It's about That Time: Miles Davis on and Off Record - Hardcover

"A fascinating new portrait of the protean horn man, which offers detailed and perceptive analysis of the trumpeter's key albums."--Charles Waring, Mojo
"Outstanding."--David Isaacson, Word
"The real reasons why there was never anyone cooler than Miles becomes clear."--Observer
"Valuable a systematic and comprehensive examination of Davis's recordings, objective to a fault as Cook unpicks them and engages in a sustained exercise of close listening which reveals Davis's creations not to float serenely above and apart from his turbulent life, but very much subject to the
circumstances in which they were made the author's manifest expertise and anecdotal knowledge make him an extremely reliable guide through Davis's back catalogue. It's About That Time is suitable both for those entirely new to Davis or those steeped in him."--David Stubbs, Wire
"Cook characteristically shines a light into unconsidered corners and magnifies details to reveal the key importance of what might otherwise seem minor gestures This book will not only make tyros want to hear the records, but will send Antediluvian Davis admirers like me rushing to remind ourselves
of forgotten minutiae, weigh our assessments against Cook's, or just savour favourite moments again. Big fun!"--Barry Witherden, BBC Music Magazine
"It's hard to imagine a more ideal writer for this projectIt's About That Time brings fresh insight to a lifetime of music and can help even a longtime connoisseur hear it in a whole new way."--Steve Greenlee, The Boston Globe
"Cook hangs It's About Time on his own bandstand-cozy judgements, which are nearly as colorful as the late Whitney Balliett's and as impassioned as Gary Giddins'."--Jay Harvey, The Indianapolis Star
"A fascinating new portrait of the protean horn man, which offers detailed and perceptive analysis of the trumpeter's key albums."--Charles Waring, Mojo
"Outstanding."--David Isaacson, Word
"The real reasons why there was never anyone cooler than Miles becomes clear."--Observer
"Valuable a systematic and comprehensive examination of Davis's recordings, objective to a fault as Cook unpicks them and engages in a sustained exercise of close listening which reveals Davis's creations not to float serenely above and apart from his turbulent life, but very much subject to the
circumstances in which they were made the author's manifest expertise and anecdotal knowledge make him an extremely reliable guide through Davis's back catalogue. It's About That Time is suitable both for those entirely new to Davis or those steeped in him."--David Stubbs, Wire
"Cook characteristically shines a light into unconsidered corners and magnifies details to reveal the key importance of what might otherwise seem minor gestures This book will not only make tyros want to hear the records, but will send Antediluvian Davis admirers like me rushing to remind ourselves
of forgotten minutiae, weigh our assessments against Cook's, or just savour favourite moments again. Bigfun!"--Barry Witherden, BBC Music Magazine
"Cook is a jazz expert who scrutinizes 14 key recordings by the great trumpeter-composer. Along the way, readers get an insider's view of Davis the private man." --Allen Pierleoni, Sacramento Bee
"Cook's strength is wittily showing, with lots of fresh observations, how Davis's music was a continual journey."--New York Sun
"A worthy overview of his career and music."--New York Sun
"It's hard to imagine a more ideal writer for this projectIt's About That Time brings fresh insight to a lifetime of music and can help even a longtime connoisseur hear it in a whole new way."--Steve Greenlee, The Boston Globe
"Considering its scope, About That Time is a fast and breezy read."--New York Sun
"Cook hangs It's About Time on his own bandstand-cozy judgements, which are nearly as colorful as the late Whitney Balliett's and as impassioned as Gary Giddins'."--Jay Harvey, The Indianapolis Star
"A fascinating new portrait of the protean horn man, which offers detailed and perceptive analysis of the trumpeter's key albums."--Charles Waring, Mojo
"Outstanding."--David Isaacson, Word
"The real reasons why there was never anyone cooler than Miles becomes clear."--Observer
"Valuable a systematic and comprehensive examination of Davis's recordings, objective to a fault as Cook unpicks them and engages in a sustained exercise of close listening which reveals Davis's creations not to float serenely above and apart from his turbulent life, but very much subject to the
circumstances in which they were made the author's manifest expertise and anecdotal knowledge make him an extremely reliable guide through Davis's back catalogue. It's About That Time is suitable both for those entirely new to Davis or those steeped in him."--David Stubbs, Wire
"Cook characteristically shines a light into unconsidered corners and magnifies details to reveal the key importance of what mightotherwise seem minor gestures This book will not only make tyros want to hear the records, but will send Antediluvian Davis admirers like me rushing to remind ourselves
of forgotten minutiae, weigh our assessments against Cook's, or just savour favourite moments again. Big fun!"--Barry Witherden, BBC Music Magazine
