"You can tell the whole world: there’ll never be another Bix Beiderbecke. Take that from Satchmo! He was a born genius…"--Louis Armstrong Bix Beiderbecke is one of jazz music’s most enigmatic figures, and he has captivated listeners since his career began in the 1920s. He died at just 28, leaving many loose ends and inspiring much speculation. This book aims to clarify many of the myths created by the musician's premature death and the fictionalizations of Bix's life (three novels and a film: "Remembering Bix" by Ralph Berton, "1929" by Fredericks W. Turner, and "Young Man with a Horn" by Dorothy Baker, and the 1950 film of Baker's novel by Michael Curtiz), and to update his two prior biographies ("Bix, Man and Legend" being out of print for many years). French jazz scholar Jean Pierre Lion traveled the trajectory of Bix’s life, from birth to death, to boarding school, on tour and beyond, to find the true story of this pivotal figure. Considered a genius by his fans and fellow musicians, Bix Beiderbecke was a master cornet player, and one of the most inspiring white jazz musicians of his age. He drank heavily during Prohibition, and fell ill from the toxic swill he had been drinking. When he died he left behind a tremendous list of recordings (included here in a definitive discography) and several original compositions. This biography culls the entirety of Bix scholarship into one volume, painting a complete picture of the man, his music, and his times. Lion brings the true legend of Bix into historical context, underlining the importance of the jazz scene that Bix not only participated in, but also helped to establish. The originality of Bix’s style has roots in New Orleans jazz and such classical composers as Debussy and Ravel, and this biography traces the evolution of these various inspirations alongside the tale of the white cornet player. Historical ambience is created by descriptions of the Chicago of the 1920s – ruled by Al Capone and peopled with fast cars, flappers and hot jazz musicians – and Bix’s personality is fleshed out by excerpts from the few letters he wrote in his lifetime, and memories of friends and witnesses of the jazz-age. The story is lively and emotional, the testament of a true fan and a true scholar.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
Voted "Best Book of 2004" and awarded the Prix Charles Delaunay by the French "Académie du Jazz"
[Lion's] style is elegant and inventive; his point is clear and perfectly framed by his patient study of the colossal documentation of Bix's life….The book comes alive through its intimate connection with one of the most fascinating characters in jazz history.---Frank Bergerot for Jazzman (French jazz magazine) (Franck Bergerot for Jazzman (French jazz mag) )
The learned and loving book that Jean-Pierre Lion dedicates to Bix takes its place as the biography of reference.---Michael Contat for Le Monde (French newspaper) (Michael Contat for Le Monde (French newspaper) )
Teeming with anecdotes and historical records, this biography, enhanced by several appendices and a complete discography, reads like a captivating novel.---Le Quotidien (French newspaper) (Le Quotidien (French newspaper) )
Jean Pierre Lion's work goes beyond mere biography. It examines the birth of jazz from historical and contemporary perspectives….it will serve as the point of reference for those seeking to understand the genesis of this music.---Olivier Kociubinska for Jazz Notes (French magazine) (Olivier Kociubinska for Jazz Notes (French mag) )
I have received the English translation of your book, and I am enchanted ! You have done an incroyable job ( I lapse into French sometimes when excited !). Really, I had thought that after the Sudhalter-Evans book there would not need to be any further exploration of Bix's life, but I was wrong. I never have seen the late Phil Evans' last book but heard that it is not more than a "catch-up" work, including material that never got into the other book, almost like a scrapbook. Your book, of course, puts this material and more,including photos of so many locations we have not all seen, into a sensible order and fills in the gaps that remained unknown. Thank you. I feel grateful to be included in it. --Duncan Schiedt, author of Ain't Misbehavin (biography of Fats Waller)
“…the book delves deeply into the musician’s life.” –What’s Up, June 2005
Bix is an exemplary piece of work…[Lion] has exploded numerous myths that long ago crept into the Beiderbecke literature, replacing them with a factually trustworthy account of the cornetist's life."-- Commentary, September, 2005 (Commentary )
(Times Literary Supplement )
"As, for music, Jean Pierre Lion's Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend is a superior piece of biography that tells the sad story of jazz pioneer Bix Beiderbecke skillfully and sensitively." --nationalreview.com, December 2005
(nationalreview.com )
