We Called It Music: A Generation of Jazz

Maybe the book contains a little more about Eddie Condon's up-bringing and family than you would want to know, but most of it is so interesting and informative that it is hard to put it down. The basic format is for him to relate quite detailed and entertaining descriptions of groups of muscians who played together at different times in different places, and often, what they played.The hardships endured by the early and "pure" jazz musicians make one wonder how they survived. It was certainly a hand-to-mouth existence, and time and time again they had to help each other. Quite often, when some had work, others didn't, and the ways they would help each other were quite resourceful and often good for a few laughs. As Condon describes his playing days, a reader will bump into many who would become the jazz greats of our time--early in their careers when they also endured their challenges to make a living and gain fame. The book does a good job of describing how they viewed their situation and the world around them.I believe a reader will clearly learn a lot about the early history of jazz, and will be highly entertained while reading it.

If you've ever heard Eddie Condon emcee, then you can imagine what to expect from this book: a witty, funny, fast-talking recollection of Condon memories. He certainly had his views and was never shy of expressing them; but he always did it with charm and ready-made punchlines. So, get yourself a book brimming over with anecdotes and giving a really lively account of what it was like in white Chicago in the twenties and New York in the thirties. Meet all of Condon's favourite musicians in Condon's writing again. His book is informative (it covers the years from his boyhood to about 1944) and entertaining at the same time. Excellent reading.