"Cook is a jazz expert who scrutinizes 14 key recordings by the great trumpeter-composer. Along the way, readers get an insider's view of Davis the private man." --Allen Pierleoni, Sacramento Bee
"Few authors capture the mystery of improvised music as succinctly as British critic Richard Cook."--Matthew Lurie, Time Out: Chicago
"Cook's strength is wittily showing, with lots of fresh observations, how Davis's music was a continual journey."--New York Sun
"A worthy overview of his career and music."--New York Sun
"It's hard to imagine a more ideal writer for this projectIt's About That Time brings fresh insight to a lifetime of music and can help even a longtime connoisseur hear it in a whole new way."--Steve Greenlee, The Boston Globe
"Considering its scope, About That Time is a fast and breezy read."--New York Sun
"Cook hangs It's About Time on his own bandstand-cozy judgements, which are nearly as colorful as the late Whitney Balliett's and as impassioned as Gary Giddins'."--Jay Harvey, The Indianapolis Star
"A fascinating new portrait of the protean horn man, which offers detailed and perceptive analysis of the trumpeter's key albums."--Charles Waring, Mojo
"Outstanding."--David Isaacson, Word
"The real reasons why there was never anyone cooler than Miles becomes clear."--Observer
"Valuable a systematic and comprehensive examination of Davis's recordings, objective to a fault as Cook unpicks them and engages in a sustained exercise of close listening which reveals Davis's creations not to float serenely above and apart from his turbulent life, but very much subject to the
circumstances in which they were made the author's manifest expertise and anecdotal knowledge make him an extremely reliable guide through Davis's back catalogue. It's About That Time is suitable both for those entirely new to Davis or those steeped in him."--David Stubbs, Wire
"Cook characteristically shines a light into unconsidered corners and magnifies details to reveal the key importance of what might otherwise seem minor gestures This book will not only make tyros want to hear the records, but will send Antediluvian Davis admirers like me rushing to remind ourselves
of forgotten minutiae, weigh our assessments against Cook's, or just savour favourite moments again. Big fun!"--Barry Witherden, BBC Music Magazine
"Cook is a jazz expert who scrutinizes 14 key recordings by the great trumpeter-composer. Along the way, readers get an insider's view of Davis the private man." --Allen Pierleoni, Sacramento Bee
"Few authors capture the mystery of improvised music as succinctly as British critic Richard Cook."--Matthew Lurie, Time Out: Chicago
"Cook's strength is wittily showing, with lots of fresh observations, how Davis's music was a continual journey."--New York Sun
"A worthy overview of his career and music."--New York Sun
"It's hard to imagine a more ideal writer for this projectIt's About That Time brings fresh insight to a lifetime of music and can help even a longtime connoisseur hear it in a whole new way."--Steve Greenlee, The Boston Globe
"Considering its scope, About That Time is a fast and breezy read."--New York Sun
"Cook hangs It's About Time on his own bandstand-cozy judgements, which are nearly as colorful as the late Whitney Balliett's and as impassioned as Gary Giddins'."--Jay Harvey, The Indianapolis Star
"A fascinating new portrait of the protean horn man, which offers detailed and perceptive analysis of the trumpeter's key albums."--Charles Waring, Mojo
"Outstanding."--David Isaacson, Word
"The real reasons why there was never anyone cooler than Miles becomes clear."--Observer
"Valuable a systematic and comprehensive examination of Davis's recordings, objective to a fault as Cook unpicks them and engages in a sustained exercise of close listening which reveals Davis's creations not to float serenely above and apart from his turbulent life, but very much subject to the
circumstances in which they were made the author's manifest expertise and anecdotal knowledge make him an extremely reliable guide through Davis's back catalogue. It's About That Time is suitable both for thoseentirely new to Davis or those steeped in him."--David Stubbs, Wire
"Cook characteristically shines a light into unconsidered corners and magnifies details to reveal the key importance of what might otherwise seem minor gestures This book will not only make tyros want to hear the records, but will send Antediluvian Davis admirers like me rushing to remind ourselves
of forgotten minutiae, weigh our assessments against Cook's, or just savour favourite moments again. Big fun!"--Barry Witherden, BBC Music Magazine
"Cook is a jazz expert who scrutinizes 14 key recordings by the great trumpeter-composer. Along the way, readers get an insider's view of Davis the private man." --Allen Pierleoni, Sacramento Bee
"Few authors capture the mystery of improvised music as succinctly as British critic Richard Cook."--Matthew Lurie, Time Out: Chicago
"Cook's strength is wittily showing, with lots of fresh observations, how Davis's music was a continual journey."--New York Sun
"A worthy overview of his career and music."--New York Sun
"It's hard to imagine a more ideal writer for this projectIt's About That Time brings fresh insight to a lifetime of music and can help even a longtime connoisseur hear it in a whole new way."--Steve Greenlee, The Boston Globe
"Considering its scope, About That Time is a fast and breezy read."--New York Sun
