Anyone read the latest "authorized" Ron Carter biography?

BassBot · #1 08-16-2009, 12:00 PM

I'm curious if it's worth a read. Anyone checked it out yet?

Ron Carter - Finding the Right Notes
by Dan Ouellette
2009

wineaux · #2 08-16-2009, 06:54 PM

I picked up an autographed copy at ISB but haven't cracked it yet. That will change during the next two weeks, when I'm on vacation!

Mark Perna · #3 08-16-2009, 08:42 PM

I did. I couldn't finish it. It is horribly written and poorly organized. It reminded me of a high school book report with the hyperbole flying fast and free. I'm paraphrasing but it's full of lines like: "Ron was discriminated against and couldn't get that orchestra job he always dreamed about so he had to become the most recorded jazz bassist in history!!!" I made it about halfway through before throwing it across the room in disgust. There is very little music in it and the personal stuff is so poorly written that you get no sense of the man either. I was really bummed too because I'm a HUGE Ron Carter fan.

If you want to read a great musician's biography read Bill Bruford's book "Bruford." Even if you don't particularly care about his music (and I'm not a big fan of most of his music), it is filled with insights and interesting personal anecdotes about what it's like to tour the world playing music for forty years. I couldn't put it down. It is absolutely terrific and everything the Ron Carter book isn't.

I have the new Scott LaFaro book Jade Visions on order. I've heard very good things about it and am looking forward to it.

mark

BassBot · #4 08-16-2009, 10:02 PM

That's interesting. Especially since the Ron Carter bio was "authorized." I guess that goes to show what that label is worth.

Thanks for the tip on the Bruford. I might have to check that out. I've heard Al Kooper's book is good as well.

Let us know how the LaFaro bio is. Any other jazz autobios that you can recommend? I've read Miles and Mingus. Horace Silver's?

Ike Harris · #5 08-17-2009, 07:57 AM

I'd give it another try, Calivox. He did spend a while on the situation in Eastman, but he tends to spend quite a bit of time on each segment of Ron's life and career, making it quite a comprehensive book rather than a piece of entertainment. Being a huge RC fan myself, I decided to be patient and see what the whole story was and wasn't disappointed.

Ike

oliebrice · #6 08-17-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassBot

Any other jazz autobios that you can recommend?

not quite an autobiography, more a series of interviews, but Andy Hamilton's recent book on Lee Konitz, 'Conversations on the Improvisers Art' is fascinating, and really well written.

Mark Perna · #7 08-17-2009, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ike Harris

I'd give it another try, Calivox. He did spend a while on the situation in Eastman, but he tends to spend quite a bit of time on each segment of Ron's life and career, making it quite a comprehensive book rather than a piece of entertainment. Being a huge RC fan myself, I decided to be patient and see what the whole story was and wasn't disappointed.

Ike

It was as much the incredibly amateurish writing style as content that turned me off which was surprising since Dan O. is a professional writer. The Eastman part really read like a 10th grader's book report. It had the depth of a piece of paper which is why I lost interest in it. I'll go back and look at it again but I don't remember seeing anything that made me want to read further.

mark

Mark Perna · #8 08-19-2009, 11:59 AM

Skip the Carter book. Go out right now and get the Jade Visions-the Scott LaFaro biography. It is EVERYTHING the Carter book isn't. It came via UPS yesterday. I started it at about 8 PM and didn't put it down until I finished it sometime after midnight. It is compelling, it goes into both his life with first hand accounts from people who knew him and his music from both a philosophical and a technical standpoint. It is one of the best musical biographies I've ever read.

mark

MR PC · #9 08-19-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calivox

Skip the Carter book.

mark

Well, sometimes after reading a book that seemed shallow I'll go back after some time and give it another chance....... and be amazed at how much the author has learned since I've read it last.

Mark Perna · #10 08-19-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

Well, sometimes after reading a book that seemed shallow I'll go back after some time and give it another chance....... and be amazed at how much the author has learned since I've read it last.

I'm impressed. A Twain reference. A paraphrase of one of my favorite Twain sayings. I don't remember the quote verbatim but it went something close to: 'I left home at 18 because my father was a fool, and that when I returned at 25, I was amazed at how much the old man had learned while I was away'.

mark

Jack Clark · #11 08-19-2009, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calivox

"Ron was discriminated against and couldn't get that orchestra job he always dreamed about so he had to become the most recorded jazz bassist in history!!!"

