Ten Jazz Biographies

Louis Armstrong recounts his childhood in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. The iconic trumpeter tells, with glowing humor and optimism, of his impoverished beginnings, and his early years as a musician.

Billie Holiday tells of her squalid Baltimore upbringing and her rise to fame in Harlem. She discusses her encounters with top musicians during one of the most vibrant periods of jazz, as well as her decline into depression and drug addiction.

Duke Ellington is arguably the most important American composers. In this autobiography he writes of the music and musicians who inspired him. His descriptions of his performances and compositions, as well as his wit, grace, and humor make this book a clear glimpse into Duke's life and work.

Composer Billy Strayhorn was Duke Ellington's collaborator and musical advisor, and was responsible for some of the Duke Ellington Orchestra's most famous arrangements and compositions. This book gives a compelling account of Strayhorn's career as well as his struggles against racial prejudice, homophobia, and depression.

Charlie Parker is considered one of the most influential jazz musicians in the history of the music. This biography is a vivid account of the innovative saxophonist's immense talents and tragic flaws. From the perspective of Ross Russell, who worked closely with Parker as a record producer, the book tells of Bird's rapid ascent to legendary status, and his spiraling downfall and early death.

Dizzy Gillespie, with his magnetic humor and wit, discusses the history of jazz leading to the development of bebop.

John Coltrane scholar Lewis Porter offers a fresh look at the music and life of the great innovator. In addition to insightful biographical information, Porter includes analyses of Coltrane's music that are accessible to non-musicians.

Read about the great trumpeter and bandleader Miles Davis in his own words. He discusses the days when he would cut class at Juilliard to seek out Charlie Parker, his triumph over heroin addiction, and his constantly evolving approach to music.

This autobiography by Charles Mingus, one of the most prominent composers and bassists in jazz, is a look into the mind of the troubled artist. The writing is described as loose and disorderly, which isn't surprising considering the layered, verging on chaotic compositions of this jazz legend.

Wayne Shorter's eccentricity has afforded him a career that spans 50 years. Mercer sheds light on the musicians and philosophies that shaped the saxophonist's work.