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Hear Me Talkin' To Ya
Hear Me Talkin' to Ya (Dover Books On History) "Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." — Charlie Parker
"What is jazz? The rhythm — the feeling." — Coleman Hawkins
"The best sound usually comes the first time you do something. If it's spontaneous, it's going to be rough, not clean, but it's going to have the spirit which is the essence of jazz." — Dave Brubeck
Here, in their own words, such famous jazz musicians as Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, Bunk Johnson, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Clarence Williams, Jo Jones, Jelly Roll Morton, Mezz Mezzrow, Billie Holiday, and many others recall the birth, growth, and changes in jazz over the years. From its beginnings at the turn of the twentieth century in the red-light district in New Orleans (or Storyville, as it came to be known), to Chicago's Downtown section and the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and Chicago's South Side to jam sessions in Kansas City to Harlem during the Depression years, the West Coast and modern developments, the story of jazz is vividly and colorfully documented in hundreds of personal interviews, letters, tape recorded and telephone conversations, and excerpts from previously printed articles that appeared in books and magazines.
There is no more fascinating and lively history of jazz than this firsthand telling by the men who made it. It should be read and re-read by all jazz enthusiasts, musicians, students of music and culture, students of American history, and other readers. "A lively book bearing the stamp of honesty and naturalness." — Library Journal. "A work of considerable substance." — The New Yorker. "Some of the quotations are a bit racy but they give the book a wonderful flavor." — San Francisco Chronicle.
"What is jazz? The rhythm — the feeling." — Coleman Hawkins
"The best sound usually comes the first time you do something. If it's spontaneous, it's going to be rough, not clean, but it's going to have the spirit which is the essence of jazz." — Dave Brubeck
Here, in their own words, such famous jazz musicians as Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, Bunk Johnson, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Clarence Williams, Jo Jones, Jelly Roll Morton, Mezz Mezzrow, Billie Holiday, and many others recall the birth, growth, and changes in jazz over the years. From its beginnings at the turn of the twentieth century in the red-light district in New Orleans (or Storyville, as it came to be known), to Chicago's Downtown section and the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and Chicago's South Side to jam sessions in Kansas City to Harlem during the Depression years, the West Coast and modern developments, the story of jazz is vividly and colorfully documented in hundreds of personal interviews, letters, tape recorded and telephone conversations, and excerpts from previously printed articles that appeared in books and magazines.
There is no more fascinating and lively history of jazz than this firsthand telling by the men who made it. It should be read and re-read by all jazz enthusiasts, musicians, students of music and culture, students of American history, and other readers. "A lively book bearing the stamp of honesty and naturalness." — Library Journal. "A work of considerable substance." — The New Yorker. "Some of the quotations are a bit racy but they give the book a wonderful flavor." — San Francisco Chronicle.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1955
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573 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 9, 2022
Terrific oral history of jazz from around 1900 - 1950 pieced together from numerous interviews and writings by dozens of key figures involved, including shorter or longer contributions from Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holliday, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and many, many more.
It definitely reads like a giant jumble of fragments that has been lightly edited to piece it together into something like a chronological story, which it is. It's left to the reader to sort through the usual tall tales and fuzzy recollections that occur at times, but it's clearly an important source for understanding jazz's history as the artists themselves saw it. Very worthwhile.
Update: I'm taking off a star and adding a cautionary note, after learning in Scott DeVeaux's Birth of Bebop (p. 189) that the single-most famous anecdote in this book, where Charlie Parker describes a breakthrough improv session that revolutionized his technique, was substantially misrepresented by the authors, who took what was clearly a third-person paraphrase by a magazine writer and reworded it to make it sound like Parker said it himself.
Any student of jazz will immediately recognize the story in its bastardized form, which was introduced into jazz lore in that distorted form by the authors. That is just lame - you expect tall tales from the musicians, but not from the anthologists.
Take this book with a grain of salt.
It definitely reads like a giant jumble of fragments that has been lightly edited to piece it together into something like a chronological story, which it is. It's left to the reader to sort through the usual tall tales and fuzzy recollections that occur at times, but it's clearly an important source for understanding jazz's history as the artists themselves saw it. Very worthwhile.
Update: I'm taking off a star and adding a cautionary note, after learning in Scott DeVeaux's Birth of Bebop (p. 189) that the single-most famous anecdote in this book, where Charlie Parker describes a breakthrough improv session that revolutionized his technique, was substantially misrepresented by the authors, who took what was clearly a third-person paraphrase by a magazine writer and reworded it to make it sound like Parker said it himself.
Any student of jazz will immediately recognize the story in its bastardized form, which was introduced into jazz lore in that distorted form by the authors. That is just lame - you expect tall tales from the musicians, but not from the anthologists.
Take this book with a grain of salt.
May 3, 2010
I will forever be currently reading this book. It's an amazing collective of interviews with great musicians like Joe Turner, John Hammond, Louis & Lil Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, Kid Ory, Charlie Parker etc... the list goes on and on. They give their thoughts/stories on everthing from the creation of the word 'jazz' to moving up the delta, to playing in Chicago speakeasies for gangsters, to.... well, that's as far as I've gotten. A good read for sure. It took me a while to find a used copy of this book, because it's out of print. But I'm sure Amazon has taken all the fun out of it, and has a backstock for online purchase. EDIT: scratch that, google has taken all the fun out of it and put a copy of it online. ugh
March 29, 2009
Great stories from interviews with early jazz musicians. The only down side being the lack of biographical information on who they are, where they were from and the date/source of their comments.
August 20, 2015
Loved the book. Stories told by jazz musicians, going way back.
If you are into jazz and history, check it out.
If you are into jazz and history, check it out.
June 3, 2019
Oral histories from some of the greatest jazz musicians made the music and history come alive with stories from King Oliver to Dave Brubeck. Nice to see pianist/composer/arranger Mary Lou Williams also featured extensively throughout the book.
December 30, 2015
Great insight into jazz singers of the 1920s through the 1950s in their own words.
May 31, 2016
I got kinda bored reading this at moments but it was required for jazz class so...I had to. It was interesting learning about how jazz started though. I knew it originated in New Orleans like in "The Originals" but I didn't know it went to Chicago and all that. And I didn't know how big of an influence those famous jazz makers were. The stories about them getting into trouble and stuff with the boss and the mob were funny though. I chuckled a few times. I'm definitely more interested in jazz now than I was before. Definitely.
June 13, 2017
Highly recommended--an oral history of jazz told by the folks who made the music. I especially love listening to Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong and King Oliver talk about New Orleans and the early days.
The heart and soul of this book reminds me of Working by Studs Terkel. I tried to read Studs' Giants of Jazz while I was reading Hear Me Talkin' to Ya, but found Hear Me more compelling--might try to read Studs' book again later.
The heart and soul of this book reminds me of Working by Studs Terkel. I tried to read Studs' Giants of Jazz while I was reading Hear Me Talkin' to Ya, but found Hear Me more compelling--might try to read Studs' book again later.
July 3, 2015
Great stories of the people who play/played jazz.
October 1, 2019
Reading this book feels almost like watching a documentary. It’s so vivid and full of character (and characters) that it’s hard not to hear voices of those who defined jazz in its most important (and interesting) period. Whether you’re already a fan of early jazz, or just a newbie looking for an entry point – this is the best read you can find.
December 31, 2019
An anecdotal chronological-geographical history of jazz. Starts in New Orleans, moves through Chicago, Kansas City, to New York. Hugely influential - many of the passages are reproduced in other jazz books - the cast is encyclopaedic, giving the hint of a voice to so many people who otherwise communicate with music.
March 18, 2011
I got this for a dollar at the library sale, and it's value has been redeemed by sitting on my toilet for a few months. Let's not even get into how much I hate the title. But there is some cool stories.
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July 21, 2009The story told by the musicians themselves, starting in New Orleans after the turn of the century.
