An American Genius

I’m currently rereading a book I first read in the mid-1980’s – Louis Armstrong, An American Genius, by James Lincoln Collier. It’s an exellent read about the man who, for my money, was the most important figure in music in the 20th century, but man, is this book dated.

For the most part, it is an attempt to take an unblinking look at the man, his legend and his legacy. It debunks a lot of the popular myths about Satch, and is packed with facts and figures about his most important recordings. The problem comes in two basic forms (well, OK, three).

First, because it’s a biography written in 1983 (which, with the research required, probably takes its genesis back to the mid 70’s), every biographer at the time felt it their duty to be a pop psychologist. I don’t know if it was the influence of Dr. Joyce Brothers, or Bob Newhart, but now, reading speculation about the underlying motivations of every action in the subject’s life is just annoying.

The second problem is that Collier is a fulltime apologist for Armstrong pursuing commercial success over artistry. This is pure sixties hangover – the idea that “real artists” must don a hair shirt and remove themselves from the pursuit of filthy lucre is laughable from this later perspective.

Third, Mr. Collier is apparently something of a hornplayer himself, and his longwinded dissections of Armstrong’s recordings, are, well, longwinded. One other baffling issue is with the Armstrong catalogue. Collier glosses over the “All-Stars” recordings of the 50’s – the Verve collection known as the “California Concerts”, now widely regarded as the best work of Armstrong’s later career, is not even mentioned.

All that said, this book is, in total, an excellent read, containing many facts and anecdotes found nowhere else. Though dated, it has the invaluable asset of being written at a time when most of the characters involved were still alive to talk to. If you’re a jazz fan, it’s a must read.