Good gosh. Are you sure that's not a kid's book? That sure sounds like 4th-grade bio. That's positively awful.

MR PC · #12 08-19-2009, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calivox

I'm impressed. A Twain reference. A paraphrase of one of my favorite Twain sayings. I don't remember the quote verbatim but it went something close to: 'I left home at 18 because my father was a fool, and that when I returned at 25, I was amazed at how much the old man had learned while I was away'.

mark

Yeah, that one is older than the hills I think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nimbleswitch

Good gosh. Are you sure that's not a kid's book? That sure sounds like 4th-grade bio. That's positively awful.

I always wonder whether Ron was qualified at all when I listen to his early cello recordings. I'm sure glad that he switched to bass in any case......

Mark Perna · #13 08-19-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nimbleswitch

Good gosh. Are you sure that's not a kid's book? That sure sounds like 4th-grade bio. That's positively awful.

That was why I threw the thing across the room after a few chapters.

mark

RayBrownAddict · #14 08-19-2009, 06:53 PM

They need to make one on Ray Brown.
LOL.

MR PC · #15 08-19-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calivox

That was why I threw the thing across the room after a few chapters.

mark

The sad joke is that it was childish to make the claim in the first place.

Mark Perna · #16 08-19-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

The sad joke is that it was childish to make the claim in the first place.

I don't follow. It was childish that I claimed this stinkeroo was horribly written? Have you actually looked at it? Plunk down your $38 bucks for this turkey and then come back and we'll talk. I'm merely warning you that there are better ways to spend your $38. Burning it in the street would be one...

Anyone looking for actual GOOD, well written, insightful musical biographies check out:

Jade Visions (Scott LaFaro) is great.
The Lewis Porter Coltrane book is the gold standard of musical biographies. It's breathtaking in scope.
Brian Priestley-Mingus: A Critical Biography is a great book.
Bruford: The Autobiography- an extremely personal, insightful book. VERY entertaining. Bruford can write. Even if you're not a big fan of his music (and I'm not), he has a great story to tell and he tells it extremely well.
The Jack Chambers Miles Davis book.

You will not go wrong with any of these. There are more but these are the ones I can name off of the top of my head.

mark

MR PC · #17 08-20-2009, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calivox

I don't follow. It was childish that I claimed this stinkeroo was horribly written? Have you actually looked at it? Plunk down your $38 bucks for this turkey and then come back and we'll talk. I'm merely warning you that there are better ways to spend your $38. Burning it in the street would be one...mark

What I am saying is that Ron Carter is being childish in publishing drivel about being discriminated against and not getting an audition 50 years ago.

I don't have any problem with the fact that you tossed the book! None whatsoever, sorry for any misunderstanding.

Hey, Ron is one of the greats of the last 50 years. But he's also made some pretty awful sideman recordings for the love of money. So a crappy biography isn't so surprising. It may be that he had a third party answering all of the publishers questions. He has always seemed detached and bored in the interviews I've read.

Thanks for the tip on "Jade Visions", calivox.

Oopsdabassist · #18 08-20-2009, 03:25 AM

Guy Pratt's My Bass..and other animals, made me laugh, the guy does a stand up routine on the comedy circuit and I can see why, light hearted yes, and full of little chuckles.

Mark Perna · #19 08-20-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

What I am saying is that Ron Carter is being childish in publishing drivel about being discriminated against and not getting an audition 50 years ago.

I don't have any problem with the fact that you tossed the book! None whatsoever, sorry for any misunderstanding.

Hey, Ron is one of the greats of the last 50 years. But he's also made some pretty awful sideman recordings for the love of money. So a crappy biography isn't so surprising. It may be that he had a third party answering all of the publishers questions. He has always seemed detached and bored in the interviews I've read.

Thanks for the tip on "Jade Visions", calivox.

Sorry. I think I was being a little oversensitive and I agree with your comments about Ron.

mark

Jack Clark · #20 08-20-2009, 03:37 PM

Maybe my favorite bass album right now is "Something In Common" on which Ron's bass is recorded equally with Houston Person's sax in duos. Ron's walking lines and solos are a delight and the clarity of the sound is wonderful. (I mentioned this recording on another thread and nobody said anything. I sincerely hope that it's not considered infamous for some reason; I sure like it.)

And I was being serious when I asked whether the original poster's book might have been written for kids. When I was in 4th and 5th grade I read lots of those "Wow, Look What He Did From a Poor Background"-type of motivational biographies, and the writing you quoted sounds just like those books.