Customer Reviews

Trumpet Kings: The Players Who Shaped the Sound of Jazz Trumpet

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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Fans of jazz music in general and the trumpet in particular will appreciate this survey of the great jazz trumpeters from Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis to lesser-known players. The profiles read like fiction, providing dramatic biographical coverage of each player's life and musical abilities. An A-Z reference type approach makes this easy to quickly access.

I really wanted to like this book, and as a semi-prof'l trumpet player, the subject is of course very interesting to me. If I only selectively read a few of his little bios, of players I didn't know much about, I'd probably enjoy it; hey, I learned some things. But because of the fact that I DO know a lot about many of the players he writes about, I am just appalled by the BS he writes.

Two quick examples: Doc Severinsen, one of the greatest players in the world, he labels a "high note artist." Doc is a spectacular performer for whom high notes are one aspect of his mastery of the instrument. To reduce him to that status is so silly it just makes you shake your head.

Of Allan Vizzutti, another of the finest performers in the world, who travels internationally performing with orchestras and groups of every description, and who is revered by the trumpet community as one of the best ever, he concludes with (paraphrasing)"He is content to sit in studio orchestras adding high notes to anonymous recordings." That is just ridiculous.....beyond ridiculous.

Anyway, much more like that. Just drivel. This guy does not know what he is talking....or writing....about. When you read stuff like that, what kind of credibility can he have? Doc Severinsen: "high note artist." What a waste of money.

Completely misinformed author, clearly regurgitating or completely making up nonsense and selling it. He does not have a clue, this book is not even close to accurate. Do not buy this garbage.Do not buy anything from this libelous idiot.

No wonder these Trumpet Kings play the trumpet with such soul and meaning. This book charts the back story to some of the best trumpet players in the world. Another book I intend to take back to the arctic with me to share with my nieces and nephews.

Great Book! All the greatest players are included, with a selection of their most important CDs.

I have to admit, I buy Scott Yanow's books because I need a laugh once in a while and cannot believe the BS this author writes who knows nothing about playing Swing, Latin, Jazz, Be Bop, you get my point. Buy a book regarding music that is written by a real professional full time musician. This will give you the real meat of what great music is all about. First off, you have to be kidding. I started to read this book and It was like researching bacteria at the local library. But it is funny like his other books.
Obviously, this author has collected his information at his local county library, you know the ones that have about 500 books total in their building? What does he really know about Afro Cuban Latin or music in general and playing it on a real stage for a full time living? Nothing, according to this book. Also, have you ever heard Scott Yanow play music? Whew.............................. I've heard better one string banjo players. But that's my own opinion.
First came the Birth of the artist. Then came the Afterbirth of the Critic. In our opinion, Scott Yanow cannot not play his instrument well enough to make a full time living at music, so he went to college. He read a lot of books and became a critic and a so called author. In our opinion, Scott Yanow has NO creditability writing books or reviews regarding any style of music. Read his books and make up your own minds. Someone famous once said: "Those who do, do. Those who can't become critics". Could this is the case of Scott Yanow?

Rudy Gazooty of Full Time Real Music