuss it further.

It's a shame, because here was a man who had had a lifetime of great experiences, musical and otherwise.  He played in all the biggest bands of the big band era -- Dorsey, Goodman, James, Ellington, Basie -- not to mention having led his own big bands.  He played with all the great names of jazz through his association with Norman Granz.  He was married to Pearl Bailey and there must have been a ton of stories he could have told about her.  When they were wed in 1952, they must surely have been the most famous interracial couple in America -- what was that like, I wonder.  A book about his life, told from his perspective, would have been a wonderful read, but one we will sadly never get to experience.

[ghost of miles]

Thanks for all of the suggestions--up with additions, as we say in the "Offering and Looking For" forum:

Songs Of Themselves: Jazz Autobiographies

13 hours ago, JSngry said:

Gotta get the Marshall Royal book in there. I read that thing through in one sitting, it was that concise, that compelling, and that convincing.

Added and purchased!

[Rooster_Ties]

Another fantastic list worth noting -- this time "city-centric":

Jazz Capitals Of America: A Bibliography

http://indianapublicmedia.org/nightlights/jazz-capitals-america-books/

Could it be added to as well?

 

[ghost of miles]

1 hour ago, Rooster_Ties said:

Another fantastic list worth noting -- this time "city-centric":

Jazz Capitals Of America: A Bibliography

http://indianapublicmedia.org/nightlights/jazz-capitals-america-books/

Could it be added to as well?

 

Definitely!  Always open to suggestions for additions to any of the bibliographies that I've compiled so far.

[ghost of miles]

Up with further additions:

Songs Of Themselves: Jazz Autobiographies

[Ted O'Reilly]

Here's one you can add -- it's only online, but it's free!  (You have to sign up, but you won't be spammed for that.)  You'll note some spelling errors and typos here and there, but Gene has a very good message, and his co-writer is a veteran author and jazz critic...

https://www.wattpad.com/user/genedinovi

[medjuck]

19 hours ago, Ted O'Reilly said:

Here's one you can add -- it's only online, but it's free!  (You have to sign up, but you won't be spammed for that.)  You'll note some spelling errors and typos here and there, but Gene has a very good message, and his co-writer is a veteran author and jazz critic...

https://www.wattpad.com/user/genedinovi

This is great!  Thanks for the notice. (Though I still don't understand exactly the site is.)

[Ted O'Reilly]

6 hours ago, medjuck said:

This is great!  Thanks for the notice. (Though I still don't understand exactly the site is.)

I don't know either, but it works, and it's free.