To Be Or Not To Bop

[.:.impossible]

I assume most of you guys have already read this at some point in time. It has been recommended to me on many separate occassions. I'm due to read another book about the music and I think this will probably be the next one.

How do some of the authors represented here feel about this telling? How about the readers?

[JSngry]

I found it, and still find it, a superb experience.

[Chuck Nessa]

In some (more than necessary) instances I find this to be Dizzy's "pay back" book. I think he (sometimes) comes across as a bitter guy.

I had some business dealings with him at the time and he was a pain in the ass (nomatter the amount of money he was paid). Something was gnawing at him (much of it Bird's reputation).

In spite of his public personna, he was not a happy camper.

[Christiern]

He left out of the book that backstage incident where he became so obnoxious that Val Wilmer had to give him an upper cut! T-Bone Walker eventually stepped in and broke up the fight.

[neveronfriday]

In some (more than necessary) instances I find this to be Dizzy's "pay back" book. I think he (sometimes) comes across as a bitter guy.

I had some business dealings with him at the time and he was a pain in the ass (nomatter the amount of money he was paid). Something was gnawing at him (much of it Bird's reputation). [...]

Hm.

Cheers!

[Tom in RI]

What a great picture of Bird and Albino Red.

[Harold_Z]

Can anybody ID the bassist or pianist in that band ? the guitarist is Chuck Wayne.

[doubleM]

It looks like Marian McPartland sitting there in Piano. I could be wrong, though!

[brownie]

Tain't no Marian McPartland. Barbara Carroll it is!

No luck on the bass player...

[mgraham333]

hmmmmm....

check out this used copy

[Christiern]

Outrageously unrealistic asking price, even if Dizzy did sign the book.

[couw]

yes, you can have a signed copy already for 275$!

look it up at abebooks.com

[mikeweil]

That seller needs some dough badly!

[ghost of miles]

Man. A jazz DJ & good buddy of mine gave me his copy, signed by Dizzy in the early 1980s, for Christmas a couple of years ago. I was very touched and never, ever intend to sell it. I'm sure he had a sense that the book might be worth something and didn't care--he's a sweetheart of a guy.

I'm always a bit stunned when I see the asking price of certain Mosaics and other jazz-related items, mostly, I suppose, because I just can't imagine selling anything that I have, outside of the odd Connoisseur or other CD that a box-set makes redundant. For insurance purposes, I really should get around to determining the going price of what I have on hand.

Back to the subject of the thread, I haven't read either Dizzy's memoir or the bio (Shipton, right?) yet, even though I have both. Wonder what kind of skewed view the two combined will provide...

[skeith]

I found this book to be very disappointing and after reading it, decided to sell my copy. I haven't missed it at all.