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The autobiography of a major jazz clarinetist, With Louis and the Duke tells Barney Bigard's own story of life at the top of the jazz world.Bigard recounts his fourteen years with the Duke Ellington orchestra, from its formation in 1927 to its widespread fame in the early 1940s, followed by his long association with Louis Armstrong's newly-formed band, the All Stars. Bigard also recollects his early days in New Orleans, considers the influence of Lorenzo Tio on the "creole" school of jazz-clarinet playing, and discusses his associations with "King" Oliver, "Kid" Ory and other major jazz musicians. Full of witty and loving remembrances, as well as classic "backstage" stories, With Louis and the Duke contains Bigard's personal collection of photographs, many published here for the first time. ... Read more

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The GUITAR SONGS Series is built around beautiful, and playable, solo guitar arrangements of the greatest songs of all time. Each arrangement includes melody, lyrics, and chord frames on one line, and a complete, easy-to-play solo guitar arrangement in standard notation and tablature on a second line. Every guitar player will want to own these books! Beautiful, easy to play fingerstyle solo guitar arrangements. Titles are: Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me * Don't Get Around Much Anymore * I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good * In a Mellow Tone * In a Sentimental Mood * It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) * Mood Indigo * Prelude to a Kiss. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Sorry, but it's just ...

This reads like poorly researched graduate-school blathering (which I expect it is).

Mr Lock appears to have approached his sources with his thesis already formed and to have avoided all contact with anything that might force him to reconsider.Check out his footnote admitting that his use of Ellington's song title is totally inappropriate to what he's trying to make it mean, yet he decided to use it anyway!

His comparison of Sun Ra's mythological musings and autobiographical confessions with slave narratives is ridiculous in that it reveals a thorough lack of knowledge of comparative religion.The author acts as though the experience of death and rebirth or of choosing a new name to reflect a new station in life were phenomena unique to (and invented by) African-Americans.He clearly didn't research this topic thoroughly.

This is a really shoddy work and not worth your time, much less your money.

A Groundbreaking Study that Any Fan of Jazz Must Read
Graham Lock's "Blutopia" stands as one of the great explorations into three of the most enigmatic performers in the history of creative music: Sun Ra, Duke Ellington, and Anthony Braxton. When I first heard that this book going to be published, I worried that Lock's approach might not be able to draw a strong connection between these amazing performers, or that it might be too journalistic and not critical enough, like some of his previous work. After reading just a few pages, it became obvious that this is a first-rate work of scholarship that should be required reading for anyone who is interested in creative music. This will undoubtedly stand among the classic texts written about creative music, along with the brilliant studies by Valerie Wilmer, John Szwed, and Mike Heffley.

Lock examines the common musical heritage of his subjects, showing how their visionary thoughts become manifest in their music, often amidst the crippling misconceptions perpetuated by the press. He delves deeply into the actual interviews and writings of Ra, Ellington, and Braxton, establishing connections between their work and a larger spectrum of academic, religious, and political thought. Particularly interesting is the section on Anthony Braxton, which is a welcome addition to the author's previous work "Forces in Motion." Lock examines Braxton's operas, including even those that have not yet been made available to the public. His discussion of Braxton's use of "text" is an illuminating contribution, and one that is much needed in contemporary scholarship on Braxton.

In short, Lock shows how the art and thought of Braxton, Ellington, and Ra provide those who experience their work with not only the opportunity to view the world with an alternative paradigm, but how in many ways we, as collective humanity, should forget about "history" (which has failed) and start believing in "mystery." The mystery is real--and it is true--and I can think of no better preface to read before embarking on Sun Ra's trips to space--or Braxton's forays into affinity dynamics and meta-reality--than Lock's "Blutopia." It is a masterpiece. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A little techical for nonmusicians after the second half
Tucker is an outstanding researcher and this book adds a great deal of valuable information to Duke Ellington's early years. He provides a solid context for Duke Ellington's development in the Washington music scene. You can see how Duke soaked up neighborhood piano, ragime, and ensemble influences as he evolved from musical entrepreneur to fledgling composer. This early section added a lot of well-researched info to my knowledge of Ellington.

As the scene shifts to New York, the emphasis on personality, character, and context shifts and Tucker shifts largely to extremely detailed musical analysis of Ellington's early records. Here he betrays that this book is primarily intended for an academic audience of fellow Ellington and hardcore jazz scholars. Without keyboard skills the numerous musical examples weren't as beneficial to me, although I am sure that piano players and arrangers would find this section quite helpful. I imagine he does a useful job of counteracting many interpretations of Duke's life that there is little musical value to his pre-Cotton club work, but I already had a sense that Bubber Miley and Joe Nanton made valuable solo and compositional contributions on tunes like "Black and Tan Fantasy", "Creole Love Call", and "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" before reading this work. I did gain from how Tucker's wealth of knowledge allowed him to compare how these works compared to solos and other compositions of the period. I did not realize how influential King Oliver's stuff was on Ellington through the ideas of his soloists.

I wanted more stories of what it was like for the band in New York than I got here, but it was still a very informative read nonetheless.

I rate this book 3.5 stars for non academics, probably 4.5 stars for those who can easily comprehend the musical examples. Also a listener who is greatly attracted to music like the Okeh Ellington would probably find this a nice companion for a couple of the earlier tunes on that set.