"This biography is certainly the most comprehensive, well-balanced view of Beiderbecke to date, and it may even prove to be the "definitive" biography it claims for itself... Lion did a remarkable research job and his chronological account, sometimes going day-by-day, puts to rest several Beiderbecke myths. He describes Beiderbecke's performances and compositions in a straightforward and clear manner... Since Beiderbecke's place among the giants of jazz has never been disputed, this fine biography is overdue and welcome. Summing up: Essential. All readers; all levels."- Choice, March 2006 (Choice )
"In this book, assiduously researched and cross-checked, [Jean Pierre Lion] has written what may truly be referred to as a 'definitive' biography...This book is by no means a rehash of previously published information. It can stand alone as a new work, intelligently organized and written with perception. Lion has a deep understanding of musicians, their work patterns, and their unique problems. When he discusses a particular performance on record, it takes little imagination to place one's self in the studio, witnessing the give-and-take of the players and the exhilaration of having made a superior 'take.' Lion, a true historian, deals with facts, and refrains from listing many recordings which have passages that 'sound like Bix,' but cannot be authenticated. Discographies are by their nature works in progress, but this book could be the last word on the great cornetist's life. Highly recommended."- The Mississippi Rag, March 2006 (The Mississippi Rag )
Voted "Best Book of 2004" and awarded the Prix Charles Delaunay by the French "Académie du Jazz"
(Times Literary Supplement )
“As, for music, Jean Pierre Lion’s Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend is a superior piece of biography that tells the sad story of jazz pioneer Bix Beiderbecke skillfully and sensitively.” –nationalreview.com, December 2005
(, )
“This biography is certainly the most comprehensive, well-balanced view of Beiderbecke to date, and it may even prove to be the “definitive” biography it claims for itself… Lion did a remarkable research job and his chronological account, sometimes going day-by-day, puts to rest several Beiderbecke myths. He describes Beiderbecke’s performances and compositions in a straightforward and clear manner… Since Beiderbecke’s place among the giants of jazz has never been disputed, this fine biography is overdue and welcome. Summing up: Essential. All readers; all levels.”- Choice, March 2006 (Choice )
“In this book, assiduously researched and cross-checked, [Jean Pierre Lion] has written what may truly be referred to as a 'definitive’ biography…This book is by no means a rehash of previously published information. It can stand alone as a new work, intelligently organized and written with perception. Lion has a deep understanding of musicians, their work patterns, and their unique problems. When he discusses a particular performance on record, it takes little imagination to place one’s self in the studio, witnessing the give-and-take of the players and the exhilaration of having made a superior 'take.’ Lion, a true historian, deals with facts, and refrains from listing many recordings which have passages that 'sound like Bix,’ but cannot be authenticated. Discographies are by their nature works in progress, but this book could be the last word on the great cornetist’s life. Highly recommended.”- The Mississippi Rag, March 2006 (, )
[Lion's] style is elegant and inventive; his point is clear and perfectly framed by his patient study of the colossal documentation of Bix's life….The book comes alive through its intimate connection with one of the most fascinating characters in jazz history.---Frank Bergerot for Jazzman (French jazz magazine) (Franck Bergerot for Jazzman (French jazz mag) )
The learned and loving book that Jean-Pierre Lion dedicates to Bix takes its place as the biography of reference.---Michael Contat for Le Monde (French newspaper) (Michael Contat for Le Monde (French newspaper) )
Teeming with anecdotes and historical records, this biography, enhanced by several appendices and a complete discography, reads like a captivating novel.---Le Quotidien (French newspaper) (Le Quotidien (French newspaper) )
Jean Pierre Lion's work goes beyond mere biography. It examines the birth of jazz from historical and contemporary perspectives….it will serve as the point of reference for those seeking to understand the genesis of this music.---Olivier Kociubinska for Jazz Notes (French magazine) (Olivier Kociubinska for Jazz Notes (French mag) )
I have received the English translation of your book, and I am enchanted ! You have done an incroyable job ( I lapse into French sometimes when excited !). Really, I had thought that after the Sudhalter-Evans book there would not need to be any further exploration of Bix's life, but I was wrong. I never have seen the late Phil Evans' last book but heard that it is not more than a "catch-up" work, including material that never got into the other book, almost like a scrapbook. Your book, of course, puts this material and more,including photos of so many locations we have not all seen, into a sensible order and fills in the gaps that remained unknown. Thank you. I feel grateful to be included in it. --Duncan Schiedt, author of Ain't Misbehavin (biography of Fats Waller)
