Product Description

Jazz cornetist, band leader, educator and broadcaster, Digby Fairweather's amusing and candid description of life as a cornet player. Autobiography written for general readers and especially those interested in jazz, jazz education, jazz history, the Musicians Union and broadcasting. Fourteen miles on a clear night? Like Buddy Bolden's legendary cornet, Digby Fairweather's horn has been heard far and wide on many a clear night, since the lure of jazz led him out of the quiet Essex countryside to a hectic life playing in clubs and concert halls across Britain and beyond. Well-known as raconteur, broadcaster, writer and jazz lover as well as one of the busiest, most enthusiastic jazz instrumentalists around, Digby tells his remarkable story in this book. With revealing reflections on his personal life and career and a wealth of warm, hilarious anecdotes, he writes honestly about all the challenges, frustrations and rich rewards of being part of the jazz world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #290362 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 183 pages

Review
'Thoroughly entertaining and yet thoughtful piece of work, a fascinating look at the last 30 odd years of a big slice of the British jazz scene,' Brian Blain, Musician, Dec. 2002. 'His experience, including the disappointments, and setbacks, are engagingly told in this highly readable autobiography,' Jim Godbolt, JARS, No. 145, November 2003. 'A rich, humorous account of his career,' Larry Nal, Cadence, April 2003. 'Digby Fairweather has much to tell and he tells it well,' Clarrie Henley, Mississippi Rag, July 2003. 'A breezy read, suffused with the kind of breathless enthusiasm that characterises Fairweather's conversation... a good read, for sure,' Peter Vacher, Jazzwise, April 2003. 'Entertaining and well-written... reflects the generous-spirited and enthusiastic character of an exceptionally gifted trumpeter, who is also one of the nicest people in the business,' Hugh Rainey, Jazz Journal, April 2003. 'Chatty and humerous... intelligent and wide-ranging outlook,' Brian Priestley, Jazz UK, Jan/Feb 2003. 'Perceptive and generous insights into jazz, a fund of diverting jazz stories told with disarming modesty and humour and a style blending evocative nostalgia and unaffected narrative,' Jim Simpson, Jazz Rag, Winter 2002. 'A well-written book, funny in parts, sad in others, peppered with anecdotes that will delight the jazz buff.' John Rickard, Just Jazz, December 2002.

Cadence, April 2003
‘A rich, humorous account of his career.’

Mississippi Rag
‘Digby Fairweather has much to tell and he tells it well.’

Customer Reviews

A remarkable jazz life
From a librarian in Southend to a successful and award winning band leader, Digby Fairweather has led an interesting and at times quite remarkable jazz life.

Only deciding to turn professional at the age of thirty, he worked hard to gain recognition in the highly competitive and often uncertain world of professional jazz.

As Digby learnt his craft, he soaked up inspiration from the likes of Louis Armstrong and Nat Gonella and soon found himself playing alongside Ray Crane, John Picard, Jimmy Skidmore, Bruce Turner and Eric Silk.

Developing through his own 'Half Dozen', 'Jazz Legend' and 'Ron Russell's Band', he worked with many great names in Jazz and soon gained both experience and reputation.

But 'Notes From A Jazz Life' records the story of a man who at times was uneasy with himself and never quite believed in his own potential. Even his remarkable composition 'Songs for Sandy' he referred to as a 'modest suite'.

As he worked with the 'Midnite Follies Orchestra' and 'Fairweather Friends' he seemed to be continuing his search for his true identity and direction. But what is clear from the book is that Digby Fairweather is much more than a jazz musician. His broad and enthusiastic passion for the cause grew into writing, broadcasting and the very important development of the 'Association of Jazz Musicians' and the 'National Jazz Archive'.

His 'Tribute to Nat Tour' and his Jazz College work with Stan Barker provided new interests and opportunities and overcoming lip damage and problems with his embouchure, he began to occupy an increasingly important place in British Jazz.

Touring with 'The Great British Jazz Band' and continuing to write and broadcast, he then began to create and perform his own style of jazz with his carefully selected 'Half Dozen'.

The book ends before his association with George Melly but it is hard not to be impressed by the very valuable influence Digby Fairweather has had on British Jazz performance in recent years. But perhaps his most enduring contribution will be the work he has undertaken to ensure that British Jazz has a permanent archive to record its important place in the cultural development of Britain.

'Notes From A Jazz Life' is the truly inspirational story of a man with a passion, who clearly still has many more ambitions and a great deal more to achieve.

Well worth a read!