3.5 stars

--SD ... Read more

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Complete arrangement for voice, piano accompaniment and chords in the key of G-Major. Gorgeous, handsome Harry James on cover! ... Read more

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Taken from Ellington's renowned suite Black, Brown and Beige,<-i> the song “Come Sunday” has become an acknowledged standard in its own right. With lush scoring and beautiful harmonies, here is a marvelous adaptation of this moving ballad f

... Read more

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Edward Kennedy "Duke">Ellington and his music have been an intregral part of the American scene for most of the 20th Century.Janna Tull Steed introduces the readers to the engaging, enigmatic man himself, as well as to the range of Ellington's musical achievement, with a lively mix of fact and anecdote. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

good introduction to Ellington
Very accesible book & good introduction not only to Duke Ellington but the world of Jazz. I suppose an author is limited by the number of pages how in depth one can get but still I expected a more critical examination of the contradiction of Ellington's public persona w/ his spirituality andhow he reconciled these contradictions. That said, I still found Steed'sargument convincing, especially his leading up to his sacred music. This isespecially a good book for the new initiate to Duke Ellington.

Author Janna Steed breaks new ground
I just recently joined a book discussion group and last night, during my first meeting we were discussing Janna Tull Steed's new book "Duke Ellington: A Spiritual Biography." In just 192 pages Steed tracesEllington's development from a piano player to bandleader to composer andhis truly thrilling and sublime sacred concerts in the last decade of hislife. Steed also discusses in depth Ellington's ability to write for theindividual voice, or band member, which seems to be, at least partly, whatmade and marks him as such an extraordinary and perhaps greatest Americancomposer--that and his overwelming dedication to his music and a relentlessability to constantly break new ground.

Steed's grasp of Ellington andhis music, particularly Ellington as a composer is tops. She draws on theenormous archives at the Smithsonian Institution but also on extensivefirsthand interviews with scores of people who were intimately familiarwith Duke Ellington and his music, and especially his development of hissacred music and concerts. It is in the area of the sacred concerts thatSteed breaks new ground but also her focus of Ellinton as composer, as wellas his oft forgotten important work in Hollywood. Her outstandingachievment is that she accomplished this in 192 pages. Steed covers theentire scope of Ellington's remarkable life and career and her insights arevery welcome and as engaging as they are informative.

Great Book! Great Series!
I picked this book up after reading Joan of Arc in this Lives and Legacies Series. This new book delivers everything it promises. I'm a real biography nut with an interest in a very broad range of subjects (and that's justwhat this series delivers) but have little time to immerse myself in a 500or 700 page reading. So it's great to be able to pick up these shortbiographies, get a great read, and then decide if I want to explore asubject in further depth. But I can tell you with both these books, shortas they are (192 pages), they are still very in-depth, scholarly and butstill accessible to the popular audience. Duke Ellington was a particularpleasure as I knew nothing about his Sacred music and Concerts, nor have Irun across anything that examines so fully the films that him and hisorchestra were featured in, and which by the way Ellington had asignificant role in developing. Author Janna Steed offers up a terrificlittle gem with this new book on Duke Ellington.

engaging, informative, and, most importantly, accessible
The author's knowledge of Duke Ellington, and descriptions of his compositions is impressive. After studying Ellington's life and compositions through this book more closely, in his music, even when it isnot overtly religious, one can quickly see that Ellington did indeed workout his spirituality through his music, as this author so convincinglyargues. Of especial interest is the author's conception of spirituality andher deep artistry of both genuinely recognizing Ellington's and making thatconnection with his music, and how both shaped and influenced his life.This is not a scholarly tome, but rather a wonderfully quick, short read.As one of many old Ellington fans, my guess is that Duke Ellington wouldhave smiled brightly and given his big stamp of approval to this book.

The Good Old Duke Is Hotter Than Ever!
I just got finished listening to the new CDs of Duke Ellington's Sacred Music, picked up at Borders. Wow! While I was listening to this great stuff I was reading this book. And Wow! again. If you want the nitty, gritty, thelowdown, or dope so to speak, on the Duke you'll have to go somewhere else.Miss Steed does give you the whole story but her emphasis is on his work,his artistry, and his legend--what the Good Man left us with--and hisSacred Music, which he said, was not his best work, but his most importantwork. And it was real, man, this is what I was looking for, someone whoreally had something new to say about The Man, and knew what they weretalking about! Buy this book and get to know the Duke and the man behindthe legend. ... Read more

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Chapters: Songs With Music by Duke Ellington, Black, Brown and Beige, Mood Indigo, Duke Ellington's Sacred Concerts, Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue, Caravan, It Don't Mean a Thing, Beggar's Holiday, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, in a Sentimental Mood, Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me, (In My) Solitude, Satin Doll, I'm Beginning to See the Light, Sophisticated Lady, Prelude to a Kiss, Something to Live For, C Jam Blues, Just Squeeze Me, Day Dream, I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 65. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Black, Brown and Beige is a jazz symphony written by Duke Ellington for his first concert at Carnegie Hall, on January 23, 1943. Ellington introduced it at Carnegie Hall as "a tone parallel to the history of the Negro in America." It was Ellington's longest and most ambitious composition. Known by Ellington as "B, B, ... Read more

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Whether you're a karaoke singer or preparing for an audition, the Pro Vocal series is for you. The book contains the lyrics, melody, and chord symbols for eight classic songs. The CD contains demos for listening and separate backing tracks so you can sing along. The CD is playable on any CD, but it is also enhanced for PC and Mac computer users so you can adjust the recording to any pitch without changing the tempo! Perfect for home rehearsal, parties, auditions, corporate events, and gigs without a backup band. This volume includes 8 Ellington standards: Caravan * Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me * Don't Get Around Much Anymore * It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) * Mood Indigo * Prelude to a Kiss * Solitude * Sophisticated Lady. ... Read more