Customer Reviews:
The Man tells it all in this flashing memoir.......2004-12-30
This is most recommended who loves Jazz and/or ever been a fan to Duke from the past and the future. I always been a long-time supporter to him since I was 9 or 10. This is definitely going into my book collection alongside Autobiography of Malcolm X, Miles: The Autobiography, Revelations: There's a Light After the Lime, Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye, Hip-Hop America, As Though I Have Wings: The Lost Chet Baker Memoir, and mos definitely the Bible.
I'm a huge fan to the memoir/biography section than I do most books I read about life and stuff. This would go on forever in a lifetime.
The man in his own words.......2004-12-11
Sometimes self-serving, somewhat pretentious, but indispensable. Edward Kennedy Ellington, the greatest composer this country has ever produced, in his own words.
Class........2004-11-18
Classic. If you consider the classic elegance of Edward Kennedy Ellington, it should come as no surprise that his prose is as lyrical and poetic as his music. This is a wonderful collection of writings. It is in effect an arrangement of essays and short pieces written with what I suspect is love about the love of his life-jazz, or music itself, if you will. The book contains many short pieces-impressionistic sketches and characters of persons that Duke Ellington knew-musicians, friends, acquaintances, public figures. But it also has a variety of essays-longer subjects interwoven with themes and counterpoint. Ellington's is exquisitely musical prose-again, not to be surprised. The organization is chronological, narrative, more or less. Duke organizes with autobiographical passages followed by short portraits-Dramatis Felidae-that demonstrate the concreteness through brief descriptions of the persons that he knew with anecdotes that define them. The book covers a life filled with friends and experience. The variety is tremendous, and the life and the career are masterpieces. The themes and subjects are multifaceted. This is Duke Ellington's poetic literary suite posing as prose, and it should not be missed. Really-it's great poetry and a terrific compendium of jazz history and experience.
Straight from the master's mouth.......2000-07-27
I'm a great fan of autobiography. Granted, often it is sanitized and self-serving, but there's nothing like hearing a person tell their own life, especially if the life is as important as this one. Without a doubt, Duke Ellington was the century's greatest American composer and bandleader; the only ones who even come close to him (Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Cole Porter) had neither his longevity nor his variety. And none of them also maintained a working band through six decades! I own almost every recording ever released by Duke Ellington; his music has become indelibly printed on my brain. This book may not be the most accurate account of his life (if you can handle a little armchair psychology, the Collier biography is the best choice for that), but this is like sitting in a room hearing Duke talk -- and play!
Utterly Fascinating Life.......2000-01-13
Wow what a book. The best part about this book is that Duke wrote it. You get it straight from him. I recommend this book to anyone into the music.
His accounts of his younger days were what most appealed to me. He pays so much respect to the people he was surrounded by, both his family and the community of musicians. Sometimes the many names dropped can be a bit much, but that was just his style--always letting people know who helped him, who mentored him, who taught him, who he admired. There's scarcely a mean-spirited word in the whole book!
There is a lot of variety to the way he tells his stories. Sometimes its through the name dropping profiles; sometimes its through interviews reprinted for this book; sometimes its through out-and-out philosophical dissertations about music and life; sometimes it's in the midst of his endless travelling of the globe with his band.
For the musician looking for tips and advice, there's plenty of Duke wisdom provided throughout. His overall love for music and musicians is just SOOO apparent. My favorite piece of advice is that he said he learned music exclusively through oral instruction, from people in the scene who would share techniques and secrets seemingly as freely as idle conversation (how different the musical climate is these days!)
The last third or so of the book get a bit tedious for this reader. There just wasn't a lot of variety to his accounts of globetrotting and meeting all the important people in all the countries. What kept me going through these sections were the occasional gems of advice or insight, but there's more of that in the first half of the book. Thank god for the end of the book, a funny interview where the interviewer is REALLY condescending to Duke, but Duke gets through is with all the grace, wit, intelligence, and humor that makes him such a compelling person, composer, and most of all, a genius and musical mystic.
Thank the Duke for this book, and allowing us to get a glimpse of his life and all his amazing stories!
Average customer rating:
- Not Merely A Genius Of Jazz...But Rather A Musical Genius!!!
- Top Ellington biography of the 3 I've read so far
- Better late than never
- excellently researched book
- A compeling portrait of one of America's greatest composers
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Beyond Category: The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington
John Edward Hasse
Manufacturer: Da Capo
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The Duke Ellington Reader
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The World of Duke Ellington
ASIN: 0306806142 |
Amazon.com
One of the 20th century's greatest composers, Duke Ellington (1899-1974) led a fascinating life. The first biography to draw on the vast Duke Ellington archives at the Smithsonian Institution, this book recounts the entirety of his remarkable career: his childhood in Washington, D.C. and musical apprenticeship in Harlem; his long engagement at the glamorous, gangster-owned Cotton Club; the challenging years during the Depression; his tours to Europe and into America's deep South, where he helped lower racial barriers; the postwar years when television and bebop threatened to eclipse the big bands; Ellington's own triumphant comeback at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival; his collaborations with Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Hodges, Ella Fitzgerald, and John Coltrane, among others; and of course, the music itself, five decades of hits and masterpieces that constantly broke new ground.
John Edward Hasse serves as Curator of American Music at the Smithsonian Institution, curator of its traveling exhibition Beyond Category, and producer and annotator of the boxed set of recordings by the same name.
Book Description
One of the twentieth century's greatest composers, Duke Ellington (1899-1974) led a fascinating life. Beyond Category, the first biography to draw on the vast Duke Ellington archives at the Smithsonian Institution, recounts his remarkable career: his childhood in Washington, D.C., and his musical apprenticeship in Harlem; his long engagement at the Cotton Club; the challenging years of the depression; his tours to Europe and into America's deep South, where he helped lower racial barriers; the postwar years when television and bebop threatened to eclipse the big bands; Ellington's own triumphant comeback at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival; his collaborations with Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Hodges, and Ella Fitzgerald; as well as five decades of hits and masterpieces that constantly broke new ground. The art of Duke Ellington was a musical expression of the African-American experience, in all its pain, pride, and glory. He composed his music as he composed his life-with flair, passion, and individuality-and no book reveals the man and his artistic evolution more brilliantly than Beyond Category.
Customer Reviews:
Not Merely A Genius Of Jazz...But Rather A Musical Genius!!!.......2005-06-02
His music has resonated all around us for nearly a century. We almost unconsciously react to the melodic rhythms of his brilliant compositions as we watch television or listen to the radio. Often the arrangements are backdrops to our daily lives...soothing our mood or stimulating us to tap our feet or simply sway to its almost spiritual cadences. Such is the music of the Great Duke Ellington. In "Beyond Category" we find an outstanding biography of arguably the greatest composer the world has ever known. From his early days as an aspiring composer/bandleader in Washington, D.C.; through his New York days at the Cotton Club; and onto his unprecedented tours of Europe, Africa and the Far East, this book takes you on a delightful journey into the creative mindset and personality genius of Ellington. Unlike many writings of this nature, Hasse manages to avoid sentimental veneration in conveying many of Ellington's talents in regards to people, business dealings, and his relationship with women. The book is a well-written, enjoyable composition that draws the reader into Ellington's world. Additionally, the author grants appropriate respect to the musicians, artists and businessmen who aided Ellington throughout his career, thus balancing the text superbly. I highly recommend "Beyond Category", not only for the Ellington fan or even a Jazz fan, but for anyone interested in the life and times of a musical genius and an icon of American history.
Top Ellington biography of the 3 I've read so far.......2004-05-29
Beyond Category is the best introduction to Duke Ellington's life and music. It was created to coincide with a Smithsonian exhibit and it offers a quality professional biography of Ellington's life and times. The author considers Ellington's life a series of problems to solve for his mind. Some of these problems are how to learn piano, how to start a band, how to compose with a partner, how to react to the recording band, how to deal with the loss of key soloists, how to compose larger works and ends up hitting many of the high points of Ellington's life and works.