“…the book delves deeply into the musician’s life.” –What’s Up, June 2005
Bix is an exemplary piece of work…[Lion] has exploded numerous myths that long ago crept into the Beiderbecke literature, replacing them with a factually trustworthy account of the cornetist's life."-- Commentary, September, 2005 (Commentary )
This engrossing book, organized around a succession of significant dates and complete with an excellent discography, concentrates as it should on the narrative of a life in music..."- The Times Literary Supplement, November 25, 2005
"As, for music, Jean Pierre Lion's Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend is a superior piece of biography that tells the sad story of jazz pioneer Bix Beiderbecke skillfully and sensitively." --nationalreview.com, December 2005
(nationalreview.com )
"This biography is certainly the most comprehensive, well-balanced view of Beiderbecke to date, and it may even prove to be the "definitive" biography it claims for itself... Lion did a remarkable research job and his chronological account, sometimes going day-by-day, puts to rest several Beiderbecke myths. He describes Beiderbecke's performances and compositions in a straightforward and clear manner... Since Beiderbecke's place among the giants of jazz has never been disputed, this fine biography is overdue and welcome. Summing up: Essential. All readers; all levels."- Choice, March 2006 (Choice )
"In this book, assiduously researched and cross-checked, [Jean Pierre Lion] has written what may truly be referred to as a 'definitive' biography...This book is by no means a rehash of previously published information. It can stand alone as a new work, intelligently organized and written with perception. Lion has a deep understanding of musicians, their work patterns, and their unique problems. When he discusses a particular performance on record, it takes little imagination to place one's self in the studio, witnessing the give-and-take of the players and the exhilaration of having made a superior 'take.' Lion, a true historian, deals with facts, and refrains from listing many recordings which have passages that 'sound like Bix,' but cannot be authenticated. Discographies are by their nature works in progress, but this book could be the last word on the great cornetist's life. Highly recommended."- The Mississippi Rag, March 2006 (The Mississippi Rag )
"Jean Pierre Lion's new biography of the enigmatic jazz legend succeeds on nearly every level. Lion was able to gather facts from the other Beirderbecke biographies as well as a myriad of other sources and tell the story in a readable, entertaining, and most important of all, objective manner. Lion not only tells Beirderbecke's story, he puts it into context.... Lion's work amazingly does not come off as a fan's book. Instead it paints as full a portrait of Bix as we have had, letting the reader decide for himself as to his motivations, influences, feelings, and tendencies. The book can be described as 'a page turner' one that you cannot put down, and one you regret finishing." -ARSC Journal Book Reviews
Voted "Best Book of 2004" and awarded the Prix Charles Delaunay by the French "Académie du Jazz"
This engrossing book, organized around a succession of significant dates and complete with an excellent discography, concentrates as it should on the narrative of a life in music…"- The Times Literary Supplement, November 25, 2005
“As, for music, Jean Pierre Lion’s Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend is a superior piece of biography that tells the sad story of jazz pioneer Bix Beiderbecke skillfully and sensitively.” –nationalreview.com, December 2005
(, )
“This biography is certainly the most comprehensive, well-balanced view of Beiderbecke to date, and it may even prove to be the “definitive” biography it claims for itself… Lion did a remarkable research job and his chronological account, sometimes going day-by-day, puts to rest several Beiderbecke myths. He describes Beiderbecke’s performances and compositions in a straightforward and clear manner… Since Beiderbecke’s place among the giants of jazz has never been disputed, this fine biography is overdue and welcome. Summing up: Essential. All readers; all levels.”- Choice, March 2006 (Choice )
“In this book, assiduously researched and cross-checked, [Jean Pierre Lion] has written what may truly be referred to as a 'definitive’ biography…This book is by no means a rehash of previously published information. It can stand alone as a new work, intelligently organized and written with perception. Lion has a deep understanding of musicians, their work patterns, and their unique problems. When he discusses a particular performance on record, it takes little imagination to place one’s self in the studio, witnessing the give-and-take of the players and the exhilaration of having made a superior 'take.’ Lion, a true historian, deals with facts, and refrains from listing many recordings which have passages that 'sound like Bix,’ but cannot be authenticated. Discographies are by their nature works in progress, but this book could be the last word on the great cornetist’s life. Highly recommended.”- The Mississippi Rag, March 2006 (, )
