Description
Book SynopsisA guide to and history of movies that tell stories about jazz, Play the Way You Feel looks at how on-screen depictions compare to the real thing, and at the often inventive ways these stories are told.
Trade ReviewWith a lot of research, insights and background on jazz, jazz biographies and the eye and ear for a certain lore, mystery, and irony whenever biographies, anecdotes and oral jazz history are referred to, Whitehead presents a fine work on some aspects of the jazz film. Well worth reading and having on the shelf. * Dr. A. Ebert, JIVE-TALK.COM *
a fun read * Steve Ramm, The Antique Phonograph *
Jazz and cinema, the two definitive art forms of the 20th Century, have led an often troubled co-existence. Play the Way You Feel traces the frequent missteps and occasional triumphs of jazz in film with the deep knowledge, superior taste, and acerbic wit we have come to expect from Kevin Whitehead. An essential book for all jazz fans, and a necessary corrective for anyone whose knowledge of the music is based on what they have learned at the movies. * Bob Blumenthal, author of Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America's Music *
A revelation! From the bad to the beautiful, Kevin Whitehead brilliantly illuminates each frame to show us why jazz in the movies matters in all its incarnations. He masterfully guides us through this rich and complicated story, making connections that reveal deeper meanings and aha moments that change our view of jazz, film and ourselves. * Dominique Eade, Jazz Vocalist and Teacher, New England Conservatory *
Table of ContentsIntroduction Prologue: The "I Got Rhythm" of Jazz Movies 1927 & 1946 Chapter One: Duke's Day & First Features 1929-1940 Chapter Two: Origin Stories 1941-1947 Chapter Three: Bands of Brothers 1941-1948 Chapter Four: Young Men with Horns-the Jazz Biopic's Golden Age 1950-1959 Chapter Five: The Jazz Musician (and Fan) as Character 1951-1961 Chapter Six: Independents in Black & White 1961-1967 Chapter Seven: Spectacles 1972-1984 Chapter Eight: Suffering Artists 1984-1989 Chapter Nine: Young Lions & Historical Fictions 1990-2000 Chapter Ten: The Jazz Musician (and Fan) as Character 1959-2016 Chapter Eleven: Movies within Movies & New Orleans Comes Back 2008-2019 Postscript: Print the Legend Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
