It would be nice if there were a Jimmy Giuffre biography

[Larry Kart]

no? A long and varied life,

[JSngry]

I concur. But who's around now who could do it full justice? 

[T.D.]

I think there are authors who could write creditable books, but there's a question of how many good sources to interview are still alive. Maybe if Steve Swallow would cooperate...

[JSngry]

Exactly. Firsthand source material doesn't always make for a better book, but it does make for better source material from which to go!

I would love to get a good accounting of Wesley LaViolette...

Ted Gioa, maybe? But he's turned into a self-proclaimed "honest broker", and, I mean,how does work, exactly? It should speak for itself that one is, right?

[T.D.]

36 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Exactly. Firsthand source material doesn't always make for a better book, but it does make for better source material from which to go!

I would love to get a good accounting of Wesley LaViolette...

Ted Gioa, maybe? But he's turned into a self-proclaimed "honest broker", and, I mean,how does work, exactly? It should speak for itself that one is, right?

According to Wiki, "The LaViolette Collection — which included his own recordings, books, scores, photographs and personal papers — is archived at The Los Angeles Jazz Institute, California State University, Long Beach.[9]"

Certainly an obvious place to start. Question is, how much of that material deals with his affilation with WCJ. I'd really prefer some interviewable sources when it comes to that affiliation. Agreed on Gioia: I'd have ventured his name years ago, but something has changed and now I'm doubtful...

Plenty of academic types could do it. William Sites's book on Ra kicked ass and he's not even a "music guy": William Sites is associate professor in Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago.

[gvopedz]

10 hours ago, JSngry said:

I concur. But who's around now who could do it full justice? 

My guess is that James Harrod already has a lot of details about Jimmy Giuffre.  You can find archives of newspapers and magazines online that are helpful.  As you know, there are many details about Giuffre spread across many decades, many bands, many musicians, many wives (Giuffre got married 4 times? 5 times?)...

[Joe]

Pretty sure this is OOP, but it's a start / step in the right direction.

https://www.discogs.com/release/2968512-Jimmy-Giuffre-Jimmy-Giuffre-Talks-Plays

[gvopedz]

Perhaps we can start our own biographical thread on Giuffre. 

Here are two sentences from a 1941 Dallas newspaper (“North Texas Symphony Opens Season,” The Dallas Morning News, December, 1, 1941, page 13 [the spelling errors are from the source]): 

“The high light of a program, otherwise confined to Nineteenth Century music, was Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsodie Pour Clarinett et Orchestra with the clarinet solo admirably performed by James Guiffre of Dallas.  Guiffre has been a member of the college staff band, the symphonic band and the college symphony orchestra during his four years at North Texas.”

[felser]

11 hours ago, JSngry said:

 

Ted Gioa, maybe? But he's turned into a self-proclaimed "honest broker", and, I mean,how does work, exactly? It should speak for itself that one is, right?

I subscribe to Gioia's 'Honest Broker' on Substack, he's a very compelling read much of the time, really bright and engaged guy.  Started out with the free subscription, got so much out of it, I upgraded to paid.  I've never actually read any of his books.  Any recommendations?  Also, how is he as a jazz pianist?

[Big Beat Steve]

1 hour ago, felser said:

 I've never actually read any of his books.  Any recommendations? 

His"West Coast Jazz" book is a safe bet. To me it ranks right up there with Ira Gitler's "Swing to Bop" as a re- and re-re-read (etc.) opus.

[JSngry]

I concur. But that's as far as I go. 

[T.D.]

26 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

His"West Coast Jazz" book is a safe bet. To me it ranks right up there with Ira Gitler's "Swing to Bop" as a re- and re-re-read (etc.) opus.

Agreed.

25 minutes ago, JSngry said:

I concur. But that's as far as I go. 

After enjoying W C J, I read one other book by Gioia that I didn't care for (can't immediately recall the title, which says something). So agreed here too.

[felser]

Sounds like we have a clear consensus on where to start (and possibly end) with Gioia's books, thanks!

[sgcim]

Duncan Henning wrote a good book on George Russell, whose career followed a similar trajectory as Giuffre's. Both wound up teaching in the New England Conservatory of Music, so he'd have enough contacts involved with that stage of Giuffre's musical career.

In addition, Giuffre married George Russell's ex-wife, Juanita Odejar who Henning interviewed for the Russell book. Giuffre was married for 42 years, so I don't see how he could have been married four times as someone mentioned.

The only work would be the Texas and West Coast part of his career, but there are many West Coast musicians still around.

[sgcim]

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-memoriam-jimmy-giuffre-1921-2008-jimmy-giuffre-by-aaj-staff

[gvopedz]

1 hour ago, sgcim said:

In addition, Giuffre married George Russell's ex-wife, Juanita Odejar who Henning interviewed for the Russell book. Giuffre was married for 42 years, so I don't see how he could have been married four times as someone mentioned.

If I am not mistaken, Giuffre married Juanita around 1961, when he was about 40 years old.  There was plenty of time for him to be married to other women before 1961.

But if you have evidence that shows I am mistaken, please share with us.

[sgcim]

1 hour ago, gvopedz said:

If I am not mistaken, Giuffre married Juanita around 1961, when he was about 40 years old.  There was plenty of time for him to be married to other women before 1961.

But if you have evidence that shows I am mistaken, please share with us.

No, I don't know if he was married before then.

[JSngry]

3-4 1.. 3-4&

Quirky as fuck, imo.

I have the album

 but what does 

"3-4 1.. 3-4&

Quirky as fuck, imo."

refer to?

[Big Beat Steve]

On 6/11/2023 at 10:56 PM, sgcim said:

In addition, Giuffre married George Russell's ex-wife, Juanita Odejar who Henning interviewed for the Russell book. Giuffre was married for 42 years, so I don't see how he could have been married four times as someone mentioned.

 

Odjenar, maybe?

[JSngry]

16 hours ago, JSngry said:

3-4 1.. 3-4&

Quirky as fuck, imo.

I have the album

 but what does 

"3-4 1.. 3-4&

Quirky as fuck, imo."

refer to?

Blue Birdland. The way the first half of the phrase is three notes on the downbeat. 

[sgcim]

14 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Odjenar, maybe?

Oops, sorry!

[ghost of miles]

On 6/10/2023 at 9:36 PM, JSngry said:

Exactly. Firsthand source material doesn't always make for a better book, but it does make for better source material from which to go!

I would love to get a good accounting of Wesley LaViolette...

Ted Gioa, maybe? But he's turned into a self-proclaimed "honest broker", and, I mean,how does work, exactly? It should speak for itself that one is, right?

Been a long time since I read it and don’t have it at hand at the moment, but iirc Gioia’s West Coast Jazz delves somewhat into LaViolette, mostly in the context of his influence on Giuffre.

[JSngry]

I don't recall it being anything really in-depth? 

[adh1907]

The late Steve Schwartz, a great Boston jazz DJ, did a very good long interview with Giuffre not long before Giuffre died It covered his whole career. From recollection, his wife was also involved. Steve very kindly sent me a cassette copy of the programme. I have it somewhere. I am sure the unedited  tapes if they exist would be very useful if anyone were to write a biography. I would love to read one.

Anthony

London

[gvopedz]

Schwartz on NPR re Giuffre, great interview:

https://www.npr.org/2008/04/28/90004452/jazz-clarinetist-jimmy-giuffre-a-look-back