Most of the new research at the time came from Mercer Ellington's enormous donation of his warehouse of materials for the Duke Ellington collectionl. Yet as a book intended for a popular audience, the musical content of this trove was not really fully dealt with. Mercer's collection comes through in the fabulous photographs that are interspersed throughout the book. It may have been better to have all the photographs grouped in several sections as not everyone will have time to read the entire book I suppose.
One very helpful aspect to the book was that at the end of each chapter there was a guide to key recordings of Ellington's life. This type of material is very helpful to those new to Ellington's life.
I found the prose to be clear and adequate although not as lively as some of the other excellent jazz biographies I've read such as Chambers' Milestones.
This book gets a 4.5 star rating for anyone new to Ellington. It's accessible, readable, and gives you several ideas to approach the true gold mine of Ellington's music.
For jazz researchers and scholars, there's still room for a knockout biography of Ellington that adds the information from the Smithsonian collection to wide ranging interviews and even better prose. Researchers will want to read this, but I'm not sure how much of this material is groundbreaking.
4.5 stars for neophytes
3.5 stars for Ellington scholars
4 stars overall
Better late than never.......2003-11-08
No sentimentality here. Just warm, rich story telling of a great man. I'm actually embarrassed to say that after lifetime of jazz I just dicovered The Duke. This is a very well written and balanced portrayal of a man,his music and his times. If there's more to say I don't want to read it; it's time to listen.
excellently researched book.......2000-04-12
As an old time lover of Jazz, but rather new to really examining the lives behind its great musicians, and particularly Duke Ellington, I started out with "Duke Ellington: A Spiritual Biography" by Janna Tull Steed (great book (and just 192 pages) for anyone new to the Duke & jazz). It was Steed's book that really built the interest to explore Ellington in more depth and, Hasse's book is just what I was looking for. It is a hefty book but it is absolutely and completely accessible, just what is required to approach this great man of Jazz.
A compeling portrait of one of America's greatest composers.......1999-04-08
This is a thoroughly enjoyable story of the life and times of one of America's greatest and most prolific composer/musicians. It characterises the "Duke" as a caring, people loving person with close family ties, and a quest for excellence against all odds. The Forward by Wynton Marsalis is clear and insightful. The author has accomplished an easy to follow sequence of events enhanced by photos and drawings. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the genre.
Customer Reviews:
Duke Ellington by Mike Venezia.......1997-12-15
The book is only 32 pages and with only 11 pages devoted to actual text, he did an excellent job in projecting DE musical career. A wonderful gift to a child in the 4-8 age bracket.
Book Description
Duke Ellington brought jazz to America. The music he played sprang in part from the blues and gospel rhythms of the plantation slaves living in the mid-19th century, infused with the sounds of ragtime from the turn of the century. The music was a sharp improvisation for which band members played anything they wanted along a chosen key or set of chords, so the music was always different.
Book Description
In Blutopia Graham Lock studies the music and thought of three pioneering twentieth-century musicians: Sun Ra, Duke Ellington, and Anthony Braxton. Providing an alternative to previous analyses of their work, Lock shows how these distinctive artists were each influenced by a common musical and spiritual heritage and participated in self-conscious efforts to create a utopian vision of the future.
A century after Ellington’s birth, Lock reassesses his use of music as a form of black history and compares the different approaches of Ra, a band leader who focused on the future and cosmology, and Braxton, a contemporary composer whose work creates its own elaborate mythology. Arguing that the majority of writing on black music and musicians has—even if inadvertently—incorporated racial stereotypes, he explains how each artist reacted to criticism and sought to break free of categorical confines. Drawing on social history, musicology, biography, cultural theory, and, most of all, statements by the musicians themselves, Lock writes of their influential work.
Blutopia will be a welcome contribution to the literature on twentieth-century African American music and creativity. It will interest students of jazz, American music, African American studies, American culture, and cultural studies.
Customer Reviews:
Sorry, but it's just ..........2001-06-26
This reads like poorly researched graduate-school blathering (which I expect it is).
