Cymbal Press is pleased to announce the publication of Jazz Dialogues by Jon Gordon. This intimate account of the inner lives of great musicians extends the tradition of books like Arthur Taylor’s classic, Notes and Tones.
Backstage, on the bus, or in the studio, saxophonist Jon Gordon, winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone competition, chats with several generations of great musicians. From Jay McShann to Renee Rosnes, Jazz Dialogues lets the reader hang out with dozens of jazz artists to learn about their careers, influences, and the dues they’ve paid. These candid, poignant, and often hilarious conversations paint a first-person portrait of jazz history.
“Jazz Dialogues is a rarity among books about jazz: It’s a book about people – the individual creators who devote their lives to the making of this profoundly individualistic art. It took a writer who’s a first-call musician himself to capture the way jazz artists think and feel, on the bandstand and off. From Cab Calloway and Doc Cheatham to Maria Schneider and Steve Wilson, Jon Gordon brings us face to face, mind to mind, heart to heart, with dozens of fascinating musicians. Like a great player in a jazz band, Gordon knows not only how to play, but how to listen.”
— David Hajdu, author of Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn
“In this singular collection of conversations and anecdotes, which features a remarkably diverse group of major artists, Jon Gordon creates a rarified atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, allowing each artist to speak directly from their essence. He writes with style, humor, and elegance. Gordon honors the music, friendships, and artists he loves with the highest respect, humility, and passion.”
– Bill Charlap, Grammy Award-winning pianist & Director of Jazz Studies, William Paterson University
Artists featured in Jazz Dialogues with Jon Gordon
| Jay McShann | Eddie Locke | Cab Calloway | Maria Schneider |
| Jan Garbarek | Ken Peplowski | Tim Hagans | Mark Turner |
| Hank Mobley | Bill Easley | Doc Cheatham | Scott Robinson |
| Eddie Bert | Phil Woods | Danny Bank | Billy Drummond |
| Ben Monder | Charles McPherson | Milt Hinton | Ben Riley |
| Bill Stewart | Art Blakey | Jon-Erik Kellso | Eddie Chamblee |
| Jimmy Lewis | Chuck Redd | Bill Charlap | McCoy Tyner |
| Melissa Aldana | Ronnie Mathews | Kevin Hays | Jim McNeely |
| Steve Wilson | Red Holloway | Barney Kessel | Joe Williams |
| Quincy Davis | Bob Mintzer | Dick Hyman | Lee Konitz |
| Leroy Jones | Renee Rosnes | David Sanborn | Gil Evans |
| Don Sickler | Sean Smith | Sarah Vaughn | Derrick Gardner |
| Sylvia Cuenca | Harold Mabern | Gene Bertoncini | Mike LeDonne |
| Essiet Okon Essiet | Bill Mays | Joe Magnarelli |
