Larkin's Jazz: Essays and Reviews, 1940-1984: Amazon.ca: Richard Palmer, Philip Larkin, John White: Books

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"Larkin was not only a great poet but also an outstanding book reviewer. . . . These pieces repeatedly show passionate sympathy with the predicament of Black Americans . . . and the prose is some of the most distinguished ever devoted to jazz."--The Daily Telegraph

"This marvelously readable gathering . . . is so full of good things that the editors enticingly devote a page of their introduction to a mini-anthology of 'those glancing blows thrown away en passant' . . . that will delight the general reader. They show the 'poet at work' and often involve a literary cross-over explained, where necessary, in the exemplary notes. . . . This is a treasury to relish; an essential addition to the Larkin canon."--The Independent

"Memorable readingâ€¦[Larkin's reviews are gems of thought-provoking commentaryâ€¦There is never a dull moment in these writings by Larkin. The Palmer & White introductionâ€¦and Plater's introduction are insightful examples of jazz journalism at its finestâ€¦a remarkable book, interesting in its descriptions and details, fascinating in its approach to jazz as a musical art form, and enjoyable reading. If you are looking for an unusual collection of jazz writings, this book will captivate your interest and prove entertaining reference reading over and over again. This is Larkin at his best."--Jazzreview.com

"Stimulating there is some dazzling writing here, worth the time of anybody interested in good music or good criticism."--Cox News Service

"Unfailingly readable." --The Irish Times, October 13, 2001

"Stimulating...dazzling writing...worth the time of anybody interested in good music or good criticism." ---The Palm Beach Post, September 30, 2001

The Irish Times, October 13, 2001

"Unfaillingly readable."

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4.0 out of 5 stars Larkin essays on jazz are insightful, Sep 7 2001

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R. H OAKLEY "roboakley" (Vienna, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Larkin's Jazz: Essays and Reviews, 1940-1984 (Paperback)

For many years, Philip Larkin wrote reviews and essays on Jazz. He fell in love with the music as a young man. This love might seem odd, because Jazz is a distinctly American form of music (and Larkin almost never travelled abroad and never to America) and it is also dominated by African-Americans (Larkin has unkind things to say about minorities in his Collected Letters). Nevertheless, Larkin found in the music of Armstrong, Ellington, Basie, and others a joy that was missing from much of the rest of his life. One warning for serious Jazz fans -- for Larkin, the downfall of Jazz began with Charlie Parker. He had no interest in Parker, Mingus, Miles Davis, or almost anyone who recorded after the later 40's. In fact, he lumped Charlie Parker with Ezra Pound and Pablo Picasso as person with reputations as great artists, but whom he felt had a terrible effect on their art. In some ways, this book tells you as much about Larkin as Jazz. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm he had for Jazz, and his skill as an essayist make this an enjoyable book.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Larkin essays on jazz are insightful, Sep 7 2001

By R. H OAKLEY "roboakley" - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Larkin's Jazz: Essays and Reviews, 1940-1984 (Paperback)

For many years, Philip Larkin wrote reviews and essays on Jazz. He fell in love with the music as a young man. This love might seem odd, because Jazz is a distinctly American form of music (and Larkin almost never travelled abroad and never to America) and it is also dominated by African-Americans (Larkin has unkind things to say about minorities in his Collected Letters). Nevertheless, Larkin found in the music of Armstrong, Ellington, Basie, and others a joy that was missing from much of the rest of his life. One warning for serious Jazz fans -- for Larkin, the downfall of Jazz began with Charlie Parker. He had no interest in Parker, Mingus, Miles Davis, or almost anyone who recorded after the later 40's. In fact, he lumped Charlie Parker with Ezra Pound and Pablo Picasso as person with reputations as great artists, but whom he felt had a terrible effect on their art. In some ways, this book tells you as much about Larkin as Jazz. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm he had for Jazz, and his skill as an essayist make this an enjoyable book.

› Go to Amazon.com to see the review 4.0 out of 5 stars

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Larkin's Jazz: Essays and Reviews, 1940-1984 [Paperback]

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