David Griffiths interviewed over 30 jazz artists in compiling Hot Jazz. The majority of those interviewed are the important, and oft-overlooked, side-men of the Big Bands of the Thirties and Forties, including Greely Walton, Bill Dillard, Lester Boone, Barclay Draper, Harvey Davis. There are also interviews with band leader Earle Howard and composer Walter Bishop Sr. They all vividly describe the atmosphere and ambience of the Swing Era. Accounts from artists outside the Harlem jazz scene, such as Chicago blues-man Curtis Jones, vocalist Blanche Finlay, and blues singer Lizzie Miles, are also included. Interviewed by Griffiths, these artists describe their background and musical training. They describe the pleasures and sufferings of jazz life, and share memories of Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, and Duke Ellington. These voices from the past and the present merge into a colorful account of one of America's brightest points in musical history. Hot Jazz also contains 18 photographs.

About the Author
David Griffiths has been contributing, for the past fifteen years, a weekly jazz column to the South Wales Evening Post. His articles have also appeared in Storyville, The Mississippi Rag, and Jazz Journal.

Reviews
...what a wealth of information is inspired by this collection of meticulous recollection... * Crescendo & Jazz Music *
None of these figures will appear in any but the most detailed history of jazz, yet each has a unique story of his or her own journey in the business...an interesting volume... * CHOICE *
Exemplary book...This fine tribute to some of the forgotten men and women of jazz is invaluable as research and uplifting as a documentary. * JazzTimes Magazine *
...even the shortest entries are illuminating...Griffiths takes time to recommend various recordings his subjects appeared on, a valuable inclusion with players this obscure. If you enjoy oral histories, Hot Jazz is a good bet. * Cadence Magazine *
...writer David Griffiths' new book offers a fascinating look at the lives of some fine musicians. * South Wales Evening Post *
The author is superb with his attention to detail and ability to relate a story without interfering. He never intrudes in the subject's story yet presents it in a manner that is a joy to read. * Jazz Educators Journal *
These accounts provide a kind of reading that fills in the gaps; you get a sense of the warp and woof of the jazz life as lived by the journeyman musicians of the big band era. * The Mississippi Rag *



Book Information
ISBN 9780810834156
Author David Griffiths
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Scarecrow Press
Publisher Scarecrow Press
Weight(grams) 472g
Dimensions(mm) 223mm * 147mm * 20mm