From Satchmo to Miles

by Leonard Feather

Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Norman Granz, Oscar Peterson, Ray Charles, Don Ellis, and Miles Davis—these are the dozen jazz figures whom Leonard Feather chose to describe the development of jazz. This is the first Feather book to examine in-depth the innovative figures who have led the way throughout the music's history. As composer, producer, and for almost half-a-century one of its leading critics, Feather has a unique perspective of these jazz immortals. He has worked with and known all of them. "These are portraits of human beings first, analyses of musicians or musical history only peripherally if at all," says Feather in his new foreword. A warm, affectionate, and perceptive inside account of twelve originals, the book is packed with wonderful stories. As Feather "Most of all I am grateful for the inspiration and friendship of the artists themselves. Armstrong and Ellington were directly responsible, through their records, for drawing me to jazz. After their magic had worked on me, the others, one by one, sustained and refreshed and invigorated my interest in, an involvement with, this liveliest of twentieth-century arts."

Genres: History

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Leonard Geoffrey Feather was a British-American musician, composer, record producer, music journalist and radio broadcaster. He began working in radio broadcasting in the U.K. during the 1930s, and wrote a regular column for the British magazine 'Radio Times' during those years as well, titled "Tempo di Jazz". After working as a record producer in both the U.K. and U.S., he moved in 1939 to New York City; he later moved to Los Angeles during the early 1960s. Leonard Feather was co-editor (with Barry Ulanov) of the U.S. music business magazine 'Metronome' for many years, until it ceased publication in 1961. He also served as chief jazz critic for the Los Angeles Times until his death.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written and insightful - covers a lot for a small book, and weaves the history of the players together nicely. That the writer had such close relationships with his subjects rather than that of an outsider gives extra clout, and the interview with Miles rounds it all off superbly.

[Michael Lauro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jazz, jazz, jazz. What's not to love?

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read in 2023. Published in 1972, with several of the chapters reprinted from earlier appearances, at first it's surprising to read about Fitzgerald, Basie, Ellington as current figures in Jazz. Ray Charles at 40. Some of these feel like liner notes in search of an album, but they're great notes, if that. It's good, and made more interesting for not knowing in its pages that it's still being read these days.

[- - · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal reflections on key figures in the development of jazz from someone who knew them. Mixes biography, with anecdotes tracing Armstrong, swing, bop and beyond...