Conversations in Jazz

Ralph J. Gleason was a co-founder of “Rolling Stone” magazine, but was also very hip to the jazz scene. “Conversations in Jazz” is a collection of interviews between this man and some of jazz’s greatest artists (all happen to be men). This book very helpfully provides brief introductions to the artists, not just their career highlights but what they were doing around the time of the interview. Gleason seemed to know how to catch them at interesting moments of transition, and mutual trust and respect brings out some honest, open dialogue.

These interviews are snippets, only a small part somewhere in the middle of a longer, on-going conversation. He asks questions like how they got into music, what direction they think they or their music is going in, and just lets the conversation go where it may. A notable gap in my jazz knowledge was the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ), a unique all-star group with a generic title that hid any name recognition. Its members are all interviewed here, giving the group a central place in the bigger picture. John Lewis was the leader, and is admired by the other musicians, not just in the MJQ, as a pianist and composer. Milt Jackson, or “Bags” played the vibraharp and had perfect pitch, Percy Heath came to the bass in a family of musicians, and Connie Kay was their Ringo. Other musicians not interviewed here are mentioned several times. It is sometimes hard to appreciate how revolutionary individuals like Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Bud Powell were in their time, but when they shined they shined, and those are the moments that so many jazz musicians live for.

Among Gleason’s involvements was starting the Monterey Jazz Festival, which gets a few mentions. It’s funny to read words like “gassed,” roughly equal to “impressed” or “amused,” and “swingingest”. Fans of jazz, and music fans wanting to learn more about jazz, will have fun reading these historic interviews.