Chuck Israels Publishes “Bass Notes: Jazz In American Culture”
Chuck Israels has seen a lot during his lifetime and he’s sharing his insights in a new book called Bass Notes: Jazz in American Culture: A Personal View. The bassist is probably best known for his role in the Bill Evans Trio (in which he replaced Scott LaFaro), but his incredible career includes collaborations with Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Judy Collins, and many more. And that’s not to mention his extensive discography as a leader.
More than a retelling of his career, the 240-page book is also described as a “meditation on the history of jazz music and its prospects for the future.” Israels gives his take on the magic that takes place when jazz musicians play together and how the genre changed American culture- and itself.
“Citing such developments as the dominance of conservatory training and ill-advised crossover attempts with classical and pop, he also gives an impassioned but unsentimental account of how jazz lost its primacy in the pantheon of American music, even though it is America’s most distinctive contribution to world music,” the book’s description states. “He explores the obstacles that today’s best young jazz musicians face following the giants of earlier generations and the dwindling opportunities to make a living as a musician. But despite it all, Israels argues that jazz’s enduring and rich legacy will not be lost and shows how it can be not just sustained but broadened in the years to come.”
Bass Notes: Jazz in American Culture is available now in hardcover and Kindle editions.
Check out a vintage clip of Israels with Bill Evans performing “Come Rain or Come Shine”:
