Grade 6 Up-This easy-to-read biography introduces one of the true legends of jazz who died at age 28 in 1931. Beiderbecke is one of those musical figures often alluded to in hushed, awed tones. Not a jazz superstar like Louis Armstrong, or band leader like Duke Ellington, he is to jazz what Robert Johnson is to the blues-a blazing demonic force that flared up and then suddenly burned out. Collins's writing is clear, if a bit bland, but the story of Beiderbecke's emergence as a genius of jazz is fascinating reading. Music students, jazz fans, and anyone interested in one of the glimmering sidelights of the '20s should find this story compelling. The full-page, black-and-white photos are well chosen, although sometimes quite grainy, and present many of the prominent figures of the age. Richard Sudhalter's Bix (Arlington House, 1974; o.p.) and Ralph Berton's Remembering Bix (Harper, 1974; o.p.) are more in-depth, but if you want a biography that will work for young readers and music fans alike, give this one a try.
Herman Sutter, Saint Pius X High School, Houston, TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
ALA Booklist
"With well-selected details, Collins depicts the bright and the dark elements of Bix's character in crisp, concise language."
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