Good recent jazz books?

[Bakari]

I'm looking to start reading more about the jazz world. Any suggested books (biographies, history, autobiography, cultural critique)? I'm not necessarily looking for dry academic works, but something more engaging. I have Mile Davis's autobiography which I plan to read, but I'm interested in newer books as well.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Bibi Green]

Check out Quincy Jones' autobiography. It's not dry at all!
Bibi

[Bakari]

Thanks, Bibi. Good recommendations. I had forgot about Quincy's book. I started reading Miles's autobio last night and I can tell it's going to be good. Thanks for keeping in touch.

[Marla]

Hi!

One book I've always loved was actually written by the great drummer, Art Taylor. It is actually a series of musician to musician interviews, with Taylor doing the interviewing chores. It can be hard to find, but I'd start with amazon.com and then send me a message if you can't find it (assuming you are interested) and I'll try to find it for you! The book is called "Notes and Tones." Bassist Bill Crow wrote a couple of wonderful and not too heavy (actually quite amusing) books - "Meet Me at Jim and Andy's," and "From Birdland to Broadway." Highly recommended if you'd enjoy "inside" stories of different musicians, on the road and otherwise. Then, I also love Ira Gitler's Jazz Masters of the '40's (and of the '50s) books, as well as his "From Swing to Bop" book. All of the above will probably be paperbacks. Again, if you'd like add'l info, please feel free to send me a private message. None of these are newer books, as you requested, but have been reissued and give some great insight into the world's greatest jazz musicians, both living and gone.

Marla

[Marla]

Also, the late Oscar Peterson's autobiography was a good read.

Marla

[Sue Auclair]

Haven't read it yet, but noted jazz scribe Bob Blumenthal just came out with this: Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America's Music. He's a wonderful writer, so it should be good reading!

sue auclair

[Sue Auclair]

Gotta get Quincy's book. I know it's going to be hot!

[Soul Sister]

READ Legendary Jazz Master Jimmy Scott's biography "Faith In Time" by David Ritz. It was completed in February of 2001 and alot has happened for the better since then, but it's an incredible story of both personal hardship and music industry hardships due to a block being put on his career by the owner of Savoy Records. As his old friend Ray Charles said Jimmy was defining the word soul long before the word has ever been used. Ray also said although his childhood was hard when he lost his mother at a young age, still he got lucky with success in the music business whereas Jimmy Scott had a rough time in both areas with the loss of his mother at age 13 and the difficulties in his career. Jimmy was the first artist Ray chose to record on his brand new Tangerine label in 1962. Critics put Jimmy's "Falling In Love Is Wonderful" album up there as one of the Top "3" Jazz Vocal albums in all history, along side Billie Holiday's "Lady In Satin" and Frank Sinatra's "Wee Wee Hours Of The Morning". When Marvin Gaye was in self-imposed exile in Belgium the only record he had wih him was Jimmy's album which he played around the clock.
Both the life and career of Jimmy Scott's story is compelling.

David Ritz also did an excellent job on his bio's of Etta James "Rage" and Marvin Gaye's "Divided Soul", among the many books to his credit.

Soul Sister
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[Soul Sister]

HERE'S THE JACKET:

[Sue Auclair]

Sounds cool. I know and love Jimmy Scott dearly.

[Bill Barnes]

I don't know about 'new' books, but here are a few of my favorites:

Ornette Coleman- His Life and Music, by Peter Niklas Wilson
Bill Evans- How My Heart Sings, by Peter Pettinger
Space is the Place- the Lives and Times of Sun Ra by John F. Szwed
Open Sky- Sonny Rollins and his world of Improvisation by Eric Nisenson
You Can't Steal a Gift by Gene Lees
Jazz in the Bittersweet Blues of Life by Wynton Marsalis with Earl Vigeland
Groovin' High- the Life of Dizzy Gillespie by Alvin Shipton
Straight, No Chaser- the Life and Genius of Thelonious Monk, by Leslie Gourse
Jazz Talking, by Max Jones
Inside Bebop, by Leonard Feather

AND, my favorite-
A book of essays I consider to be an essential part of any jazz library:
The Nat Hentoff Reader.

For children (and the child in all of us,) there's the excellent illustrated book by Robert Burleigh and Marek Los,
Looking For Bird in the Big City. Wonderfully poetic, with evocative paintings of New York in which you can almost hear the music, it's a fantasy about a young Miles Davis and his search for Charlie Parker.

I hope this helps.

Best regards,
Bill

[Evette Dorham]

Dave Oliphant's "Jazz Mavericks of the Lone Star State" highlightings the jazz musicians from Texas.

Evette

[Marla]

Bakari,

I think folks have contributed excellent choices, from biographies to history. Have these suggestions helped you to decide which book(s) you might want to read?

Marla