And Did Those Feet...: new Britjazz book out by Duncan Heining

[Serial_Apologist]

The omni-industrious Duncan Heining has a new book out tracing the work and lives of six leading British jazz composer/performers: Michael Garrick, Mike Gibbs, Barry Guy, John Mayer (Indo-Jazz Fusions), Keith Tippett and Mike Westbrook. He puts me to shame, having myself being "working" on a book for the last 20 years. Earlier today Duncan reported that only 24 copies with the double CD included remain to be sold, so best get in there quick would be my advice.

http://jazzinbritain1.bandcamp.com/merch/and-did-those-feet-six-british-jazz-composers-by-duncan-heining-includes-two-cds-of-previously-unreleased-music-not-available-separately

[Jazzrook]

The omni-industrious Duncan Heining has a new book out tracing the work and lives of six leading British jazz composer/performers: Michael Garrick, Mike Gibbs, Barry Guy, John Mayer (Indo-Jazz Fusions), Keith Tippett and Mike Westbrook. He puts me to shame, having myself being "working" on a book for the last 20 years. Earlier today Duncan reported that only 24 copies with the double CD included remain to be sold, so best get in there quick would be my advice.

http://jazzinbritain1.bandcamp.com/merch/and-did-those-feet-six-british-jazz-composers-by-duncan-heining-includes-two-cds-of-previously-unreleased-music-not-available-separately

Many thanks, S_A - have just ordered a copy!

https://londonjazznews.com/2023/11/06/duncan-heining-new-book-release/

JR

[Serial_Apologist]

Me too! The booking payment set-up somehow tricked me into paying the shipment charge, which appeared to be the only option, but hey-ho, another sick squid plus!

[Ian Thumwood]

I cannot find the jazz book thread ( was there ever one?) but I will tag on to this thread.

One of the best books about jazz that I have read is "Rhythm Man" by Stpehanie Stein Crease. This is a biogrpaphy about the bandleader and drummer Chick Webb. I knew of his reputation when I was still about 13 but hearing his recording of "Liza" on Radio Solent a few years later remains for me one of the most startling pieces of jazz I have heard. This new book lifts the lid off on Webb starting from his early days in Baltimore and his attempts to establish his band in New York. What I felt fascinating about this biography was that it explains how the mechanics of jazz worked in the 1920s and 30s whether this was to do with tours, dance halls, the procurement of arrangements and how jazz functioned when it remained the popular music of the day. It is fascinating to read about Webb's drive to innovate and constantly be ahead of the competition and how the motivation to do this was entriely driven by dancers.

There is so much in this book to recommend whether it is Webb's friend Ellington acquiring Cootie Williams and Johnny Hodges from Webb's early band , how talented players like Mario Bauza were taught by Webb to phrase their solos in a jazz manner and also just how important Webb was considered by his contemporaries. Ultimately, he found the goose that laid the golden egg with Ella Fitzgerald yet it is also fascinating to read about the likes of Art Blakey ( who studied with Webb) and Max Roach citing Webb as THE major influence on their careers. I found the book to be fascinating and also you can appreciate how the use of extended solos in live performances influenced the Jazz Messengers with the advice to get off the stage when you have said everything. I have never really appreciated just how must Webb much have influenced Blakey. It is pretty evident that the JMs were cast in Webb's mould ableit reflected in Hard Bop and not Swing.

On top of this, the book explains the severe medical issues he had to overcome to perform at the level he did. In the latter part of his life, his health deteriorated to the extent that he ended up being carried to and from his drum kit. His playing would have been remarkable for a able-bodied person and I think this book makes you root for Webb. I had no idea of the pain he put himself through to play. UItlimately it becomes clear that Webb was very highly regarded in the Black community as well as being revered by his fellow musicians . (Not just drummers.) It is clear from Crease's book that she considers Webb to be jazz's first truly great drummer and a pioneer in taking drums away from the function of just keeping time. In the 1930s, he was considered by critics, fans of all colours and his fellow musicians to be the greatest drummer in jazz. The generation that followed him all came up under his influence.

The conclusion of this book is fascinating. Webb is probably one of the musicians whose importance to jazz is now largely forgotten and Crease makes a good case for Webb perhaps being the greatest innovator in jazz who is now entirely overlooked. This re-appraisal is overdue and I felt that the author did an excellent job of placing Webb in the context of the jazz world of the 20s and 30s. The only downside of the book is that it does not really explore the impact of Basie's band albeit there is a terrific description of a "Battle of the bands" between the two where Ella was pitched against Billie Holiday and where Ellington sat up to play piano in the intermission. Would this have been the best jazz gig ever ?

[eighthobstruction]

....interesting

[Serial_Apologist]

Many thanks, S_A - have just ordered a copy!

JR

Starting out on this book right now; Duncan sets out his credentials in a longish intro. I would proceed on the assumption that qualifications for jazz writing would be judged in the contents. However little of the former come across in the writings from what I can see, it comes down in the end to the less I suggest we wish potential purchasers to be put off by an authors' protestations of erudition the better, and that goes for a lot of radical publications. All that said the CD has blown me over. It has previously un-issued recordings, mainly from BBC broadcasts from the early 1970s: sets from the Michael Garrick Sextet, imv the best of all the outfits he led ("Fire Opals and Blue Poppies"), three pieces by a Mike Gibbs big band - one of which, "Throb" had I think only been recorded by Gary Burton up to that point; movements from the Barry Guy London Jazz Composers' Orchestra's weighty "Ode", to be officially recorded one year later; pieces by John Mayer's Cosmic Eye - one of his Indo-Jazz combos, with guitarist Amancio D'Silva; The (or a) Keith Tippett trio with Roy Babbington and Keith Bailey from 1971; and an early 1980 version of a movement from Mike Westbrook's still then work-in-progress "Cortège" with almost the same personnel as the famous 1983 release. The one "anomaly" for me here is the John Mayer; otherwise iffy recorded sound qualities should be critically put aside: there are some stupendous performances on this - I don't think I have ever heard Evan Parker, Henry Lowther or Stan Sulzmann play with greater fervour and intensity than here. The Tippett is something of a revelation, not only for the fact that up until now we had only his two embryonic Septets, three King Crimson album contributions, and the "Centipede" double LP to go on, but because we get insight as to the reasons why Keith clearly "had" to take the subsequent directions he did.