“Jean Pierre Lion’s new biography of the enigmatic jazz legend succeeds on nearly every level. Lion was able to gather facts from the other Beirderbecke biographies as well as a myriad of other sources and tell the story in a readable, entertaining, and most important of all, objective manner. Lion not only tells Beirderbecke’s story, he puts it into context…. Lion’s work amazingly does not come off as a fan’s book. Instead it paints as full a portrait of Bix as we have had, letting the reader decide for himself as to his motivations, influences, feelings, and tendencies. The book can be described as 'a page turner’ one that you cannot put down, and one you regret finishing.” -ARSC Journal Book Reviews
About the Author
Jean Pierre Lion is the president of a French paper and textile manufacturer, SEF, and is also an avid music collector. He is very much involved in the artistic life in his hometown of Laval, France (west of Paris, in Brittany), where he has directed modern art festivals, assembled collections, and created exposition catalogs. Gabriella Page-Fort studied romance languages and creative writing at NYU, and she now translates French and Spanish literature and nonfiction into English.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If Bix was there, Jean Pierre Lion was there too!,
By
This review is from: Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend (Bayou Jazz Lives) (Hardcover)
Previous Bix Beiderbecke biographies were marred by too much trivia and speculation. The late Philip Evans was the ultimate Bix biographer, but his books overwhelm you with minutia. Jean Pierre Lion depends heavily upon Evans' landmark research; in fact, he is quick to acknowledge all of the great Bix research by Richard Sudhalter and others.
But Mr. Lion, a French business executive with a deep passion for early jazz, has taken a very refreshing approach to the Bix story. As a Frenchman, he's able to stand back and put Bix in the context of the American Roaring '20s. The book is biography, part social history, part travel book. It's great reading, and not ruined by self-indulgent musical analysis. Lion wrote the book on the assumption that his readers already know a fair bit about Bix's musical contribution. Mr. Lion traveled to virtually every single spot in America where Bix had an important moment. Given that Bix died at age 28, it was possible. And his book is full of his wonderful little photographs of these historic sites (old hotels, city streets, private homes, ballrooms, etc.) as they appear today. That may prove to have the greatest appeal to Bixologists. You can toss Jean Pierre's book in your car and go on one heck of a across-country field trip. Like almost all jazz histories, this book won't sell well, and Mr. Lion obviously didn't create it for money. But it's a little treasure for jazz buffs - so don't let this one slip away! I immediately read it from cover to cover, and because of its beautiful visual appeal, it will be pulled from my book shelf for many years to come. Felicitations, Monsieur Lion!
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow!,
By
This review is from: Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend (Bayou Jazz Lives) (Hardcover)
This could be the definitive book on Bix. It has everything, lots of pictures (the publisher did it right and put the pictures where it relates to the text and not all together in the middle of the book which is cheaper for the publisher), copies of important documents and new information about his life not mentioned in other books, an embarrassing arrest of a High School age Bix that has either been throughly suppressed by the Beiderbecke family and/or a blind eye turned to this incident and ignored by previous biographers. When I first read about the incident I thought to myself I didn't need to know that and it kind of bothered me for a while. When I finished the book I had to admit that I really enjoyed the book and the research by the author was very extensive and thorough, at times uncomfortably so. Which is what a good biography should be. Highly recommended.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A gripping biography that reads like a novel...,
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This review is from: Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend (Bayou Jazz Lives) (Hardcover)
Incredibly well researched and eminently readable, "Bix" is a mandatory addition to the library of twentieth-century historians, Beiderbecke fans and casual listeners alike.
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