The Parisian jazz chronicles: an improvisational memoir

231 Pages·2005·0.84 MB·English

by  Michael Zwerin

THE PARISIAN JAZZ CHRONICLES

THE
PARISIAN
JAZZ
CHRONICLES
AN IMPROVISATIONAL MEMOIR
MIKE ZWERIN
YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS / NEW HAVEN AND LONDON
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establishedbytheScrollandKeySocietyofYaleCollege.
Copyright©2005byYaleUniversity.
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Zwerin,Michael.
TheParisianjazzchronicles:animprovisationalmemoir/byMichaelZwerin.
p. cm.
ISBN0-300-10806-0(hardcover:alk.paper)
1.Jazz—France—Paris—Historyandcriticism.I.Title.
ML3509.F7Z47 2005
781.65'0944'361—dc22 2005008412
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Sam and Kate Hensler and Ben and Martine Zwerin, with love and
gratitude.
ManythankstothediscerningandencouragingreadersA.CraigCopetas,
SarahMorrow,HowardMandel,ChrisParker,ChrisErikson,BillKirch-
ner,andJohnKulka;toRandallKoralforbringingupJohnnyStaccato;
tomylatefriendsMelFishmanandHartLeroyBibbs;andtopointmen
everywhere.

Swingisthepassingofgoodtime.
Callingtimedon’tswing.
Makingtimedon’tswing.
Killingtimedon’tswing.
Sparetimedon’tswing.
Peoplewithgoodtimegotnotimetospare.
Peoplecalled‘‘hip’’swing,
ortheythinktheydo.
Moneydon’tswing,
thoughwhatitbuyscertainlycan.
‘‘Moneytime’’don’tswing.
‘‘Itdon’tmeanathingifyouain’tgotthatswing.’’
Monkswings—thePopedon’t.
Russiansdon’tswing.
Generalizationsdon’tswing
—itmustbepossibletofindoneswingingRussian.
Blackpeopleswingmorethanwhitepeople.
Buppiesforgethowtoswingonpurpose.
Blackpeoplearefunky.
Whitepeoplewhocallblackpeoplefunkydon’tswing.
Babiesarefunky(babiesswing).
Asmileswings.
Fartsarefunky.
Americansgetlessfunkyallthetime,
thoughtheycanstillswing.
TheFrenchdonotswing,
thoughtheyarefunky.
Cunnilingusisfunky,
buttheworddon’tswing.
Ifyoudon’tknowwhatI’mtalkingabout—
Youprobablydon’tswing.
—MikeZwerin,recitedbyTedJoanson‘‘OneO’ClockJump’’
byZip,onitsacid-jazzalbumGettingXperimentalOverU
(Verve/France).
CONTENTS
PREFACE xi
1 POOPANDHASSE-OLES 1
Barbershops&Whorehouses I StevieWonder 13
2 DEXTERGORDON:LIFEANDDEATHIN
THEMARGIN 14
Barbershops&Whorehouses II
OrnetteColemanandWaylonJennings 24
3 PLANELAND:BRINGINGUPBABY 25
Barbershops&Whorehouses III CountBasie 40
4 THESLUSHPUMPANDTHESILENTLETTER 42
Barbershops&Whorehouses IV ElvinJones 50
5 TIMOTHYLEARY:VOLTAGESMART 51
Barbershops&Whorehouses V Janos 59
6 JAZZINSIBERIA:LEFT-HANDEDTIMES 60
Barbershops&Whorehouses VI Willy(Mink)DeVille 70
7 CHETBAKER:HOWABOUTASNIFFETTE? 71
Barbershops&Whorehouses VII AstorPiazzolla 84
8 BOBDYLAN:DR.PITRE’SNOMINALAPHASIA 85