Mingus, a Critical Biography

Priestley, Brian

ISBN 10: 0306802171 / ISBN 13: 9780306802171

Published by Da Capo, 1984

Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0306802171I3N00

Synopsis:

It would be no exaggeration to call Charles Mingus the greatest bass player in the history of jazz indeed, some might even regard it as understatement, for the hurricane power of his work as a composer, teacher, band leader, and iconoclast reached far beyond jazz while remaining true to its heritage in the music of Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk. In this new biography Brian Priestley has written a masterly study of Mingus's dynamic career from the early years in Swing, to the escapades of the Bebop era, through his musical maturity in the '50s when he directed a band that redefined collective improvisation in jazz. Woven in with exacting assessments of Mingus's artistic legacy is the story of his volatile, unpredictable, sometimes dangerous personality. The book views Mingus as a black artist increasingly politicized by his situation, but also unreliable as a witness to his own persecution. Capturing him in all his furious contradictions,passionate, cool, revolutionary but with a keen sense of tradition,Brian Priestley has produced what can be called, again without exaggeration, the best biography of a jazz musician we have ever seen.

About the Author: Brian Priestley was born in Manchester, England in 1946. Jazz pianist and critic, he also presents a weekly jazz program for the BBC in London where he now lives.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Mingus, a Critical Biography
Publisher: Da Capo
Publication Date: 1984
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket