Robin D. G. Kelly's Thelonious Monk: The Life & Times of an American Original---to me one of the truly stellar jazz biogs.
Anything by David Hajdu; especially Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life and his biog on Nat Cole. (I've also corresponded w/him and he seems truly nice).
Frank Buchman-Moller's You Just Fight for Your Life---the Story of Lester Young. (All the Pres biogs are worth reading).
Art Pepper's autobiog (written with Laurie Pepper); and Miles (written with Quincy Troupe) are self-gratifying and hampered by loads of BS, but I've read them both numerous times. Pepper is a spellbinding raconteur, and his insight into other musicians' work is interesting to read (if his comments about his own 'genius' are slightly delusional). Miles talking about music has been great food for thought.
The Benson book was mentioned. One thing that cracked me up: some poetic justice. I knew Eddie Diehl for years, and he had a bug up his ass about Kenny Burrell. It had to do with a record date where he was sent home and replaced by Kenny b/c the company wanted a 'name'. He neither ever forgot nor stopped bad-mouthing Kenny's playing til it came out of your ears. I guess it's SOMEWHAT understandable. Eddie WAS one of the best, and a truly good-hearted guy underneath it all. We're all sensitive, and rejection---perceived or real---can really hurt.
Anyway, in George's book when he got the call to go with McDuff he was to replace Eddie. His comments---and they were respectful---were (paraphrasing): '(Eddie) was a formidable musician----not on the level of Kenny Burrell...., but he definitely could play'. Eddie was still alive when that came out. I hope he read it---it MAY have shut his mouth. I doubt it though---shutting Eddie's mouth about ANYTHING, especially guitar players he was jealous of (their stature in the biz, not their playing), was a tall order. But I had quite a chuckle over that one...
Thx guys. I should be ok with my existing sounds in my brick and mortar instruments for right now - my organ, and then bass, vibes, rhodes and piano sounds on my digital piano. But I'll probably...
the 120 sounds very different from the 100 or 200. 100 and 200 are more similar. I have not a/b'd them but a friend of mine has both and says the 200 is much brighter. It's a thicker guitar too,...
Reverse! Reverse!
Is anyone else here the right age to be hearing the Cha Cha Slide voice saying that every time someone mentions learning the tune in reverse order now?
No?
Anyone?
…..
Hi,
I've had my full TF subscription for probably as long as TF existed, and recently 2 fantastic jazz comping courses came out that some of you may be interested in.
John Pizzarelli's Jazz...
Haha exactly. I think it's cool that even though our micro generation came of age around the millennium, we were still the last to experience olden type society. I was born in 85 and I remember...
GG is one of the best jazz guitarists of all time. He wasn't a monster technically but he certainly was musically. Hey ragman, are you going to participate in the Donna Lee thread? :P
2 new & excellent Jazz Comping Truefire...
Today, 10:22 PM in Comping, Chords & Chord Progressions