Dead Man Blues - (Music of the African Diaspora) by Phil Pastras (Paperback)
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About this item
Highlights
- When Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton sat at the piano in the Library of Congress in May of 1938 to begin his monumental series of interviews with Alan Lomax, he spoke of his years on the West Coast with the nostalgia of a man recalling a golden age, a lost Eden.
- About the Author: Phil Pastras is Assistant Professor of English at Pasadena City College and coeditor and cotranslator of The New Oresteia of Yannis Ritsos (1991).
- 270 Pages
- Biography + Autobiography, Music
- Series Name: Music of the African Diaspora
Description
About the Book
"It is hard to say which makes for the more compelling narrative: the life of jazz great Jelly Roll Morton or the detective work that Phil Pastras undertook in putting together this engaging book. "Dead Man Blues" tells both these tales admirably, drawing on a treasure-trove of previously unknown material. It is both an important contribution to jazz scholarship and a fascinating piece of storytelling."--Ted Gioia, author of "The History of Jazz and West Coast Jazz""Meticulously researched, including primary source material recently uncovered by the author, "Dead Man Blues" is not only a masterfully written, definitive account of Jelly Roll Morton's west coast years, but also a penetrating psychological and social study of the man and the forces that drove and shaped him."--Steve Isoardi, co-author of "Central Avenue Sounds"
"A must-read for all jazz aficionados."--Gerald Wilson
"One of the best books ever written about Jelly Roll Morton."--Gerald Wiggins, jazz pianist
Book Synopsis
When Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton sat at the piano in the Library of Congress in May of 1938 to begin his monumental series of interviews with Alan Lomax, he spoke of his years on the West Coast with the nostalgia of a man recalling a golden age, a lost Eden. He had arrived in Los Angeles more than twenty years earlier, but he recounted his losses as vividly as though they had occurred just recently. The greatest loss was his separation from Anita Gonzales, by his own account "the only woman I ever loved," to whom he left almost all of his royalties in his will.In Dead Man Blues, Phil Pastras sets the record straight on the two periods (1917-1923 and 1940-1941) that Jelly Roll Morton spent on the West Coast. In addition to rechecking sources, correcting mistakes in scholarly accounts, and situating eyewitness narratives within the histories of New Orleans or Los Angeles, Pastras offers a fresh interpretation of the life and work of Morton, one of the most important and influential early practitioners of jazz. Pastras's discovery of a previously unknown collection of memorabilia-including a 58-page scrapbook compiled by Morton himself-sheds new light on Morton's personal and artistic development, as well as on the crucial role played by Anita Gonzales.
In a rich, fast-moving, and fascinating narrative, Pastras traces Morton's artistic development as a pianist, composer, and bandleader. Among many other topics, Pastras discusses the complexities of racial identity for Morton and his circle, his belief in voodoo, his relationships with women, his style of performance, and his roots in black musical traditions. Not only does Dead Man Blues restore to the historical record invaluable information about one of the great innovators of jazz, it also brings to life one of the most colorful and fascinating periods of musical transformation on the West Coast.
From the Back Cover
"It is hard to say which makes for the more compelling narrative: the life of jazz great Jelly Roll Morton or the detective work that Phil Pastras undertook in putting together this engaging book. Dead Man Blues tells both these tales admirably, drawing on a treasure-trove of previously unknown material. It is both an important contribution to jazz scholarship and a fascinating piece of storytelling."--Ted Gioia, author of The History of Jazz and West Coast Jazz"Meticulously researched, including primary source material recently uncovered by the author, Dead Man Blues is not only a masterfully written, definitive account of Jelly Roll Morton's west coast years, but also a penetrating psychological and social study of the man and the forces that drove and shaped him."--Steve Isoardi, co-author of Central Avenue Sounds
"A must-read for all jazz aficionados."--Gerald Wilson
"One of the best books ever written about Jelly Roll Morton."--Gerald Wiggins, jazz pianist
Review Quotes
"Offers a fresh interpretation of the life and work of Morton, one of the most important and influential early practitioners of jazz."--"Gadfly
About the Author
Phil Pastras is Assistant Professor of English at Pasadena City College and coeditor and cotranslator of The New Oresteia of Yannis Ritsos (1991).Dimensions (Overall): 9.24 Inches (H) x 5.92 Inches (W) x .78 Inches (D)
Weight: 1.01 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 270
Genre: Biography + Autobiography
Sub-Genre: Music
Series Title: Music of the African Diaspora
Publisher: University of California Press
Format: Paperback
Author: Phil Pastras
Language: English
Street Date: January 1, 2003
TCIN: 1005133801
UPC: 9780520236875
Item Number (DPCI): 247-15-0140
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 0.78 inches length x 5.92 inches width x 9.24 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1.01 pounds
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