DownBeat - The Great Jazz Interviews (A 75th Anniversary Anthology) [Paperback]

Frank Alkyer (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2009

Culled from the DownBeat archives - includes in-depth interviews with literally every great jazz artist and personality that ever lived! Features classic photos and magazine covers from DownBeat's vast archives. In honor of its 75th anniversary, DownBeat's editors have brought together in this one volume the best interviews, insights, and photographs from the illustrious history of the world's top jazz magazine, DownBeat. This anthology includes the greatest of DownBeat's Jazz Hall of Famers: from early legends like Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman; to bebop heroes like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Miles Davis; to truly unique voices like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Thelonious Monk, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk; to the pioneers of the electric scene like Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, and Joe Zawinul. The Great Jazz Interviews delivers the legends of jazz, talking about America's music and America itself, in their own words.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frank Alkyer is the publisher of DownBeat magazine. He is also the publisher of Music Inc. and UpBeat Daily magazines. Ed Enright is the editor of DownBeat magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard; 75th edition (November 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423463846
• ISBN-13: 978-1423463849
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A FINE COLLECTION OF JAZZ INTERVIEWS FROM 75 YEARS OF DOWNBEAT, December 24, 2009

By 

Stuart Jefferson (San Diego,Ca) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: DownBeat - The Great Jazz Interviews (A 75th Anniversary Anthology) (Paperback)

Large format,soft cover,with the articles/interviews arranged in chronological order,starting in the 1930's through the 2000's. The soft cover is substantial and would hold up to some wear. There is no index,so the 350 or so pages of interviews/overviews is pretty much true. This is another fine collection of interviews/articles published in conjunction with DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE,the "bible" of jazz. The focus is on jazz artists in the DOWNBEAT Hall of Fame. Frank Alkyer-publisher,and Ed Enright-editor of DOWNBEAT have chosen wisely for this 75th anniversary publication. While some long-time readers of the magazine,or jazz listeners may quibble over the omission of a favorite artist/artists,the many featured musicians in this book give a fine overview of both jazz from it's (arguable beginning),and as a history of DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE.

Following the publication,in conjunction with DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE,of the fine "The Miles Davis Reader",a number of years ago,this collection takes in most of the greatest names in jazz,past and present. While many more musicians could have been included,the artists here form a solid foundation of jazz. From jazz's beginnings,featured artists such as W.C. Handy,Louis Armstrong,Jelly Roll Morton,Duke Ellington (1930's),through Woody Herman,Glenn Miller, Billie Holiday, T-Bone Walker,Stan Kenton,Lester Young,Dizzy Gillespie,Charlie Parker (1940's),into the 1950's with Les Paul,Chet Baker,Lennie Tristano,Oscar Peterson,John Coltrane,Roy Eldridge,to Joe Williams,Ornette Coleman,Paul Desmond,Bill Evans,Art Tatum,Ella Fitzgerald,Thelonious Monk,Miles Davis,Muddy Waters (1960's),to "Cannonball" Adderley,Roland Kirk,Charles Mingus,Tom Waits,Frank Zappa,WEATHER REPORT,Stevie Wonder (1970's),to Freddie Hubbard,Brian Eno,Tony Williams,Keith Jarrett,Carla Bley,Henry Threadgill,Carlos Santana (1980,s),to Joe Henderson,Stephane Grapelli,Joshua Redman,Van Morrison,Joni Mitchell,Betty Carter,Steve Lacy (1990's),through Tony Bennett,Hank Jones,Dave Brubeck,James Brown (2000's),and many,many more,together present the history of jazz.

The many black and white (and few color) photographs,many not seen for years,adds depth and emphasis to the thoughts of these artists. Sprinkled throughout are (small) color reproductions of DOWNBEAT covers from various years. The opinions on jazz in the articles and a few "Blindfold Tests",(different from the interviews),by musicians from the period,are interesting and attest to the aches and pains jazz went through (and is still going through),with a number of dissenting opinions and criticisms (read both 60's articles by "Cannonball" Adderley and Charles Mingus concerning Ornette Coleman as an example) on the course and future of jazz.

This is a book that could sit on anyone's jazz shelf. For someone new to jazz,there's much information which would lead to some great jazz listening. For the long-time jazz listener/reader,this book is a compendium of jazz history,in chronological order,which reinforces why we listen to jazz in the first place. DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE has done a fine job delving into it's vast archives,something they alone are uniquely qualified to do. In bringing together the history of a true American musical genre,through the thoughts of the very musicians who created (and are still creating) so much fine music,into one collection,is certainly a worthwhile endeavor. DOWNBEAT has done it.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'M UPBEAT ABOUT DOWNBEAT, August 7, 2010

By 

Barry McCanna (Normandy, France) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: DownBeat - The Great Jazz Interviews (A 75th Anniversary Anthology) (Paperback)

The word "jazz" covers a multitude of sins, and this handsome anthology, which spans the years 1935 to 2008, manages to cover most of them, at the rate of a dozen selected interviews a year. So it can be read from cover to cover, or you can browse to your heart's content. There are some surprising juxtapositions; Glenn Miller is followed by Joe "King" Oliver, and John Coltrane by Mahalia Jackson. Some appear twice; Armstrong, Ellington and Goodman, for example, others not at all. You'll find Sinatra and Nat "King" Cole, but neither Crosby nor Astaire. An index would have been welcome, but that is to look a gift horse in the mouth.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love Jazz, you will love this book, January 18, 2011

By 

Barbara R. Breger "chicago granny" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: DownBeat - The Great Jazz Interviews (A 75th Anniversary Anthology) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book of interviews of musicians who have contributed to our only native music. This should be in every jazz lover's collection. I highly recommend it.