Alive at the Village Vanguard: My Life in and Out of Jazz Time

By Lorraine Gordon and Barry Singer

Book Overview

Jazz fans get the inside story of New York's legendary club.

At age 83, Lorraine Gordon is a jazz icon who has lived more than a few lives: downtown bohemian, uptown grande dame, music business pioneer, wife, lover, mother, and finally - at a point when most women her age were just settling into grandmotherhood - owner of the most famous jazz club in the world, the Village Vanguard. The trajectory of her journey has been remarkable. The details are a Jackson Pollock-like swirl of fierce colors shot through with larger-than-life creative figures: not just jazz figures but luminaries from every point on the political, social and entertainment spectrum: from Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to Lenny Bruce, Norman Mailer and Barbra Streisand.

- The legendary Village Vanguard has been an international jazz mecca since 1935. According to New York Magazine, "A musician hasn't truly arrived in the jazz world until he's played at the 'Carnegie Hall of Cool ' the Village Vanguard."

- There have been over 100 "Live at the Village Vanguard" recordings by premier artists from John Coltrane to Wynton Marsalis.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0634073990
• ISBN13: 9780634073991
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A 'must' for any avid jazz fan who relishes a 'you are there' experiential survey.

Alive at the Village Vanguard: My Life In and Out of Jazz Time captures the life of jazz artist Lorraine Gordon, who knew virtually all the big names of jazz. She was not only a business woman and mother, but owned the most famous jazz club in the world, the Village Vanguard: this is the story of the rise of that club, her encounters with Miles Davis, Monk, and more, and vignettes of their personalities and encounters. Black and white photos blend with music history and cultural insights to make for a lively survey of the Village scene and the artists who made up the jazz world. A 'must' for any avid jazz fan who relishes a 'you are there' experiential survey. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

Alive at the Village Vanguard

Very interesting and informative. An honest woman, dedicated to jazz and jazz musicians.

Wonderful read

This book is a wonderful read for any jazz fan! It goes through the life of Larraine Gordon and has some wonderful insights as to why the Village Vanguard is what it is! It's an easy read and I highly recommend this book!