DOC I Will Go by Douglas McKelvey; Steve Green in Arts-Photography

Review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Louis Armstrong and the birth of jazzBy Douglas R. RushingIn-depth well written biography of the early years of Louis Armstrong. Recommended for anyone interested in learning about the birth of jazz and Armstrongs role in its formation. A fascinating history of how Americas multi-cultural heritage was essential to creating Armstrongs unique "voice" and jazz as a new art form.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. NOLA beginnings of JazzBy William V. MarconiIt gives a great overview of the NOLA Satchmo grew up in.9 of 10 people found the following review helpful. A very; very great bookBy madamemusicoThomas Brothers has pulled off the near-impossible for a youngish man living in the 21st century. He has managed to dissect and explain most of the complex social and musical interactions in New Orleans as they existed in the years when Louis Armstrong was growing up; coming of age; and learning his way around the horn and the music business. He adroitly explains how the social and cultural climate of New Orleans was exactly right for not only the formation of the music we call jazz; but also how it trickled down from the uptown African-Americans to the downtown Creoles.I only give the book four stars; however; for one reason. Mr. Brothers does not include or describe the jazz music created by Jack "Papa" Laine; Tom Brown and THEIR bands in the further downtown white districts. Laine was leading jazz bands from the mid-1890s on; and his graduates included virtually all the better-known white jazz musicians such as Nick La Rocca; Larry Shields; Eddie Edwards and Alcide "Yellow" Nunez. While it is true that the "Original" Dixieland Jazz Band claimed credit for music that was not their own; the same was true of "blues composer" W.C. Handy; whose wholesale theft of folk material was exposed by Jelly Roll Morton in 1938; of Clarence Williams; who routinely stole songs from everyone (Brothers even blithely credits him with stealing "I Wish That I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" from Armstrong); and of Benjamin and Reb Spikes; who stole songs from EVERYBODY; black; Creole or white. As a matter of fact; the ODJBs original clarinetist; Alcide "Yellow" Nunez; even stole "Livery Stable Blues" from his former bandmates; copyrighting it under his name and that of white bandleader Vincent Lopez! So much for honor among thieves.Despite this oversight; the book is excellent in every respect. Armstrongs development; musically; intellectually and socially; is explained in painstaking detail. (One of my few complaints is that Mr. Brothers overuses the word "hegemony" as much as Gene Santoro overuses th word "zeitgeist.") Very well written; thoroughly researched; and a full explanation of exactly "how" jazz developed; especially in New Orleans; and how this development affected the greatest early jazz soloist of them all. Highly recommended.