Book Excerpts
Daily articles carefully curated by the All About Jazz staff. Read our popular and future articles.
A Map of Jazz: Crossroads of Music and Human Rights
by Karl Ackermann
The following is an excerpt is from “Chapter 2: New Orleans" of A Map of Jazz: Crossroads of Music and Human Rights by Karl Ackermann (Self Published, 2020). Developing New Orleans was complicated. The city was founded in 1718 in the colony of French Louisiana. The Louisiana Territory was surrendered to Spain in 1763, returned to France in 1803 and sold to the U.S. in the Louisiana Purchase that same year. The network of cultural associations was ...
read moreDOCTONE: An oral history of legendary pianist Kenny Kirkland (1955-1998)
by Noah Haidu
In chapter 2 of my book Doctone, I interviewed drummer Billy Hart and we discussed his interaction with Kenny Kirkland as he emerged in the 1970's fusion scene, his unique personality, the “Kirklandese" language and Kenny's legacy as one of the great pianists and composers in this music Noah Haidu: What were your first impressions of Kenny? Billy Hart: I don't remember the exact first time I met him. Because of our age difference, I saw ...
read moreLand of the Black Squirrels
by Phillip Woolever
Land of the Black Squirrels Mwalim 266 Pages Thirty-three Enterprises 2020 In these days of pandemic pressure, it's increasingly obvious that books are a very effective method of dealing with self-isolation symptoms like boredom, frustration or depression. The smoothly-paced Land of the Black Squirrels (Thirty-three Pages, 2020) provides fictional urban scenarios centered by characters in the music and arts industry, including numerous jazz-based references. This is the first installment of a “Bronx ...
read moreThe Ballad Of Tommy LiPuma
by Ben Sidran
The following is an excerpt is from “Chapter 1: Growing Up Cleveland" of The Ballad Of Tommy LiPuma by Ben Sidran (Nardis Books, 2020). When Tommy wasn't in the barbershop or working with the Sammy Dee band, he was sitting in at local nightclubs, trying to get his saxophone chops together. It was all about trying to find a sound. It wasn't just about playing in tune or playing the right notes; you were looking for a special ...
read moreIn the Court of King Crimson: An Observation Over 50 Years: Level Five, VIII
by Sid Smith
On November 15, 2019, as part of King Crimson's 50th Anniversary Celebration, Panegryic will be releasing Sid Smith's significant revision and expansion of his critically acclaimed bio, In the Court of King Crimson (Helter Skelter Publishing, 2001). More than merely adding what has gone on in the nearly 20 years since the original book was published, at nearly double its size, the 2019 edition of In the Court of King Crimson: An Observation Over 50 Years is a major revision ...
read moreMosaics: The Life and Works of Graham Collier
by Duncan Heining
The following is an excerpt is from “Chapter 9: The Eighties or Graham Collier -The Wilderness Years" of Mosaics: The Life and Works of Graham Collier by Duncan Heining (Equinox Publishing, 2018). All Rights Reserved. The late Graham Collier was a bandleader, a composer and a jazz educator. As far as this latter role was concerned he was arguably one of the most significant figures in jazz education, a point supported by the many awards he received ...
read moreJazz Bursts Forth in Delaware Water Gap, PA
by Debbie Burke
The following is an excerpt is from Chapter 1 of The Poconos in B Flat by Debbie Burke (Xlibris, 2011). All Rights Reserved. The iconic image of your approach from Interstate 80 coming from New York City and going west is of the negative space between two massive mountains that form a backdrop behind the Delaware River. Delaware Water Gap--the first stop on the Pennsylvania side of the Interstate coming from New Jersey and NYC--has ...
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Cleveland Time by Matthew Alec
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