Customer Reviews

Goodbye: In Search of Gordon Jenkins

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. . . is what I told the author by e-mail:

Dear Mr. Jenkins,

I just finished Goodbye, and I wanted you to know how glad I am you wrote it. I got it through Rick Apt; it is a copy you signed.

I love your father's music and have for a long time, but I had little idea just how comprehensive his talent was. Your book deepened my admiration for his work. I'll appreciate it even more now.

As someone who makes a living as an editor, I have pretty high
standards. Your writing is clear, your passion is evident, your style is rewarding on many levels, and the book is whole: nothing need be added or taken away, as I see it.

Beyond that, as a dilettante baritone in a few big band style ensembles, I've got a new, higher standard to shoot for just knowing what a man like Gordon Jenkins expected of others. And when I sing a ballad, I'll damn sure never trust a leader who keeps his eye on the band instead of me.

Thank you for writing a great book about a great man.

Yours truly,

Bill Fisher

(By the way, the author was gracious enough to reply to my e-mail--a class act.)

I am not a major fan of sports writers, except for those who step outside the limits of their field. Paul Gallico and Ring Lardner, for example. I now place Bruce Jenkins in that level with his incisive, sympathetic, remarkably objective, thoroughly researched, and generously credited biography of father Gordon. The senior Jenkins is not as familiar today as he was during his fantastically varied and fruitful career, and that's a shame. It perhaps speaks to the general condition of the music business
today. Bruce's biography covers it all, and Gordon touched most of the bases in good popular music, contributing a great amount to the treasury. He started as a dixieland combo player, and worked his way up to stellar status as an arranger/composer, frequently contributing lyrics as well as music (and fine, deceptively simple lyrics they are, too!--songs like"Goodbye"). His first major impact on records was "Manhattan Tower", a 1945 experiment in an previously untouched area, a musicalromance/documentary that was basically a love tribute to New York City, and one that paved the way for the countless things in that flavor that have followed. It was probably the first "concept" album, instead of the usual four 78rpm shellacs in a cardboard binder. He wrote the arrangements for the period's singers, and his work with Frank Sinatra reflects his (and the singer's!) best work. Other singers he backgrounded include Peggy Lee, Nat Cole, and the Andrews Sisters. He
also found and introduced the Weavers, which brought folkish music and their inheritors (by the numberless score!) into the arena of giant pop music disc sales. He arranged a Harry Nillson album that the artist proclaimed the best he had ever done. Gordon Jenkins had a broad palette, and I don't think the term "genius" is inappropriate. The book ("Goodbye:
In Search of Gordon Jenkins") truly covers all the bases, and the younger Jenkins doesn't short those folk whose opinion of his father vary widely from his. Most the familiar names are allowed their say, and I was impressed by the author's credit to the contributing sources. He lauds frequently and damns seldom, and presents as impressive and impressing biography as I've seen. Of particular interest to members of this assemblage is his recounting of the very close, very personal relationship
between Gordon and Frank Sinatra, including a long, detailed, personal, and revealing interview that Bruce had with Mr Sinatra. I've heard that the singer was not that easy a person to interview, or even to get an interview with. I knew, on a much slighter level, many of the people Bruce interviewed or wrote of, and they all ring true--folk like Billy May and Nelson Riddle. All the members of the Sinatra chain will have to read
this one; there's a tremendous amount of learning in there, presented in a most palatable manner. Bruce Jenkins may not be a song writer, but he is
one helluva writer.
Fred Grimes

Bruce Jenkin's homage to his fathers legacy is a must read for all who are interested in his music as well as his life. It shall serve as the definitive work on the man, and will be used as a research tool for all who follow. Bruce brings to this work the same humanity and clarity he brings to his sports journalism. And who better to bring his fathers story to the forefront, than his own son. If you are not familiar with Gordon Jenkin's body of work, from Sinatra to Cole,from Judy Garland to Louie Armstrong, From the Weaver's to Harry Nillson, buy this book and learn about his extraordinary accomplishments in composing, orchestrating, arranging, conducting, and playing. He was truly one of music's only quadruple threats. Don Olivet

When you take a first rate writer like Bruce Jenkins (nationally known sports writer based at the San Francisco Chronicle) and have him write about the loving family from which he came and sprinkle a bit of musical genuis, you have one of the best musical biographies ever written!

