The Jazz Exiles: American Musicians Abroad [Hardcover]

In this well-written and well-researched book, author and jazz musician Bill Moody explores the multitude of reasons why a considerable number of jazz musicians left America to perform, and why a fairly large portion of them decided to stay in Europe or Japan to live and pursue their musical careers.

Moody sets the stage for his narrative by devoting significant space to tell the stories of clarinetist Sidney Bechet and orchestra leader Will Marion Cook, who might be called the early pioneers of the jazz exiles. These pages set the stage for later explorations into several important recurring themes: how European audiences reacted to hearing the earliest jazz performances and recordings and how Europeans responded to African-Americans performing in nightclubs and concert venues.

In covering the period from World War I up to the 1960s Moody mentions many jazz musicians, but he does not devote equal space to all of them. Some of the more familar names, llike Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins, are merely alluded to with perhaps an additional short comment. For other musicians, however, such as the great drummer Kenny Clarke, more space is given to telling that individual's story in some depth.

A long chapter entitled 'The Modern Exiles' presents many references to musicians whose names most jazz fans will probably be familiar with, including Don Byas, Mezz Mezzrow, James Moody, Tadd Dameron, Stan Getz, Johnny Griffin,and Chet Baker.

The majority of this book's pages are fascinating profiles of musicians derived from personal interviews conducted by Moody in both America and in various cities in Europe. Not all of these musicians are as well-known as those mentioned above, but the in-depth interviews provide the most candid and revealing commentary on the many reasons for leaving America and visiting and perhaps staying to live in Europe or Japan. The interviewees include the following: Garvin Bushell, Bud Freeman, Jay Cameron, Art Farmer, Phil Woods, Jon Hendricks, Bob Dorough, Mark Murphy, Red Mitchell, and Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis.

Moody does not side-step the issue of racial discrimination in America and how it affected black musicians attempting to make a living by touring in a band or combo. Although racism in America was clearly among the major factors motivating several musicians, from the evidence presented in Moody's book it was not the most commonly cited reason. Economic circumstances pervade the entire narrative and range from a lack of opportunities to escape the confines of the studio sideman context to the promise of landing a semi-permanent position at a prosperous nightclub. In one instance, the musician, who happened to be white, cited opposition to the Vietnam War and government policies as the primary motivating factor.

Another recurring theme throughout the interviews is the attitude of European and Japanese jazz fans and the public at large towards both the music and its performers and how this attitude differs significantly from that in America. Additionally, more than one musician refers to the more relaxed lifestyle that Europe offered as a key reason for his decsion to eventually settle there.

I found The Jazz Exiles: American Musicians Abroad both informative and a pleasure to read. It introduced me to several musicians who had significant stories to tell and refreshed my memory about a number of the better-known "exiles" such as Bud Powell and Dexter Gordon.

Written in clear prose and structurally organized in a logical manner, I recommend Moody's book to anyone wishing to broaden their perspective on the history of jazz and the many and varied reasons why a large number of musicians explored opportunities for jazz abroad and some preferred living there as well.

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