A Life in Jazz

by Danny Barker

Overview

Danny Barker (1909-1994) was born when jazz was still in its infancy, and by the time of his death he was known as both a master of the idiom and a guardian of its history. Storyteller, researcher, songwriter, performer, and mentor, Barker was a true griot—an elder statesman of jazz and an international representative of New Orleans and African American culture. In more than sixty years as a working musician, he appeared on more than a thousand recordings and penned dozens of original songs.

A Life in Jazz, first published in 1986, represents decades of work Barker undertook to write the intertwined stories of his life and music. His carefully crafted set pieces range from hilarious to harrowing, and he shares memories of jazz greats such as Jelly Roll Morton, Cab Calloway, and Dizzy Gillespie.

This illustrated edition of A Life in Jazz brings Barker's autobiography back into print, accompanied by more than one hundred images that bring his story to life. Gwen Thompkins, host of public radio's Music Inside Out, reflects on Barker's legacy in her introduction, and the complete discography and song catalog showcase the breadth of Barker's work. Through his struggles, triumphs, escapades, and musings, A Life in Jazz reflects the freedom, complexity, and beauty of this thoroughly American, black music tradition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780917860713
Publisher:	Distribution
Publication date:	12/01/2016
Series:	Louisiana Artists Biography Series
Pages:	225
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.10(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

About the Author:
Danny Barker is co-author, with Jack Buerkle, of Bourbon Street Black.
About the Editor:
Alyn Shipton is a jazz musician, the music publisher of Macmillan Press, and a critic whose reviews have appeared in Jazz Journal, Footnote, and the Musical Times.

What People are Saying About This

Dr., jazz clarinetist and Xavier University professor - Michael White

"A master of swinging rhythm and 'fat chords' for over six decades, Danny Barker performed and recorded with the widest range of legendary musicians in the entire history of jazz. No one else in jazz covered such an amazing temporal and stylistic gamut."

Trumpeter and ancestral jazz preservationist - Gregg Stafford

"This book captures the love and experiences of a man who truly loved his culture and the heritage of his ancestors. His captivating tone of voice and genie-like appearance gave him the ability to inspire and educate a whole new generation of musicians. Daniel Moses Barker—surely a legend."

Grammy-winning musician and songwriter - Dr. John

"Danny was a charACTOR and a half. He was a spiritualized guy, and he could always find something to write on. Danny was a blessing."

Curator, Hogan Jazz Archive, Tulane University - Bruce Raeburn

"A Life in Jazz is a fantastic narrative that offers not only a window onto the history of New Orleans jazz and New Orleans culture, but also into the heart and mind of Danny Barker. He single-handedly, through an intervention, saved the tradition of New Orleans brass bands in the 1970s."