December 13, 2009
Well done oral history on the origin and development of the great genre.
October 24, 2023
I'm a sucker for conversational stories and old jazz, so this was right up my alley. Bought the book so I can pick it up whenever I want to!
February 6, 2024
Nat Shapiron "Jazzin vaiheita" (Tammi, 1958) on suullinen historiateos, jossa käydään läpi amerikkalaisen taidemuodon vaiheita 1800-luvun loppupuolen New Orleansista kirjan julkaisuajankohtaan 1950-luvulle. En ole jazzin asiantuntija, mutta väkisinkin syntyy vaikutelma siitä, että kirjaa varten on saatu koottua melkoinen kasa nimimuusikoita. Ja kyllähän näiltä värikästä tarinaa irtoaa, niin Storyvillen kapakoista, Chicagon kieltolaki-vuosista kuin Kansas Cityn lujaa svenganneista yökerhoista.
Vuonna 1958 suomeksi julkaistu kirja ilmestynyt kiinnostavassa murrosvaiheessa, jolloin traditionaalisempi tyyli on saanut rinnalleen modernimmat bebob-soundit, mutta esimerkiksi Miles Davisin "Kind of Blue" odottaa vielä julkaisuaan.
Suulliset historiat ovat lähtökohtaisesti aika kiinnostavia, mutta kaltaiseni maallikon oli välillä vaikea pysytellä kärryillä kuka oikein äänessä onkaan ja mikä hänen roolinsa oli suuressa kokonaisuudessa.
Naisten roolia olisi voinut tuoda vielä voimakkaammin esille. Pianisti Mary Lou Williamsin ääni kantaa läpi kirjan ja Bessie Smithia käsitellään reippaammin, mutta esimerkiksi Billie Holidaysta olisin lukenut mielelläni lisää.
Jos pidit tästä, niin lukaisepa Louis Armstrongin mainio muistelmateos Elämäni New Orleansissa. Suullisten musiikkihistorioiden ystävälle taas Please Kill Me - punkin sensuroimaton esihistoria on ehdotonta luettavaa.
Vuonna 1958 suomeksi julkaistu kirja ilmestynyt kiinnostavassa murrosvaiheessa, jolloin traditionaalisempi tyyli on saanut rinnalleen modernimmat bebob-soundit, mutta esimerkiksi Miles Davisin "Kind of Blue" odottaa vielä julkaisuaan.
Suulliset historiat ovat lähtökohtaisesti aika kiinnostavia, mutta kaltaiseni maallikon oli välillä vaikea pysytellä kärryillä kuka oikein äänessä onkaan ja mikä hänen roolinsa oli suuressa kokonaisuudessa.
Naisten roolia olisi voinut tuoda vielä voimakkaammin esille. Pianisti Mary Lou Williamsin ääni kantaa läpi kirjan ja Bessie Smithia käsitellään reippaammin, mutta esimerkiksi Billie Holidaysta olisin lukenut mielelläni lisää.
Jos pidit tästä, niin lukaisepa Louis Armstrongin mainio muistelmateos Elämäni New Orleansissa. Suullisten musiikkihistorioiden ystävälle taas Please Kill Me - punkin sensuroimaton esihistoria on ehdotonta luettavaa.
May 3, 2024
An excellent history of the early development of jazz told entirely through first person accounts of key figures. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes jazz music and the history of the genre. The book is a compelling read for those who can recognize the players and names that appear in the book, although this strength may find less knowledgeable readers scratching their heads. 4/5
June 23, 2021
An oral history of jazz from its beginnings to the early '50s (when this was published) told by the musicians who played it. A fascinating slice of history. Sometimes bogs down a bit with lists of musicians and bands largely lost to history. It's not a fast read. But I liked the overall effect.
April 7, 2023
Fun book with a lot of great stories, but requires a knowledgeable reader to discern the lies and exaggerations within it. Wish the book would have sourced each individual quote.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews