Jazz - General & Miscellaneous, Jazz Fusion, Cool Jazz, Bop/Hard Bop Jazz, General & Miscellaneous Music, Avant Garde/Free Jazz, Jazz & Blues Musicians - Biography, Music - Blues & Jazz, African American General Biography, Trumpet
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Overview
People whose power, influence, or perseverance have changed the world are the subjects of these candid biographies, which stress the impact of these individuals on the course of 20th-century events. Each book includes a bibliography and an index.Trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis greatly influenced the course of jazz from the late 1940s until his death in 1991. He used his thoughtful, economical trumpet style to forge a stunning variety of new sounds. This frank, mesmerizing biography takes the reader inside the dazzling world of Miles Davis: his relationships with other jazz masters, his impact on jazz styles and innovations; and his recurrent health and drug problems.
A biography of the noted jazz trumpeter who gained fame performing at the first Newport Jazz Festival in 1955.
Editorials
School Library Journal
Gr 7 UpIn this extremely depressing read, Crisp doesn't shirk from discussing the incredibly tawdry aspects of his subject's life. In fact, he dwells on them, giving readers a graphic litany of drug abuse, spousal abuse, alcohol abuse, mental illnessthe works. By not only describing Davis's behavior, but also that of his jazz cronies, the author gives the impression that a self-destructive bent is a prerequisite for musical genius. Ultimately, this makes the narrative wearisome rather than compelling. Despite a few creative flourishes, the writing is utilitarian. The only color comes from the unvarnished use of quotations from Davis, filled with his favorite profanities. Black-and-white photos appear throughout. Biographies of musicians should inspire readers to seek out the subject's music; this book probably won't.Tim Wadham, Dallas Public Library, TXBook Details
Published
September 1, 1997
Publisher
New York : Franklin Watts, c1997.
Pages
144
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780531158654