Mr Lock appears to have approached his sources with his thesis already formed and to have avoided all contact with anything that might force him to reconsider. Check out his footnote admitting that his use of Ellington's song title is totally inappropriate to what he's trying to make it mean, yet he decided to use it anyway!
His comparison of Sun Ra's mythological musings and autobiographical confessions with slave narratives is ridiculous in that it reveals a thorough lack of knowledge of comparative religion. The author acts as though the experience of death and rebirth or of choosing a new name to reflect a new station in life were phenomena unique to (and invented by) African-Americans. He clearly didn't research this topic thoroughly.
This is a really shoddy work and not worth your time, much less your money.
A Groundbreaking Study that Any Fan of Jazz Must Read.......2000-08-18
Graham Lock's "Blutopia" stands as one of the great explorations into three of the most enigmatic performers in the history of creative music: Sun Ra, Duke Ellington, and Anthony Braxton. When I first heard that this book going to be published, I worried that Lock's approach might not be able to draw a strong connection between these amazing performers, or that it might be too journalistic and not critical enough, like some of his previous work. After reading just a few pages, it became obvious that this is a first-rate work of scholarship that should be required reading for anyone who is interested in creative music. This will undoubtedly stand among the classic texts written about creative music, along with the brilliant studies by Valerie Wilmer, John Szwed, and Mike Heffley.
Lock examines the common musical heritage of his subjects, showing how their visionary thoughts become manifest in their music, often amidst the crippling misconceptions perpetuated by the press. He delves deeply into the actual interviews and writings of Ra, Ellington, and Braxton, establishing connections between their work and a larger spectrum of academic, religious, and political thought. Particularly interesting is the section on Anthony Braxton, which is a welcome addition to the author's previous work "Forces in Motion." Lock examines Braxton's operas, including even those that have not yet been made available to the public. His discussion of Braxton's use of "text" is an illuminating contribution, and one that is much needed in contemporary scholarship on Braxton.
In short, Lock shows how the art and thought of Braxton, Ellington, and Ra provide those who experience their work with not only the opportunity to view the world with an alternative paradigm, but how in many ways we, as collective humanity, should forget about "history" (which has failed) and start believing in "mystery." The mystery is real--and it is true--and I can think of no better preface to read before embarking on Sun Ra's trips to space--or Braxton's forays into affinity dynamics and meta-reality--than Lock's "Blutopia." It is a masterpiece.
Amazon.com
Onstage, Duke Ellington was an effusive, electrifying personality. Offstage, he was something of a cipher, which led one longtime associate to speculate that "only a whole convention of people who 'knew' Ellington, each revealing their understanding of the enigma, could begin to piece together an accurate portrait of him." Stanley Dance, an Ellington booster since the 1930s, has assembled exactly this sort of composite picture. His book includes verbal snapshots of the orchestra on tour, and several conversations with the man himself. The main attraction, though, is the series of interviews that Dance conducted with dozens of orchestra members, including Ben Webster, Cootie Williams, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, and Johnny Hodges. None of these gentlemen claim any profound intimacy with their employer (although baritone saxophonist Carney, who also chauffeured Ellington between gigs, probably spent as much time in his company as any other human being). But their accumulated conversation does add up to a rare--if inevitably partial--portrait, as well as a treasure trove of musical insight.
