Sinossi
Primo capitolo della biografia che lo studioso e narratore afroamericano Stanley Crouch ha dedicato a Charlie Parker, il più grande sassofonista di tutti i tempi. Frutto di studi pluriennali, di ricerche e interviste sul campo, e animato da una prosa brillante e immaginifica, il libro ricostruisce la vita leggendaria di "Bird" negli anni che vanno dalla nascita nel 1920 fino al 1940: l'infanzia nella Kansas City dominata dalla malavita di Tom Pendergast e dallo swing delle territory band; il rapporto con una madre iperprotettiva e allo stesso tempo troppo permissiva; il matrimonio a soli sedici anni e una paternità troppo precoce; la fascinazione per la musica, il cinema, la tecnologia, l'avventura; l'incontro drammatico con la droga; il primo viaggio a New York, capitale del jazz moderno, con cui si sarebbe aperta la seconda, più matura fase della vita di Parker. A metà fra il saggio e il racconto, fra l'affresco di un'epoca e il romanzo di formazione, "Fulmini a Kansas City" è un vividissimo quanto inedito "ritratto dell'artista da giovane".
- ISBN:
- Casa Editrice:
- Pagine: 411
- Data di uscita: 20-11-2014
Recensioni
Super book about one of my ultimate favorite jazz musicians. "What he gave the horn, it gave back. What it gave him, he never forgot." The ultimate reading day for me includes the following: rain (which we get a lot of down here in the south), a cup or two or three of strong black coffee (no pods -- Leggi tutto
Here's a telling thing that showcases in miniature what's nutty about this book: about 2/3 of the way through, Crouch mentions that one step in Charlie Parker's development as a serious (obsessive, really) saxophonist is that he began customizing his metal mouthpieces and shaving down his reed -- an Leggi tutto
This book both fascinates and frustrates. It's fascinating in that context is richly provided and Bird is thoroughly situated in the era of his time. The Kansas City of Bird's time is thoroughly unpacked so that the reader gets a full understanding of the environment that Bird was navigating. We foll Leggi tutto
Kansas City Lightning not only takes us inside Charlie Parker's life, but into the world of jazz, circa 1930's and 40's. Stanley Crouch's ending is a surprise because he stops in the middle, just as Parker is hitting it big in NYC. At first I felt a little cheated. Hey, this is only half a bio. Then Leggi tutto
The subtitle of this book is accurate, so I guess it is shame on me to expect a full blown biography of Parker. It's not. It's not even really a biography of Parker's rise, although that story is strongly in the mix. Instead, its composed of a scattershot history of jazz and the Kansas City scene, d Leggi tutto
(I recently read an advanced review copy of Kansas City Lightning that I picked up at the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association trade show this fall. I am assuming that there have not been sweeping changes to the final version.) As a Kansas City native, I found this book totally eng Leggi tutto
I usually have difficulty reading a long non-fiction book just because of the density and huge amount of information. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am a long time jazz lover, and I appreciated reading about which artists emulated others. Although the book is about Charlie Parker, it i Leggi tutto
Citazioni
Al momento non ci sono citazioni, inserisci tu la prima!