[Dixielandjazz] The Life & Music of Kenny Davern - Just Four Bars

[Stephen G Barbone]

Just finished my first reading of the above captioned biography by  
Edward N. Meyer. (The Scarecrow Press Inc. 2010)

I am biased, because Kenny was a friend and one of  my favorite  
clarinet players. That said, I heartily recommend this book for anyone  
who knew him, heard him play, saw him play, played with him or enjoys  
his music.

It is very detailed about where and when he was gigging/recording  
which if folks don't like that detail, they can skim over it. For me,  
the beauty of the book is its descriptions  of Kenny as a man as well  
as a jazz musician.  Most readers will be surprised about his  
difficult early life.

Other great gems:

Like when he was playing at Disney World on Mickey Mouse's Birthday.  
Disney had a contract rider that banned any "inappropriate" language  
etc,. But being Kenny, he happily announced: "This is Mickey Mouse's  
Birthday. Happy Birthday you f***ing rat. The folks at Disney never  
said anything to him, but they also never hired him again.

Or like his views that the music was never enough and that the band  
leader must connect with the audience in other ways. Those who saw  
Kenny in performance can well relate to how he got the audiences in  
the palm of his hand from the beginning of the first set.

Or his views on Free Jazz, circa 1960 at the Five Spot;  "When Ornette  
Coleman came to town - really - his music, it knocked me out. I  
couldn't wait to go back every night. . . ."

Or his recording of the album "Unexpected" in 1978 (Karma FR7)  
featuring 2 songs he wrote, 'Swirls' and Unexpected"  plus 6 more  
written by the sidemen, Steve Swallow (bs, gui), Paul Motian (Dms) and  
Steve Lacy (sop sax). None of these songs have any discernible melody  
or harmonic structure. Those who wish to have a complete recorded  
history of Davern should find this album (which he counted among his  
favorites), but trad jazzers/dixielanders will be put off by it.

The index also includes a complete discography of Davern's recorded  
history including the album he did as a sideman with listmate John  
Petters in 1985, Essex England: "Live and Swinging, Kenny Davern and  
John Petters Swing Band"  CMJ (E) CD001. And there is the personnel  
listing on all his recordings. (Remember the thread about who the  
personnel of the Empire City Six were? And whether Jack Spair, was a  
real person? That is confirmed in the book and in the discography  
section.

Lots of neat stuff in this book which is a must for Davernophiles.  
List price is $75. Amazon sells it for $54 which is a real bargain IMO.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband