Saturday, May 01, 2004
"The music critic Francis Davis doesn't see himself as a frustrated artist. 'Music journalism at its highest level,' he writes in this collection of published and unpublished essays, 'is a valid literary genre, not a vicarious alternative to mastering an instrument.'
(Read more in this review by Eugene Holley Jr. of JAZZ AND ITS DISCONTENTS A Francis Davis Reader By Francis Davis. Da Capo, paper, $20. Like ....
"Though his verbosity sometimes gets the better of him, his profiles can be insightful and illuminating, as shown in his descriptions of the tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins's struggle with the muse, and of Abbey Lincoln's evolution from pinup girl and actress to protest singer. Davis comes up with some zesty one-liners, like his characterization of the avant-garde bandleader Sun Ra, known for his space-age garb, as 'the only jazz musician assured of a gig every Halloween.' Davis's insights, investigations and opinions are funny, fierce and fair, and are as diverse as the music he loves. "
¶ 5/01/2004 09:58:00 PM
(Read more in this review by Eugene Holley Jr. of JAZZ AND ITS DISCONTENTS A Francis Davis Reader By Francis Davis. Da Capo, paper, $20. Like ....
"Though his verbosity sometimes gets the better of him, his profiles can be insightful and illuminating, as shown in his descriptions of the tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins's struggle with the muse, and of Abbey Lincoln's evolution from pinup girl and actress to protest singer. Davis comes up with some zesty one-liners, like his characterization of the avant-garde bandleader Sun Ra, known for his space-age garb, as 'the only jazz musician assured of a gig every Halloween.' Davis's insights, investigations and opinions are funny, fierce and fair, and are as diverse as the music he loves. "
¶ 5/01/2004 09:58:00 PM
