16 Mar 08
Originally posted by Iron MonkeyActually I'm open to video. I saw "Let's Get Lost" some years back and found it interesting. Good recommendation.
i guess you're looking for reading material more than video, but you might find Let's Get Lost interesting - it's a doco on the life of jazz trumpeter and drug addict Chet Baker - you migt be able to find it on DVD somewhere.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095515/
16 Mar 08
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Originally posted by ThinkOfOneStraight Life is a great book about truly one of my favorite artists of all time.
I like reading about how artists think about art and the lives that shape that thinking. Hoping to get some reading recommendations.
I'll start with a powerful autobiography.
"Straight Life - The Story of Art Pepper" Art and Laurie Pepper.
An unvarnished look at the life of a jazz great and seriously flawed human being. From an abusive childhood th ...[text shortened]... nd recovery via Synanon, Pepper manages to be alternately insightful and clueless about life.
I was blessed to see him play one time. He was sitting in with a college jazz orchestra in St Paul. His playing was captivating. One bad spot was that during an intermission a few of the band members were mocking Pepper's back and forth rocking while he played. The dummies had no idea about Pepper. I wanted to scream at them, and should have.
Another terrific and honest book is Beneath the Underdog. An autobiography written by Charles Mingus.
Miles Davis wrote an autobiography as well that was somewhat enlightening.
16 Mar 08
Originally posted by badmoonThanks for sharing the story about Pepper. I would have liked to have seen him.
Straight Life is a great book about truly one of my favorite artists of all time.
I was blessed to see him play one time. He was sitting in with a college jazz orchestra in St Paul. His playing was captivating. One bad spot was that during an intermission a few of the band members were mocking Pepper's back and forth rocking while he played. The dummi ...[text shortened]... y Charles Mingus.
Miles Davis wrote an autobiography as well that was somewhat enlightening.
I had mixed feelings about the Mingus book. There were a few profound moments like when his personal psychiatrist asked him if he was angry about the way he was treated at Bellevue and he replied, "No. Anger is an emotion that has some hope in it." But there were a lot of stories that seemed to have been made up to sell more copies. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Mingus admitted as much.
Miles' autobiography could have been about 2/3 as long if they'd edited out all the swearing.
17 Mar 08
Originally posted by leandeolol. Actually I was inquiring about Rimbaud.
Handshakingly Sinister Pleasantries - but I'm biased of course. It's a quick read and s/b entertaining I would say for you based on the criteria you put forth.
I take it this book was written by you. Is it fiction or autobiographical?
17 Mar 08
Originally posted by ThinkOfOneFunny. Couldn't help myself. It is a creative non-fiction work. On Rimbaud, definitely get the Complete Works. What an inspiration that is. Oh, and have you read Alan Watts: The Wisdom of Insecurity .. ? It encapsulates my philosophy on life. Squares and Wiggly people. He breaks it down so well.
lol. Actually I was inquiring about Rimbaud.
I take it this book was written by you. Is it fiction or autobiographical?
18 Mar 08
Originally posted by leandeoMy library has both the Rimbaud and the Watts. I'll put them on my list. However they didn't have the Vera. What's up with that? Evidently my library is substandard.
Funny. Couldn't help myself. It is a creative non-fiction work. On Rimbaud, definitely get the Complete Works. What an inspiration that is. Oh, and have you read Alan Watts: The Wisdom of Insecurity .. ? It encapsulates my philosophy on life. Squares and Wiggly people. He breaks it down so well.