Stereophile: Advertisement for Myself

What’s the point of having a blog if I can’t occasionally indulge in self-promotion? So if you’ll forgive my blatancy for a moment, today marks the official pub date of my new book, 1959: The Year Everything Changed. Unlike my last book, which was entirely about foreign policy, this one actually might be of some interest to the readers of this space, because it covers not just politics but also culture, society, science, sex—as the title suggests, everything. More to the point, there are three chapters (out of 25) that deal explicitly with jazz. (Key jazz albums of 1959 included Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come, and Dave Brubeck’s Time Out.) There’s also a chapter about the creation of Motown (another 1959 phenomenon), and a jazz-blues vibe infuses the whole book.

For reviews, blurbs, excerpts, a schedule of my upcoming appearances, and more, go to my website. To buy the book, click here.

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Reader Comments

Posted Mon Jun22, 2009, 4:46 PM — By Henry Wang

I would think you could pick almost any year musically and cite key albums that changed everything.

Posted Mon Jun22, 2009, 5:37 PM — By Fred Kaplan

First, the book is not entirely about music. Second, read it, then tell me I've got it wrong...Fred

Posted Tue Jun23, 2009, 12:35 PM — By tom g

what about GIANT STEPS & PORTRAIT IN JAZZ? and Lee Konitz / Warne Marsh at the Half Note? TIME OUT is overrated, compared to the newer odd meter stuff it is just ridiculous ... but I really dig Paul Desmond ...

Posted Tue Jun23, 2009, 4:25 PM — By Fred Kaplan

Yes, GIANT STEPS is mentioned, as are Cecil Taylor and a few others. TIME OUT is written about in the context of the Jazz Diplomats' State Department tours, specifically Brubeck's trip to the Middle East and Turkey, and Americans' growing appetite for things foreign....Fred

Posted Tue Jul 7, 2009, 1:41 AM — By Mike

Hi Fred, I've been thinking about '59 quite a bit lately, particularly after hearing Gordon Vernick's (Georgia State Jazz musician/professor) podcast on jazz in ‘59. It's good to see your book is coming out and extending the conversation beyond just the music. I'm currently a PhD student in an English department and thinking of proposing this for a course. This might allow me to send some love your way, as I would most likely use your text. I was wondering if any other novels from this time period come to mind? I'm trying to think of specific books that came out around this time and tied into the other changes in American art/culture but haven't come up with anything yet. Congratulations on the book, I always enjoy reading your insightful posts here as well.

Posted Wed Jul 8, 2009, 12:51 AM — By Fred Kaplan

Thanks much, I appreciate. Novels of that year included Burroughs' "Naked Lunch," Roth's "Goodbye, Columbus," and - most important of all - the debut publication of the uncensored text of D.H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover," as a result of a lawsuit, filed by Grove Press' Barney Rosset, which toppled the nation's obscenity laws. Check it out...Fred

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