Lyricist, essayist, and music historian, Lees draws on his encyclopedic knowledge and a lifetime experience to present an entertaining and informative account of jazz and its artists, both celebrated and neglected. There is fresh insight into the lives and work of an eclectic group of jazz artistes from Bix Beiderbecke to Dizzy Gillespie, from swing to bebop, from 1920s to 1990s. Lees provides vivid portraits that of seminal arranger Bill Challis, trombonist Spiegle Wilcox, alto saxophonist Bud Shank, and the gifted and tragic guitarist Emily Remler, one of jazz's few female musicians.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In the first of these slight, upbeat essays, Lees discusses jazz recordings of the 1920s, which can now be heard with the sound cleaned up on compact discs. In the subsequent chapters he interviews jazz musicians whose work spans the 20th century--Joe Venuti, Spiegleper MS/ok.gs Wilcox, Benny Carter, Hank Jones, Bill Challis, Herb Ellis, Emily Rmeler, Bud Shank, Al Grey, Ed Thigpen, Spike Robinson and Dizzy Gillespie. For the most part, Lees, editor of Jazzletter , where these pieces first appeared, lets the musicians themselves tell of starting out on their careers, the other musicians who influenced them, the people they played with, and their working methods. There are some insights into the music here, but more striking are glimpses of the everyday lives of these legendary figures.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
In 14 well-crafted essays, Jazzletter publisher Lees ( Singers and the Song , LJ 10/15/87) profiles 13 veteran jazz musicians. Those included are generally not covered in the jazz monthlies, which tend to ignore all but the trendy. Lees allows these warm, often funny elder statespersons to reflect on their art and their personal lives while he records their influence in the larger context of jazz history. Drawing from his encyclopedic knowledge and his own experience as a performer, Lees debunks jazz myths and confronts racism. His final essay honors trumpet superstar Dizzy Gillespie, yet such lesser known musicians as pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Herb Ellis, and trombonist Al Grey are given equal coverage. Of particular merit is an essay on one of the few woman jazz performers, Emily Remler. Recommended where jazz literature circulates.
- Paul Baker, CUNA Inc., Madison, Wis.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Paul Baker, CUNA Inc., Madison, Wis.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
There are no customer reviews yet.
|
|||
|
Video reviews
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
