Blue Note Records: The Biography [Paperback] Review

Richard Cook apologizes in his introduction for the limitations of his text, and well he should, for a reading of the book reveals a paucity of research, both in the available text materials and in the Blue Note Records catalog, both in print and out of print. There are numerous errors and omissions in the history, especially on interesting and revealing items such as how Frank Wolff got to the USA, what he did when he got here, how Alfred Lion met Sidney Bechet, Ike Quebec and Art Blakey and what their various relationships were, what Quebeec did for the label and when, Lion's and Blue Note's relationship with Miles Davis, Monk, Bud Powell, Duke Pearson, ... For a long time jazz enthusiast like myself, these omissions were maddening.
What's worse, it's obvious Cook has not listened to all the Blue Note Records! This is especially true of the out-of-print stuff, such as much of the swingtet material, the 10" stuff that hasn't been released on 12"/CD, etc. His critical judgements are therefore completly flawed-he really does not understand what Blue Note was about and what they produced. He seems to use minimal understanding of Lion's interests in jazz and trends in music (such as the craze arising from Olatunji/Drums of Passion) that explain Blue Note records like the early Dixieland stuff, Art Blakey and Sabu drum fests, Bossa Nova Baccanal (never mentioned), etc.
The great book on Blue Note Records has still to be written.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Blue Note Records: The Biography [Paperback]

Product Description:
Blue Note Records is the first full history of the most noted label in jazz. Cook lingers with record-collector zeal in analyzing everything from Sidney Bechet's 78s to Norah Jones' recent chart-topper. Insightful scenes abound.

Buy cheap Blue Note Records: The Biography [Paperback] now Get 25% OFF