Average customer rating:
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Duke Ellington
James Lincoln Collier
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0195037707 |
Book Description
Duke Ellington is considered to be one of the great genius' of jazz--its major composer and leader of probably the most significant of all jazz bands. Yet, other than his own not-very-revealing autobiography and a collection of reminiscences of his band members, there has never been an indepth biography of this preeminent figure in twentieth century music and entertainment. Here at last is the definitive critical biography of both the man and his music. James Lincoln Collier, author of the highly acclaimed Louis Armstrong: An American Genius, has produced a fascinating work which tells the full story of Edward Kennedy Ellington, from his childhood as the pampered and adored only son of a middle-class Washington black family to his death in 1974, hailed as "America's greatest composer" (according to the New York Times obituary) and mourned at his funeral by more than 10,000 people. Collier describes Ellington's charisma--his sense of being special even from childhood, when he would announce to his cousins "I am the grand, noble, Duke; crowds will be running to me,"...the formation of his band, including some of the greatest names in jazz history, among them, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Cootie Williams, Lawrence Brown, and Paul Gonzavles...his arrival at the legendary Cotton Club in Harlem in the 1920s...his involvement with his manager Irving Mills, who manipulated and cheated him and even put his name on some of Ellington's songs, but who made him famous...his relationship with his family, including his troubled relationship with his son, his marriage and many affairs (including involvements with some of his own musician's women). But most of all, the book is about the creation of the music, from classic songs like "Sophisticated Lady" to the "sacred concerts" of Ellington's last years. Collier maintains that it is not necessary to see Ellington as a "composer" in the narrow sense of the word but as something just as important: an improvising jazz musician. His instrument was a whole band.This is a controversial book--not all will agree with Collier's assessments--but it will enthrall jazz buffs as well as anyone interested in a fascinating life and times.
Amazon.com
This superb anthology covers the entire length of the composer's career, from his landfall in Manhattan in 1923 to the Old Master period of the early 1970s. There are dozens of reviews, essays, appreciations, and memoirs, written not only by music critics but by such heavy hitters as Ralph Ellison, Simone de Beauvoir(!), and Blaise Cendrars. The book also includes a selection of Ellington's own dicta--be sure not to overlook his 1937 polemic from "Down Beat": "Ellington Refutes Cry That Swing Started Sex Crimes!" Superbly edited and endlessly intriguing, the Reader is an essential volume for Ellington nuts and neophytes alike.
Book Description
Duke Ellington is universally recognized as one of the towering figures of 20th-century music, both a brilliant composer and one of the preeminent musicians in jazz history. From early pieces such as East St. Louis Toodle-O, Black and Tan Fantasy, It Don't Mean a Thing, and Mood Indigo, to his more complex works such as Reminiscing in Tempo and Black, Brown and Beige, to his later suites and sacred concerts, he left an indelible mark on the musical world. Now, in The Duke Ellington Reader, Mark Tucker offers the first historical anthology of writings about this major African-American musician. The volume includes over a hundred selections--interviews, critical essays, reviews, memoirs, and over a dozen writings by Ellington himself--with generous introductions and annotations for each selection provided by the editor. The result is a unique sourcebook that illuminates Ellington's work and reveals the profound impact his music has made on listeners over the years. The writers gathered here represent a Who's Who of jazz criticism: Gunther Schuller, Whitney Balliett, Martin Williams, Gary Giddins, Stanley Crouch, Albert Murray, Nat Hentoff, Hugues Panassie, Stanley Dance, to name just a few. Their writings span Ellington's entire career, from the days when Duke Ellington's Washingtonians appeared at New York's Club Kentucky ("Probably the 'hottest' band this side of the equator"), to the Duke's glorious reign at the Cotton Club, to his later years as global ambassador of American music. Tucker has included some of the classic essays written about Ellington, such as R. D. Darrell's "Black Beauty," the first significant critical essay on Ellington's work and still one of the most important; Richard O. Boyer's lengthy New Yorker profile "The Hot Bach," printed here in its entirety; and Martin Williams's "Form Beyond Form," one of the best capsule introductions to Ellington's art. Throughout the book, the reader receives a balanced overview of Ellington's life as composer and performer, as public personality and private individual. Tucker provides a number of pieces on Ellington's compositions, including an entire chapter devoted to critical response to Ellington's Black, Brown and Beige, and there are also many moving pieces on Ellington the man, such as Ralph Ellison's tribute to Ellington on his 70th birthday, and Stanley Dance's funeral address. Finally, Tucker rounds out the collection with profiles on many of the outstanding musicians who worked with Ellington, among them Johnny Hodges, Bubber Miley, Billy Strayhorn, Ivie Anderson, Sonny Greer, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, and Ben Webster. This is a landmark volume in jazz criticism, a kaleidoscopic portrait of Duke Ellington's creative world, documenting his extraordinary achievements as composer, songwriter, bandleader, and pianist. It is an essential companion for Ellington enthusiasts, jazz fans, and serious students of American music.
Customer Reviews:
superb book but not for the new intitiate.......2000-04-11
This is one of the finest books I have read on Duke Ellington, beautifully and intricately compiled and with the voices of many on DE. It is a superb read for the Ellington aficanado; however, for new intiates to the Duke I wouls recommend Duke Ellington: A spiritual Biography by Janna Steed, an excellent boook but not quite so hefty and with a strong emphasis on his sacred music and concerts. But, for you aficiandos, Tucker's book is the tops!
Average customer rating:
- iT WAS FANTASTIC by MARCUS J
- iT WAS FANTASTIC
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Duke Ellington: A Life of Music (Impact Biography)
Eve Stwertka
Manufacturer: Franklin Watts
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ASIN: 0531130355 |
Customer Reviews:
iT WAS FANTASTIC by MARCUS J.......2002-12-16
THIS WAS A GOOD BOOK. IT SHOWED THE LONG JURNEY THAT DUKE HAD TO TAKE. The book takes you back all the way to the beggining of Duke's life and showed you how he grew up. It told you of how he hated to play the piano nad how wild he was as a teen. It told you of his wild escapades like going to bars and nightclubs when he was under age. It showed you how hard it was for him to get a break into the music industry. This book tells you of the early and rocky marrige of Duke and his wife. The book dose not sugar coat this part of his life. It tells of Duke coming home late at night, leaving his wife and son at his mothers and not have time to spend with his son. Duke had a really good and intresting band. He had one of the most popular jass and blues band ever. He had fun with his music and he lived a good life. This book to me shows the hardship of the music industry. It also shows how strong and humble you have to be to make it as an a entertainer. I think that everyone should read this book!
iT WAS FANTASTIC.......2002-12-16
THIS WAS A GOOD BOOK. IT SHOWED THE LONG JURNEY THAT DUKE HAD TO TAKE. The book takes you back all the way to the beggining of Duke's life and showed you how he grew up. It told you of how he hated to play the piano nad how wild he was as a teen. It told you of his wild escapades like going to bars and nightclubs when he was under age. It showed you how hard it was for him to get a break into the music industry. This book tells you of the early and rocky marrige of Duke and his wife. The book dose not sugar coat this part of his life. It tells of Duke coming home late at night, leaving his wife and son at his mothers and not have time to spend with his son. Duke had a really good and intresting band. He had one of the most popular jass and blues band ever. He had fun with his music and he lived a good life. This book to me shows the hardship of the music industry. It also shows how strong and humble you have to be to make it as an a entertainer. I think that everyone should read this book!
Average customer rating:
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Duke Ellington (Life & Times)
David Bradbury
Manufacturer: Haus Pub.
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The Duke Ellington Reader
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ASIN: 1904341667 |
Book Description
Duke Ellington (1899-1974), composer and bandleader, was a largely self-taught pianist, influenced by jazz and ragtime performers. While working as a sign painter he began to play professionally, and in 1918 started his own band in his native Washington, D. C.. In 1923 he moved to New York City and playing piano at the Kentucky Club, began to gather the musicians who formed the core of his famous orchestra , and made his first recordings. With no formal training in composition, he nonetheless employed daring and innovative musical devices in his works; blending lush melodies with unorthodox and often dissonant harmonies and rhythmic structures based on what was then called ‘jungle’ effects, he wrote and arranged songs tailored to his own band and soloists. Radio broadcasts during an engagement at New York City’s fashionable Cotton Club from 1927 to 1932 brought him and his group national recognition; and his recordings - particularly Saddest Tale, Echoes of Harlem, Black and Tan Fantasy, and Mood Indigo - spread their fame to Europe. David Bradbury continues his list of critically acclaimed biographies of the great figures of the Jazz area with this new biography of Duke Ellington.
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Beyond Category: The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington
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