"Cook hangs It's About Time on his own bandstand-cozy judgements, which are nearly as colorful as the late Whitney Balliett's and as impassioned as Gary Giddins'."--Jay Harvey, The Indianapolis Star
"A fascinating new portrait of the protean horn man, which offers detailed and perceptive analysis of the trumpeter's key albums."--Charles Waring, Mojo
"Outstanding."--David Isaacson, Word
"The real reasons why there was never anyone cooler than Miles becomes clear."--Observer
"Valuable a systematic and comprehensive examination of Davis's recordings, objective to a fault as Cook unpicks them and engages in a sustained exercise of close listening which reveals Davis's creations not to float serenely above and apart from his turbulent life, but very much subject to the
circumstances in which they were made the author's manifest expertise and anecdotal knowledge make him an extremely reliable guide through Davis's back catalogue. It's About That Time is suitable both for thoseentirely new to Davis or those steeped in him."--David Stubbs, Wire
"Cook characteristically shines a light into unconsidered corners and magnifies details to reveal the key importance of what might otherwise seem minor gestures This book will not only make tyros want to hear the records, but will send Antediluvian Davis admirers like me rushing to remind ourselves
of forgotten minutiae, weigh our assessments against Cook's, or just savour favourite moments again. Big fun!"--Barry Witherden, BBC Music Magazine
"Cook is a jazz expert who scrutinizes 14 key recordings by the great trumpeter-composer. Along the way, readers get an insider's view of Davis the private man." --Allen Pierleoni, Sacramento Bee
"Few authors capture the mystery of improvised music as succinctly as British critic Richard Cook."--Matthew Lurie, Time Out: Chicago
"Cook's strength is wittily showing, with lots of fresh observations, how Davis's music was a continual journey."--New York Sun
"A worthy overview of his career and music."--New York Sun
"It's hard to imagine a more ideal writer for this projectIt's About That Time brings fresh insight to a lifetime of music and can help even a longtime connoisseur hear it in a whole new way."--Steve Greenlee, The Boston Globe
"Considering its scope, About That Time is a fast and breezy read."--New York Sun
"Cook hangs It's About Time on his own bandstand-cozy judgements, which are nearly as colorful as the late Whitney Balliett's and as impassioned as Gary Giddins'."--Jay Harvey, The Indianapolis Star
"A fascinating new portrait of the protean horn man, which offers detailed and perceptive analysis of the trumpeter's key albums."--Charles Waring, Mojo
"Outstanding."--David Isaacson, Word
"The real reasons why there was never anyone cooler than Miles becomes clear."--Observer
"Valuable a systematic and comprehensive examination of Davis's recordings, objective to a fault as Cook unpicks them and engages in a sustained exercise of close listening which reveals Davis's creations not to float serenely above and apart from his turbulent life, but very much subject to the circumstances in which they were made the author's manifest expertise and anecdotal knowledge make him an extremely reliable guide through Davis's back catalogue. It's About That Time is suitable both for those entirely new to Davis or those steeped in him."--DavidStubbs, Wire
"Cook characteristically shines a light into unconsidered corners and magnifies details to reveal the key importance of what might otherwise seem minor gestures This book will not only make tyros want to hear the records, but will send Antediluvian Davis admirers like me rushing to remind ourselves of forgotten minutiae, weigh our assessments against Cook's, or just savour favourite moments again. Big fun!"--Barry Witherden, BBC Music Magazine
"Cook is a jazz expert who scrutinizes 14 key recordings by the great trumpeter-composer. Along the way, readers get an insider's view of Davis the private man." --Allen Pierleoni, Sacramento Bee
"Though he didn't set out to write the definitive take on Miles Davis's discography, jezz expert Cook has done just that.... Cook's thoughtful, illuminating criticism and boundless knowledge of his subject make this a rich and satisfying read for jazz aficionados and novices alike."--Publishers Weekly [starred review]
"Few authors capture the mystery of improvised music as succinctly as British critic Richard Cook."--Matthew Lurie, Time Out: Chicago
"Cook's strength is wittily showing, with lots of fresh observations, how Davis's music was a continual journey."--New York Sun
"A worthy overview of his career and music."--New York Sun
"It's hard to imagine a more ideal writer for this projectIt's About That Time brings fresh insight to a lifetime of music and can help even a longtime connoisseur hear it in a whole new way."--Steve Greenlee, The Boston Globe
"Considering its scope, About That Time is a fast and breezy read."--New York Sun

An engaging portrait of the life and work of jazz great Miles Davis traces his career through the window of fourteen important albums recorded by Davis, illuminating each in terms of their contribution to Davis's evolution as a musician, composer, and group leader, as well as relating them to wider currents in contemporary music and the events in Davis's life.