Satchmo [Paperback]

Gary Giddins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1998

Gary Giddins has been called "the best jazz writer in America today" (Esquire). Louis Armstrong has been called the most influential jazz musician of the century. Together this auspicious pairing has resulted in Satchmo, one of the most vivid and fascinating portraits ever drawn of perhaps the greatest figure in the history of American music. Available now at a new price, this text-only edition is the authoritative introduction to Armstrong's life and art for the curious newcomer, and offers fresh insight even for the serious student of Pops.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Satchmo, of course, is trumpet great Louis Armstrong. This photo-rich biography explores Armstrong's career from his humble beginnings to his eventual jazz legend status. The text is accompanied by numerous color and monochrome images and is capped with a discography.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

" A loving portrait." -- Philadelphia Inquirer

" A treasury worthy of both the genius and the gentle spirit of Armstrong." -- People

" Elegant and affecting. . . a perceptive biography of Louis Armstrong and a sensitive appreciation of his music." -- Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 219 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Pr (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306808137
• ISBN-13: 978-0306808135
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,725,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

GARY GIDDINS is a long-time columnist for the Village Voice and a preeminent jazz critic who received the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award, and the Bell Atlantic Award for Visions of Jazz: The First Century in 1998. His other books include Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams--The Early Years, 1903-1940, which won the Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award and the ARSC Award for Excellence in Historical Sound Research; Weatherbird: Jazz at the Dawn of Its Second Century; Faces in the Crowd; Natural Selection; and biographies of Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker. He has won an unparalleled six ASCAP-Deems Taylor Awards, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a Peabody Award in Broadcasting.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars purejoy - like the man himself, December 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Satchmo (Paperback)

Louis Armstrong is one of the central figures along with Duke Ellington of Giddins's incredible Visions of Jazz, and that sent me to Satchmo, a mindblowing collection of photographs and a biographical and musical discussion that brings the man and his work to life. Although Giddins covers some of the same ground here as in Visions, it is a far more expansive study built on the idea that Armstrong was at once a great artist and a great entertainer and that his role in one area did not diminish his role in the other. The pictures are remarkable, and numerous excerps from Armstrong's own writing show what a decent and joyful man he was. Highly recommended.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Embrace the Genius, August 25, 2003

By 

A. Wolverton (Crofton, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Satchmo: The Genius of Louis Armstrong (Paperback)

Shouldn't the term "genius" be reserved for names like Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven? Does the term even come close to fitting Louis Armstrong? Absolutely. If you have any doubt as to Armstrong's place in music history, pick up this book and dive in. Giddins embraces not only the talent and genius of Armstrong, but also the humor, warmth, and generosity of the man. `Satchmo' is not so much a biography of the jazz pioneer as it is a celebration of the man's gift to the world: his music.

Giddins follows Armstrong's early days in New Orleans to his final days of touring and recording. The book focuses heavily on Armstrong's music, but readers won't need a degree in music to understand what Giddins is saying. The author quotes copiously from Armstrong himself, giving us an in-depth look at who Armstrong was and how he thought about music, race relations, friends, wives, and his philosophy on life.

`Satchmo' is a perfect introduction to the wonderful world of Louis Armstrong. If you want to know if a piece of non-fiction works, ask yourself after reading if you'd like to learn more about the subject. I warn you - after reading `Satchmo' you'll want to read more AND listen to each recording mentioned by Giddins...over and over and over. And you'll do it. And the songs won't ever grow stale. And you'll hear something different each time. That's the sign of genius.

190 pages

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars written with love and understanding, December 3, 2002

By 

R. J. Marsella (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Satchmo: The Genius of Louis Armstrong (Paperback)

This is one of the best books about Louis I've read and the reason is simple. Giddins clearly lays out the reasons why Pops was the greatest influence on modern music that this country has produced. His love for the man and the music comes through on every page. This is a wonderful almost poetic homage to a great and deserving artist. I loved the Bergreen biography and rated that 5 stars as well. That book is a fine chronological story of a fascinating life. This book is a musical biography that truly captures the essence of Louis Armstrong as well as anything written posthumously can be expected to. If you're a fan of Louis Armstrong you cannot afford to miss this. If you are curious as to why Louis Armstrong has become such an American icon this book will provide the answer.