An Essential Jazz Memoir
For both serious jazz fans and historians, this is an essential book. Banjo and guitar player Danny Barker wrote an often-astonishing memoir of his experiences in the jazz world. Barker, who was born in New Orleans in 1909, was fortunate to know and sometimes work with many of the early greats of jazz. His long career took him from the nightspots of Storyville to big band success in New York City, then back to New Orleans for a final period as a respected elder statesmen and educator (he lived long enough to work with Wynton Marsalis in his last years).
Throughout, Barker is a modest but insightful observer. His tales of the Harlem jazz scene circa 1930 are powerful, and his recollection of his friendship with jazz legend Jelly Roll Morton alone would make this book essential reading. An added bonus is that Barker is an unassuming and most likable narrator. Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in jazz history.
