By spewing out poison and lies about Bix, I would say that Ralph Berton did a profound disservice to Bix. Did Berton hate Bix as he did his family? Certainly, not. But the effect of his book on the image that many people have of Bix is perhaps even more egregious than Berton's personal dislike for Bix's family and Germans.
Several years ago, I arranged for a showing of the film "Bix, An Interpretation of A Legend" in a community/art cinema in Huntington, Long Island. After the showing of the film, there was a discussion period. I distinctly remember a woman going on with a glorification of Berton's book and how he made the character of Bix come alive better than the film. She thought that "Remembering Bix" was a masterpiece of biographical work. Of course, I got into a heated argument with her. My conclusion: among pseudo-intellectuals (the kind of crowd that frequents art cinema theaters), when a biographical book is dished out with plenty of psychogical claptrap, even though it is full of falsehoods, many people fall for it, hook, line and sinker.
I remind you that in amazon's best sellers in books, Berton's "Remembering Bix" has a Sales Rank: #92,151. Compare with Lion's "Bix, The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Genius with a rank of #672,926, and the excellent Magee's "The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz" at #4,304,210. Also, Levinson's "Tommy Dorsey: Livin' in a Great Big Way, A Biography" ranks at #703,383. Obviously, "Remembering Bix" is read more widely than several biographies of other jazz musicians. Take look at the 25 best sellers in the category Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Composers & Musicians > Jazz
1. Coltrane Coltrane: The Story of a Sound
by Ben Ratliff (Author)
2. Miles Miles
by Miles Davis (Author)
3. Jaco Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius
by Bill Milkowski (Author), Jaco Pastorius (Author)
4. Lush Life Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn
by David Hajdu (Author)
5. Satchmo Satchmo: The Genius of Louis Armstrong
by Gary Giddins (Author)
6. Leader of the Band Leader of the Band: The Life of Woody Herman
by Gene Lees (Author)
7. Remembering Bix Remembering Bix: A Memoir Of The Jazz Age
by Ralph Berton (Author), Nat Hentoff (Author)
8. Playing the Changes Playing the Changes: Milt Hinton's Life in Stories and Photographs
by Milt Hinton (Author), David Berger (Author), Holly Maxson (Author)
9. Trumpet Blues Trumpet Blues: The Life of Harry James
by Peter J. Levinson (Author)
Price: $30.00
11. Beyond Category Beyond Category: The Life And Genius Of Duke Ellington
by John Edward Hasse (Author)
12. Mister Jelly Roll Mister Jelly Roll: The Fortunes of Jelly Roll Morton, New Orleans Creole and "Inventor of Jazz"
by Alan Lomax (Author)
13. John Coltrane John Coltrane: His Life and Music (The Michigan American Music Series)
by Lewis Porter (Author)
14. I Put A Spell On You I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone
by Nina Simone (Author)
15. Django Django: The Life and Music of a Gypsy Legend
by Michael Dregni (Author)
16. Bill Evans Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings
by Peter Pettinger (Author)
17. Bird Lives! Bird Lives!: The High Life And Hard Times Of Charlie (yardbird) Parker
by Ross Russell (Author)
18. Reminiscing In Tempo Reminiscing In Tempo: A Portrait of Duke Ellington
by Stuart Nicholson (Author)
19. Satchmo Da Satchmo (Da Capo Paperback)
by Louis Armstrong (Author)
20. Beneath the Underdog Beneath the Underdog: His World as Composed by Mingus
by Charles Mingus (Author)
21. Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald: A Biography of the First Lady of Jazz
by Stuart Nicholson (Author)
22. Jazz Anecdotes Jazz Anecdotes: Second Time Around
by Bill Crow (Author)
23. Lady Sings Lady Sings the Blues the 50th Anniversary Edition (Harlem Moon Classics)
by Billie Holiday (Author), William Dufty (Author), David Ritz (Foreword)
24. Visions of Jazz Visions of Jazz: The First Century
by Gary Giddins (Author)
25. Artie Shaw Artie Shaw: His Life and Music (Bayou Jazz Lives Series)
by John White (Author)
Berton's book is number 7 in this list!!!
Albert
This message has been edited by ahaim on Jul 15, 2008 8:21 AM
