Alive at the Village Vanguard: My Life In and Out of Jazz Time [Hardcover]

Lorraine Gordon (Author), Barry Singer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

Jazz fans get the inside story of New York's legendary club. At age 83, Lorraine Gordon is a jazz icon who has lived more than a few lives: downtown bohemian, uptown grande dame, music business pioneer, wife, lover, mother, and finally - at a point when most women her age were just settling into grandmotherhood - owner of the most famous jazz club in the world, the Village Vanguard. The trajectory of her journey has been remarkable. The details are a Jackson Pollock-like swirl of fierce colors shot through with larger-than-life creative figures: not just jazz figures but luminaries from every point on the political, social and entertainment spectrum: from Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to Lenny Bruce, Norman Mailer and Barbra Streisand. * The legendary Village Vanguard has been an international jazz mecca since 1935. According to New York Magazine, "A musician hasn't truly arrived in the jazz world until he's played at the 'Carnegie Hall of Cool,' the Village Vanguard." * There have been over 100 "Live at the Village Vanguard" recordings by premier artists from John Coltrane to Wynton Marsalis.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A must-read for anyone who follows jazz...this short, fascinating memoir reveals that rare avis--a club owner with a great ear for music and real sympathy for musicians. --Seattle Times

2007 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award Winner
The ASCAP Deems Taylor Awards program recognizes books, articles, broadcasts and websites on the subject of music selected for their excellence. The Awards were established in 1967 to honor the memory of composer/critic/commentator Deems Taylor who died in 1966 after a distinguished career that included six years as President of ASCAP. --The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard; 1st edition (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0634073990
• ISBN-13: 978-0634073991
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,053,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mildly interesting from a history of jazz/ philosophy of jazz point of view, January 24, 2007

By 

David Ring (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alive at the Village Vanguard: My Life In and Out of Jazz Time (Hardcover)

Lorraine Gordon has led an interesting life and one well worth reporting. She does an admirable job in this autobiography. If, however, one seeks information about jazz events that occurred at her club in any sort of detail, one needs to look elsewhere.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 'must' for any avid jazz fan who relishes a 'you are there' experiential survey., February 5, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alive at the Village Vanguard: My Life In and Out of Jazz Time (Hardcover)

Alive at the Village Vanguard: My Life In and Out of Jazz Time captures the life of jazz artist Lorraine Gordon, who knew virtually all the big names of jazz. She was not only a business woman and mother, but owned the most famous jazz club in the world, the Village Vanguard: this is the story of the rise of that club, her encounters with Miles Davis, Monk, and more, and vignettes of their personalities and encounters. Black and white photos blend with music history and cultural insights to make for a lively survey of the Village scene and the artists who made up the jazz world. A 'must' for any avid jazz fan who relishes a 'you are there' experiential survey.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read, December 7, 2006

By 

LBWheels457 (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alive at the Village Vanguard: My Life In and Out of Jazz Time (Hardcover)

This book is a wonderful read for any jazz fan! It goes through the life of Larraine Gordon and has some wonderful insights as to why the Village Vanguard is what it is! It's an easy read and I highly recommend this book!