Book Reviews

Most jazz fans know the vocalist Johnny Hartman for his intensely romantic album with John Coltrane. In his new Hartman biography, The Last Balladeer, Gregg Akkerman sorts through all of the myths about this misunderstood singer. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the results.

Jazz’s coexistence of styles allows any musician of any age, gender or race to pursue any genre they wish, even if it’s not currently in style. Still the late 1970s appearance of Judy Carmichael, a white, blond and stunningly beautiful stride pianist turned several heads. In her new memoir, Swinger!, Carmichael offers a compelling narrative that jumps between various points in her life, and alternates between comedy and tragedy.

Todd Barkan’s Keystone Korner. was one of San Francisco’s premier clubs in the 70s and 80s. In her new book, Keystone Korner: Portrait of a Jazz Club, author/photographer Kathy Sloane offers an intimate portrait of the nightspot, complete with a CD of recordings from the club. Chris Coulter reviews the package.

It would be hard Lester Young being anything except a jazz musician. His music was so emotionally transparent that it was easy to tell his mood just by the sound of his improvisations. Dave Gelly’s biography Being Prez is the first book to discuss Young’s life and music side by side. As Thomas Cunniffe notes in his book review, the lack of new revelations about Young are balanced by Gelly’s insightful connections between Young’s life and music.

In the 1970s, many free jazz musicians were unable to find gigs in mainstream clubs. With new zoning regulations in Manhattan, many of the old factories in lower downtown were available as cheap living and performing spaces. The term loft jazz was used to describe this esoteric music, even though the moniker was quite inaccurate. Thomas Cunniffe reviews Michael C. Heller’s new monograph on the period, noting that Heller brings the era to life, but neglects to discuss the most important element: the music.

In one of the finest books ever written on the subject, Thomas Brothers’ Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism examines Armstrong’s pioneering work from 1922-1931. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the volume, noting Brothers’ free use of the race card, but praising his method of humanizing Armstrong.

Charles Mingus was many things: a virtuoso bassist, a brilliant composer, an intriguing author, and a great personality. In his new interpretive biography Better Get It In Your Soul, Krin Gabbard separates Mingus’ different elements. Thomas Cunniffe notes the strengths and weaknesses of Gabbard’s approach in this Book Review.

The impact of Norman Granz on the world of jazz can hardly be underestimated. He influenced the way the music is presented both live and in the studio, and he was a trailblazer in the struggle for civil rights. Tad Hershorn’s new biography tells of Granz’ accomplishments and failures, and Thomas Cunniffe offers his reactions in our new book review section.

Jazz fiction is a rarely-used literary sub-genre, which means the forms are open enough to allow its writers a great deal of flexibility. Scott Shachter’s new novel Outside In tells the story of a progressive jazz saxophonist and his number one fan. Thomas Cunniffe reviews this funny and engaging book.

Did French audiences and critics really understand jazz and its creators better than Americans? Author Andy Fry thinks not, and in his new book, Paris Blues, he refutes those stories with dramatic new research. In his review, Thomas Cunniffe admires Fry’s research, but wishes that the book would have been more comprehensive.

From the beginning of her 6-decade career, Peggy Lee was the personification of understatement. Her subtle vocal delivery said more with one note that most singers did with several, and on film, she could entice the entire audience with only a raised eyebrow. James Gavin’s new biography, Is That All There Is examines Lee’s life and music. In his Book Review, Thomas Cunniffe argues that because the book’s primary focus is on Lee’s personal life, it might discourage new fans from exploring her music.

As Hugh Hefner conceived it, the Playboy lifestyle had jazz as its soundtrack. Hefner promoted the music through his magazine, festivals, television shows and the Playboy clubs. A new book by Patty Farmer and Will Friedwald, Playboy Swings recounts the history of Playboy’s forays into the entertainment world. In his book review, Thomas Cunniffe writes that the book offers a unique perspective on its subject, but could have used better editing and a general rewrite.

The role of the jazz producer has evolved considerably in the past 80 years. As recording technology transformed from shellac to vinyl, and then from analog to digital (and back again!), producers accepted increasing responsibilities from editing master tapes to sequencing LPs and CDs. Michael Jarrett’s new book Pressed for all Time is an oral history of jazz production, and as Thomas Cunniffe notes in his Book Review, the narrative includes several fascinating historical tidbits about iconic jazz albums, but leaves out discussions of several key players.

Rosemary Clooney was never truly a jazz vocalist, but she maintained a close association with jazz musicians in the last 25 years of her life. It made her a better singer, and her career experienced an artistic renaissance like few others. Thomas Cunniffe reviews Late Life Jazz, a new biography that, despite its title, discusses Clooney’s entire life and career.