What a delight Bruce gives us with this intimate 'gloves off' look into one of the most creative musical minds in popular music, Gordon Jenkins. Those of us who thrilled to "Manhattan Tower" ever time we played it will enjoy reading how it came about over 50 years ago and how it's still considered a great work of art. And what about the whole story of Benny Goodman's sign-off song, "Goodbye" that Jenkins wrote? Now we know why it was written.

It's told through the recollections of friends in the music business from fellow arrangers/song writers/conductor to family friends. Fascinating, entertaining and just one of the best reads you'll have in a long time. Don't miss it if you've ever been spun into musical ecstesy with the signature arrangements of Gordon Jenkins....after all some feel he's responsible for a baby boom!

Gordon Jenkins was a unique talent - one that could write songs and beautiful string arrangements.

Despite all the criticism he took for some of his arrangements (which I don't share by the way), he was a modest yet self secure man.

He ruled the orchestra and brilliantly supported those he worked with.

A GREAT BOOK WITH GREAT INSIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GET IT!

an amazing book about an amazing man. warm, witty and often sentimental, bruce jenkins does a wonderful job of allowing us a peek into the man he called dad. in this glorious memento we get to know gordon jenkins, legendary arranger, composer, and conductor. we are treated to stories about working with such musical giants as frank sinatra, judy garland, the great ella fitzgerald, bing crosby, and a host of others. it's a wonderful book and as a long time musician and teacher, i enjoyed this immensely.

On a warm summer evening in either 1954 or 1955, I was lying down listening to the radio when a strange new composition began, something I had never heard before. By the time it got through "The Pink Houseboat," I was definitely hooked. A local radio station was playing the entire SEVEN DREAMS. I told my wife about it, and she ordered it for me for Christmas that year. I still think that it is one of the best things ever recorded. It was after this that I became an avid Gordon Jenkins fan.

This biography by his son is worthy of its subject, very effectively written to celebrate the life of one of the best all-around musicians ever. It gives a brilliant insight into the music business, with striking vignettes of some of the legends of a few years back, like Sinatra and Garland and Armstrong and Nat Cole. I read it with great pleasure and have just ordered a copy to be sent to my son, who is also a pretty good musician, and who I am sure will love this book.

I also discovered that SEVEN DREAMS is also now available on CD and have already obtained a copy to go along with my old LP, which in turn was a replacement for the original one, which was worn out by frequent playings years ago. If Jenkins had never written another thing, his life would have been worthwhile just for this, I think, but I am so glad that he turned out such a great many excellent compositions and arrangements. He was simply the best--period.

I first became aware of Gordon Jenkin's music as a boy through his marvellously exciting arrangement for Peggy Lee's "Lover". Later his style changed totally through superb albums for Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole and even "Nillson". Some thought that style old-fashioned even then but those artists thought differently.
Now thanks to this superb book by his son and professional writer Bruce, we learn that away from the podium and arranging desk Gordon Jenkins had a wonderful mordant wit and great courage in the way he coped with life's cruelties and particularly his last illness. I lent my copy to a friend who immediately had me get him his own copy. No higher recommendation than that!

I have been an admirer of the musical talent of Gordon Jenkins for decades, and I enjoyed his son's biography of the life of
a most talented arranger, composer and performer, along with
insights about Jenkins' relationships with the many artists who
benefited from their associations with him.

I had never heard of Gordon Jenkins before seeing a review of this book, but now I'm a fan (of the musician and the man and the son). It's a great story, well told. A fond look into a different age and a different world.