This title examines in great detail the arrival of jazz in Britain, the influence of American musicians, the big-band era and then the advent of bop, the Musicians' Union ban, the development of jazz journalism and specialist clubs and the fascinating cloak and dagger plots culminating in the defiance of the Musicians' Union ban on the appearance of American musicians in Britain. It features conscientiously researched and related with trenchant and pithy humour.
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Review
Reviews of first edition: 'This important book is delightfully readable... we owe Jim Godbolt a debt of gratitude,' Ian Carr, New Society. 'Enlivened throughout by the author's passion for the music itself and his sharp eye for human failings, ' George Melly, Guardian. 'A substantial book ... the narrative is piquantly supported by his own personal involvement in much of what he relates,' Philip Larkin, Observer. 'At last! The long-felt want satisfied spendidly! ... A truly valuable and readable work,' Gay Buckland, Memory Lane. 'This somewhat turbulent period is well chronicled by the author, whose humerous approach throughout makes the book a delightful read,' Stan Woolley, Liverpool Daily Post. 'Jim Godbolt's approach is as breezy as a riverboat shuffle, ever on the lookout for the preposterous detail and the opportunity for raffish reminiscence,' Brian Case, The Times Literary Supplement. 'In view of the magnitude of the subject, author Godbolt has to be unreservedly praised for his achievement,' Kevin Henriques, Financial Times. 'A shrewdly observed description of the period in which Godbolt, quite accurately, sets the music into the context of the times ... deserves a place on any reference shelf', Simon Adams, Jazz Journal. 'If you have not bought this book, I urge you to do so - now!' Humphrey Lyttelton, BBC 'Sounds of Jazz'.
About the Author
Born in south London in 1922, Jim Godbolt became manager of George Webb's Dixielanders in 1946 after demobilization from the Royal navy. He ran a band agency with Lyn Dutton and Humphrey Lyttelton in 1951 and formed his own agency in 1952, representing Mick Mulligan, Al Fairweather and Sandy Brown, and pop groups including the Swinging Blue Jeans. He left the entertainment business in 1971 for a career in writing, supporting himself by working as a meter reader. In 1979 he founded Jazz at Ronnie Scott's, the house magazine of Ronnie Scott's Club, which he edited until 2006. His hilarious autobiography, All This and Many a Dog, will be republished by Northway in 2007.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating and funny look at the history of the British jazz scene
28 April 2009
By J Shepherd
Format:Hardcover
Another reader has unkindly put highly critical and unhelpful reviews for all Godbolt's books and obviously has it in for the author.
Jim Godbolt is one of Britain's leading jazz historians. His book All This and Many a Dog, which I read before this one, tells of how he lived and breathed the jazz scene for most of his life - starting off as the manager of George Webb's Dixielanders (Britain's pioneer traditional jazz band), then as agent for high profile band such as Wally Fawkes, before he edited Ronnie Scott's house magazine (JARS) for 26 years.
He writes with wisdom and wit, providing the reader with page turning, insider knowledge that takes you on a journey through the history of jazz in Britain during the first half of the 20th century, with a good helping of chuckles along the way. If you want to know more about jazz - Godbolt is your man and his books are a must.
Jim Godbolt is one of Britain's leading jazz historians. His book All This and Many a Dog, which I read before this one, tells of how he lived and breathed the jazz scene for most of his life - starting off as the manager of George Webb's Dixielanders (Britain's pioneer traditional jazz band), then as agent for high profile band such as Wally Fawkes, before he edited Ronnie Scott's house magazine (JARS) for 26 years.
He writes with wisdom and wit, providing the reader with page turning, insider knowledge that takes you on a journey through the history of jazz in Britain during the first half of the 20th century, with a good helping of chuckles along the way. If you want to know more about jazz - Godbolt is your man and his books are a must.
By Tough Chops
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
An excellent, well-researched book by the late Jim Godbolt, who died earlier this year. Very thorough, covering roughly the first half of the 20th Century.
Format:Paperback
I really enjoyed reading this fascinating book.
I have listened to jazz since the 1980s - mainly 1920s and 1930s American classic and swing bands. Having only recently started to take it seriously though, and looking for advice from various places, I have been listening to lots of different jazz music, some of it enjoyable and clearly important, and some of it less so.
This book has helped me put the British fascination with jazz - since its post-Great War days right through till post-War II - into context. From the early Melody Maker with its skewed perspective and racist overtones, to the musicians and chroniclers of later years who went to extraordinary lengths to get their US jazz heroes into Britain to perform and record, Jim Godbolt gives us an insider's insights, and he does it wonderfully well. He writes of how jazz was imported into this country via records, record companies (who decided what was to be released here and under what band name) and musicians (who, crazily, were denied the opportunity of spreading their message into Britain by the musicians' unions for many years). And he does this from the perspective of someone who was there, amongst all the characters he writes about.
He makes it clear that the book is not a history of British jazz; it is,rather, I would say, a history of how jazz got to Britain, who brought it here, and what happened to it after it arrived. So, we get the story of the ODJB as well as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins and Sidney Bechet's visits here; and we get the story of those British (and other) musicians who emulated them and took their music on.
Godbolt's History of Jazz in Britain is well-informed, well illustrated and extremely readable. There is also an interesting 4-CD ProperBox available to accompany it. I'm really glad I found this book. Five stars for me!
I have listened to jazz since the 1980s - mainly 1920s and 1930s American classic and swing bands. Having only recently started to take it seriously though, and looking for advice from various places, I have been listening to lots of different jazz music, some of it enjoyable and clearly important, and some of it less so.
This book has helped me put the British fascination with jazz - since its post-Great War days right through till post-War II - into context. From the early Melody Maker with its skewed perspective and racist overtones, to the musicians and chroniclers of later years who went to extraordinary lengths to get their US jazz heroes into Britain to perform and record, Jim Godbolt gives us an insider's insights, and he does it wonderfully well. He writes of how jazz was imported into this country via records, record companies (who decided what was to be released here and under what band name) and musicians (who, crazily, were denied the opportunity of spreading their message into Britain by the musicians' unions for many years). And he does this from the perspective of someone who was there, amongst all the characters he writes about.
He makes it clear that the book is not a history of British jazz; it is,rather, I would say, a history of how jazz got to Britain, who brought it here, and what happened to it after it arrived. So, we get the story of the ODJB as well as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins and Sidney Bechet's visits here; and we get the story of those British (and other) musicians who emulated them and took their music on.
Godbolt's History of Jazz in Britain is well-informed, well illustrated and extremely readable. There is also an interesting 4-CD ProperBox available to accompany it. I'm really glad I found this book. Five stars for me!
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