Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend - Hardcover

Voted "Best Book of 2004" and awarded the Prix Charles Delaunay by the French "Academie du Jazz" "Jean Pierre Lion's new biography of the enigmatic jazz legend succeeds on nearly every level. Lion was able to gather facts from the other Beirderbecke biographies as well as a myriad of other sources and tell the story in a readable, entertaining, and most important of all, objective manner. Lion not only tells Beirderbecke's story, he puts it into context.... Lion's work amazingly does not come off as a fan's book. Instead it paints as full a portrait of Bix as we have had, letting the reader decide for himself as to his motivations, influences, feelings, and tendencies. The book can be described as 'a page turner' one that you cannot put down, and one you regret finishing." -ARSC Journal Book Reviews" the book delves deeply into the musician s life. What s Up, June 2005 "In this book, assiduously researched and cross-checked, [Jean Pierre Lion] has written what may truly be referred to as a 'definitive' biography...This book is by no means a rehash of previously published information. It can stand alone as a new work, intelligently organized and written with perception. Lion has a deep understanding of musicians, their work patterns, and their unique problems. When he discusses a particular performance on record, it takes little imagination to place one's self in the studio, witnessing the give-and-take of the players and the exhilaration of having made a superior 'take.' Lion, a true historian, deals with facts, and refrains from listing many recordings which have passages that 'sound like Bix, ' but cannot be authenticated. Discographies are by their nature works in progress, but this book could be the last word on the great cornetist's life. Highly recommended."- The Mississippi Rag, March 2006--, The learned and loving book that Jean-Pierre Lion dedicates to Bix takes its place as the biography of reference. -Michael Contat for Le Monde (French newspaper)--Michael Contat for Le Monde (French newspaper) Teeming with anecdotes and historical records, this biography, enhanced by several appendices and a complete discography, reads like a captivating novel. -Le Quotidien (French newspaper)--Le Quotidien (French newspaper) [Lion's] style is elegant and inventive; his point is clear and perfectly framed by his patient study of the colossal documentation of Bix's life .The book comes alive through its intimate connection with one of the most fascinating characters in jazz history. -Frank Bergerot for Jazzman (French jazz magazine)--Franck Bergerot for Jazzman (French jazz mag) Jean Pierre Lion's work goes beyond mere biography. It examines the birth of jazz from historical and contemporary perspectives .it will serve as the point of reference for those seeking to understand the genesis of this music. -Olivier Kociubinska for Jazz Notes (French magazine)--Olivier Kociubinska for Jazz Notes (French mag) I have received the English translation of your book, and I am enchanted ! You have done an incroyable job ( I lapse into French sometimes when excited !). Really, I had thought that after the Sudhalter-Evans book there would not need to be any further exploration of Bix's life, but I was wrong. I never have seen the late Phil Evans' last book but heard that it is not more than a "catch-up" work, including material that never got into the other book, almost like a scrapbook. Your book, of course, puts this material and more, including photos of so many locations we have not all seen, into a sensible order and fills in the gaps that remained unknown. Thank you. I feel grateful to be included in it. Duncan Schiedt, author of Ain't Misbehavin (biography of Fats Waller) "As, for music, Jean Pierre Lion's "Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend "is a superior piece of biography that tells the sad story of jazz pioneer Bix Beiderbecke skillfully and sensitively." -"nationalreview.com, "December 2005 --,

This book is the product of many years of impassioned study. Bix Beiderbecke is one of jazz music's most enigmatic figures, and he has captivated listeners since his career began in the 1920s. He died at just 28, leaving many loose ends and inspiring much speculation. This book aims to clarify many of the myths created and the fictionalizations of Bix's life. French jazz scholar Jean Pierre Lion traveled the trajectory of Bix's life, from birth to death, to boarding school, on tour and beyond, to find the true story of this pivotal figure. Lion brings the true legend of Bix into historical context, underlining the importance of the jazz scene that Bix not only participated in, but also helped to establish. The originality of Bix's style has roots in New Orleans jazz and such classical composers as Debussy and Ravel, and this biography traces the evolution of these various inspirations alongside the tale of the white cornet player. Historical ambience is created by descriptions of the Chicago of the 1920s - ruled by Al Capone and peopled with fast cars, flappers and hot jazz musicians - and Bix's personality is fleshed out by the inclusion of text from the 21 letters he wrote in his lifetime. The story is lively and emotional, the testament of a true fan and a true scholar.