Walk Tall: The Music & Life of Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (Hal Leonard Jazz Biography Series)
Cannonball Adderley introduces his 1967 recording of Walk Tall, by saying, "There are times when things don't lay the way they're supposed to lay. But regardless, you're supposed to hold your head up high and walk tall." This sums up the life of Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, a man who used a...
show more
Cannonball Adderley introduces his 1967 recording of Walk Tall, by saying, "There are times when things don't lay the way they're supposed to lay. But regardless, you're supposed to hold your head up high and walk tall." This sums up the life of Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, a man who used a gargantuan technique on the alto saxophone, pride in heritage, devotion to educating youngsters, and insatiable musical curiosity to bridge gaps between jazz and popular music in the 1960s and '70s. His career began in 1955 with a Cinderella-like cameo in a New York nightclub, resulting in the jazz worlds looking to him as "the New Bird," successor to the late Charlie Parker. But Adderley refused to be typecast. His work with Miles Davis on the landmark Kind of Blue album helped further his reputation as a unique stylist, but Adderley's greatest fame came with his own quintet's breakthrough engagement at San Francisco's Jazz Workshop in 1959, which launched the popularization of soul jazz in the 1960s. With his loyal brother Nat by his side, along with stellar sidemen such as keyboardist Joe Zawinul, Adderley used an engaging, erudite personality as only Duke Ellington had done before him. All this and more are captured in this engaging read by author Cary Ginell.
show less
Format: paperback
ISBN:
9781458419798 (1458419797)
Publish date: April 20th 2013
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
Pages no: 192
Edition language: English
Initial reaction: I think a part of why I loved this account of Cannonball Adderley's life was because of how well it portrayed the man's efforts and accomplishments as well as his personality. This is a rather excellent biography which gives interesting inside details - particularly in the form of...