Quintet of the Year

by Geoffrey Haydon

Geoffrey Haydon explores the legendary "Massey Hall concert" - the night in Toronto in May 1953 when five of the most creative and influential jazz musicians of all time took the stage together, for the only time in their Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus and Max Roach. Though the evening began inauspiciously, with no real rehearsal, the hall less than half full, and Charlie Parker turning up with a white plastic saxophone, nearly 50 years later the CD of the concert is still selling - entitled, with little exaggeration, "The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever". "Quintet of the Year" is in the same tradition as Ashley Kahn's books on the making of "Kind of Blue" and "A Love Supreme". Geoffrey Haydon traces the lives of the five jazzmen from their beginnings in music to when they boarded the plane for Canada, and then afterwards, whether to civil rights activism or tragically early death, to show how their stories dramatised for the world the condition of black artists in America. He recreates the never-to-be-repeated occasion of that remarkable concert itself, from the backstage rows to the embarrassment of box-office receipts insufficient to pay the illustrious musicians - but above all the wonder of pieces like "Perdido", "Salt Peanuts" and "A Night in Tunisia" perfomed by five of the finest American musicians of the century, for one night only.

Genres: Music, History, Jazz, Nonfiction

302 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone once famously said "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture". This book certainly gives the lie to that statement. This is a deeply insightful book about five jazz masters and the incredible music they created, together and apart. The portraits of the artists before, during, and after the legendary concert that is at the center of book, are both instructive and compelling. It is the descriptions of the music created by this collection of singular geniuses that make the book so eminently readable. The descriptions are so vivid, one can almost hear the music as it is being described. Like the men and the music considered, this book swings.

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book that covers the triumphs and tragedies of all of those involved in what just might be the greatest jazz performance of all time.

I really appreciated that the author gave equal footing to each of Parker, Powell, Gillespie, Mingus, and Roach in their lives before, during, and after the concert.

As I do with any music book, I listened along to the artists' catalogue as I progressed and absolutely loved it, much of which was discussed in the book. Lots that I have already listened to and loved, but appreciated the stories behind the recordings. Also heard lots of cool 'new' music from them that I hadn't heard before.

Parker and Powell's stories might be the most interesting, but are incredibly sad as well. Musical geniuses but tormented nonetheless.

This book also made me feel proud as a Canadian that this concert occurred here in Toronto. Pretty cool!

[Alexander Lochard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fine book that writes about the lives of Dizzy Gillespie trumpet, Charlie Parker saxophone, Charles Mingus bass, Bob Powell piano, and Max Roach drums. All developed the art of the Jazz style known as Be-Bop.

[Joe Rafuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book with lots of information. More focused on the five individual journeys and briefly covers their intersection at Massey Hall. Was hopping for more on Massey Hall but still enjoyed