JAZZ MASTERS OF THE TWENTIES

This is the second release in this series (see Jazz Masters of the Fifties, p. 424). It is not only better written, but one wonders how it can be equalled by subsequent studies. Hadlock has the enormous advantage, more often than not, of being able to follow his musicians right to their graves. He details their excellence with chapter and verse and among them are Louis Armstrong, (who of course is not dead), Earl ""Fatha"" Hines (also still in flower), Bix Beiderbecke, Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, Jack Teagarden, Fletcher Henderson, Don Redman, Bessle Smith, and guitarist Eddie Lang. There is a separate chapter covering the Chicagoans en masse. The most thorough attention given in the book is to Louis, the absolute success, and Hadlock takes a surgeon's pains to discover what makes him play as he does. His answers are absolutely satisfying, as is the book.