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...
There is a product that was reviewed in GP. Company called Aero Instruments.
It looks like a penny at the end of a piece of wire. You attach the wire to ground and you put the penny against your...
Beyond words - stunning performance. 100% standing ovation from 500 strong audience in L'Astrada theatre/auditorium near the site of the annual festival in Marciac, Gers, France. Rythym Section of...
RJVB, this guitar was made by Herbert Todt, one of the great master makers of GDR. Todt made many fine carved archtops for other luthiers (or should I say resellers?), not only spectacular show...
We have been meeting regularly and have 3 gigs lined up, the first being at the end of May.
Plenty of time to practice or so we thought. I got a text this morning to see if I could fill for...
My amp did something similar and I sat for ages tapping different bits of pickup and string to make it stop. I even attached a wire from the bridge to the jack socket as an extra earth. I eventually...
Yes, their first album was the best. Rod Stewart had his sights set on the toppermost of the poppermost and became a mediocre pop crooner rather than a great blues belter so Jeff would have left him...
I've been listening to "Shapes of Things" from that recording on a regular basis ever since my band played it in my high school's rock concert in 1972. Enduring.
I'm amused by this preciosity about headstock shapes. Epiphone has been all over the place, but so has Gibson, especially pre-war. Not to forget Yamaha (I love the SA2200 headstock, not others) or...
What, Donna Lee sportin' a cowboy hat and boots, maybe brandishing a whip to prod ya' all to play faster? That could be entertaining, and certainly a challenge to add country twang at a high speed....
Between the thinner semi-hollow Yamaha and the fully hollow archtop depth of the PM200, I can't imagine much similarity at all—past them each utilizing humbucker pickups (and those of surely...
Hi
I wonder if you can help me please.
i bought a new amp today, a fender 57 deluxe reissue.
I am getting that thing where there is an electrical buzzing until you touch the strings or a...
Julian Lage Trio - Sat 27th April - Marciac,...
Today, 03:57 PM in The Players