Cookin': Hard Bop and Soul Jazz, 1954 - 65

by Kenny Mathieson

In this superb follow-up to Giant Steps, Kenny Mathieson provides a fine overview of one of me most exciting periods in the development of jazz.

Genres: Music, Jazz

394 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2002

About the author

Kenny Mathieson is a freelance Scottish writer. He has written on jazz, classical and folk music for several publications, as well as contributing to numerous reference books. He studied American and English literature at the University of East Anglia, graduating with a PhD in 1983. He now lives in the Highlands.

Mathieson covered jazz music for Scotland on Sunday for four years from 1988, before moving to The Scotsman. where he performed the role for 23 years.

He is the author of Giant Steps: Bebop and the Creators of Modern Jazz 1945 - 1965 and Cookin’: Hard Bop and Soul Jazz 1954 - 65.

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional followup to Giant Steps, Mathieson's first book and is an absolutely excellent history of the Hard Bop period. I loved learning about many musicians that I love and being introduced to lesser-known ones. My only regret is that Kenny tired out before writing his promised third volume, One Step Beyond.

[J.M. Hushour · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the go-to for hard bop, with a slightly off-kilt structure, a few bizarre omissions, and warmth where it counts.
Structurally, Ken takes it biographically, not chronologically, though there is some rough linearity in his approach. Clumping together certain musicians largely works, but is sometimes confusing (Lee Morgan and Hank Mobley deserve their own sections) and there is some jumping back and forth and cross-referencing, but it doesn't detract from the quality of the biographical sections. Each musician gets a brief life run-down and then some analysis of key recordings, with a snazzy recommended listening at the end of the section.
Bizarre omissions include Jackie McLean, who Ken put in a separate volume, but who was so ubiquitous during this time that not to include him seems criminal. Max Roach is mentioned a lot but didn't warrant his own section. Secondary figures like The Legendary Hasan and others aren't mentioned at all, but you won't notice this unless you're obsessive.
The sections on Art Blakey, Horace Silver, and Burrell/Green are worth the whole slog, though everything shines.

[Chad Rawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice breakdown of many jazz leaders of the era.

[Colin Masso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. It wasn't life changing or anything, but a good introduction to many of the finest jazz musicians of all time. I found Booker Little through this book, which might warrant a fifth star, but it promises a third volume which was never delivered. Supposedly, Mathieson left Eric Dolphy out of this book because he intended to include him in the aborted volume 3. It was a sad omission.

[Yasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those that love bop, for those that like bop, for those that tolerate bop and maybe for those that can't stand bop but want to know about the guys behind it (and occasional woman) than this book is for you. It is a pity there wasn't more women boppers and even more that not enough was said on the one or two, only an honourable mention being the wife of.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The guy was like a machine. No back story at all, just fact after fact after brutally staid fact. I learned a lot, but I prefer a Barry Miles or a Ted Gioia.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed reading Cookin': Hard Bop and Soul Jazz. I liked to learn as I read about the jazz musicians I saw on the T.V. series Jazz. Though so many died before their time.