[Dixielandjazz] Anderson Fake Book

[nvickers1 at cox.net]

Re:  Anderson Fake Book

See Jim Jones' response below.  Let me add some personal endorsement. I am the proud owner of the entire 17 volume Anderson set.  I came across a reference to it somewhere--forgot how I first learned about it.  Ordered volume one and was so impressed ( Charles Anderson wisely sent an index of the entire list of tunes and I was "hooked.")

We were visiting my daughter in San Diego and I took the opportunity to visit Mr. Anderson-- his "office" was a separate building in back of his home.  He explained how the project got started-- musicians, including himself, are always searching for tunes.  He would periodically publish a "want list" of tunes and send to his acquaintance.  I was astounded at the list of musicians--many of whom were recording or performing artists, famous and moderately famous--who were collaborating with him on this project.

Since I am a "difficult-to-find-a present-for" person, I told my three children that something I really wanted was the entire Anderson set.  ( Mr Anderson, now playing in God's band, was of an age that I feared that the project might die with him.) My kids bought the rest of the set and then would parcel them out to me on occasion of birthdays, Christmas and other occasions until I had the complete set.

 Mr. Anderson's project did not go to the grave with him, fortunately for us all, having been assumed by 
Jim Jones-- see his note below.

I echo his remark that, considering the amount of material covered, the price is reasonable.  I calculate that it averages about $30/volume-- about what one would pay for a fake book--legit or illegit.  It's not unusual for me to get a request from a fellow musician regarding a tune that can't readily be found elsewhere.  I was pleased to learn that the Anderson fakebooks can be found in world-renouned jazz archives--Rutgers, Tulane, Smithsonian etc.

I can never be bored, because I can always sight-read the tunes and catch up on my musical education!

Thanks for letting me add my heart-felt endorsement.
I "bless" Mr. Anderson frequently for his enrichment of my life.

Norman Vickers
Jazz Society of Pensacola
>  
> This is in response to a fine article by Bill Haesler   bob  simpson
>  
> In a message dated 5/14/2005 2:12:47 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
> jjbanjo at juno.com writes:
> 
> Dear Bob,          cc: B. Haesler; L. Swain
>  
> Thanks for fwdg this DJML post.  I met Bill Haesler through Eric  Holroyd in 
> 1999 when we visited Sydney.  Please fwd this to my former  DJML-mates if you 
> wish, to say that everything that Bill has extracted from my  YesterTunes and 
> AndersonFakeBook website is accurate and up-to-date.
>  
> The late Charles Anderson of San Diego saw to it that this archival work  is 
> in The Smithsonian, Tulane's, Hogan Jazz Archive, UCLA Schoenberg Hall, U.  of 
> Chicago Jazz Archive, Rutgers U. Inst. of Jazz Studies and numerous other  
> music-preservation-dedicated sites.  He asked me in 1991 to carry on his  work 
> as he had previously done with his orchestration collection in  1999.  As you 
> know, it is now my full-time pursuit in retirement.   
> 
> Recently, Jim Cullum's "Riverwalk - Live from The Landing" jazz radio  show 
> on public radio has used 20-30 leadsheets from the Book in their shows,  
> through his bassist Don Mopsick, also a DJML loyalist as I recall.
>  
> Perhaps I would reconsider one statement that Bill made - that the Book  is 
> expensive.  In the overall, the investment of $539 USD domestically is  a large 
> sum.  Considering that there are 9339 leadsheets; that the charge  is only 8 
> cents a page including domestic postage; that there are 6956  pages; and that 
> the Book can be owned in 21 separate sections as advised on  the websites (but 
> not as single songs), then I think it may be the least  costly one around.
>  
> We're on Maui helping a former neighbor until 25 May.  (Somebody's  gotta do 
> it!)  Thanks for keeping me posted.
> 
> Chord-ially,              Jim            O==#        _jjbanjo at juno.com_ 
> (mailto:jjbanjo at juno.com) 
>  
> Jim  Jones                                      Tel/Fax: (310) 831-3372
> 2747 Vista Mesa Drive - Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90275
> 
> _www.YesterTunes.com_ (http://www.yestertunes.com/)        
> _www.AndersonFakeBook.com_ (http://www.andersonfakebook.com/) 
> 8043  Full  Orchestrations                            9339 leadsheets