Author: Mark Stryker
File Type: pdf
Jazz from Detroit explores the citys pivotal role in shaping the course of modern and contemporary jazz. With more than two dozen in-depth profiles of remarkable Detroit-bred musicians, complemented by a generous selection of photographs, Mark Stryker makes Detroit jazz come alive as he draws out significant connections between the players, eras, styles, and Detroits distinctive history. Strykers story starts in the 1940s and 50s, when the auto industry created a thriving black working and middle class in Detroit that supported a vibrant nightlife, and exceptional public school music programs and mentors in the community like pianist Barry Harris transformed the city into a jazz juggernaut. This golden age nurtured many legendary musiciansHank, Thad, and Elvin Jones, Gerald Wilson, Milt Jackson, Yusef Lateef, Donald Byrd, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson, and others. As the citys fortunes change, Stryker turns his spotlight toward often overlooked but prescient musician-run cooperatives and self-determination groups of the 1960s and 70s, such as the Strata Corporation and Tribe. In more recent decades, the citys culture of mentorship, embodied by trumpeter and teacher Marcus Belgrave, ensured that Detroit continued to incubate world-class talent Belgrave proteges like Geri Allen, Kenny Garrett, Robert Hurst, Regina Carter, Gerald Cleaver, and Karriem Riggins helped define contemporary jazz. The resilience of Detroits jazz tradition provides a powerful symbol of the citys lasting cultural influence. Strykers 21 years as an arts reporter and critic at the Detroit Free Press are evident in his vivid storytelling and insightful criticism. Jazz from Detroit will appeal to jazz aficionados, casual fans, and anyone interested in the vibrant and complex history of cultural life in Detroit.Review There is no other city like Detroit the musicians, the vibe, the people. Thank you, Mark Stryker, for Jazz from Detroit. Sonny Rollins No city has meant more to American musical culture than Detroit. In the bass register alone, Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, and James Jamerson provided the foundation for some of the greatest music of the 20th century, and we can continue to climb the entire frequency range to find the same deep and detailed descriptions of American life at its very best through the ideas and voices of iconic Detroit musicians. Deeply researched and expertly rendered, Mark Strykers Jazz from Detroit has provided a diligent and insightful window into every aspect of how Detroit came to be one of the major centers of modern American musical research. This is an important and highly entertaining document that will stand as a definitive testament to the musical culture of Detroit. Pat Metheny With a smooth and deeply informed style Mark Stryker in Jazz from Detroit writes authoritatively about the citys almost matchless contribution to the history of jazz. His profiles on some of the iconic figures in jazz are so insightfully drawn, so musical that you are tempted to stop reading and listen to their recordings. Herb Boyd, author of Black Detroit A Peoples History of Self-Determination Jazz from Detroit is a masterpieceone of the most insightful books about this music ever written. Mark Strykers perceptive commentary will resonate with both aficionados and newcomers to jazz. Ethan Iverson About the Author Mark Stryker is an award-winning arts journalist and critic based in Detroit, Michigan, specializing in jazz, classical music, and visual art.