{"product_id":"concerto-for-cootie-the-life-and-times-of-cootie-williams-paperback","title":"Concerto for Cootie: The Life and Times of Cootie Williams - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eSteven C. Bowie\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJazz legend Cootie Williams left home to start his career as a professional musician at the age of fifteen. In 1940, after eleven years as one of the major soloists with the Duke Ellington orchestra, Williams was lured away to the band of Benny Goodman, one of the most popular bands in the country. At the time, it was a controversial move--it was still taboo for African Americans to share the bandstand with white people. Current references reduce it to a song written by Raymond Scott, \"When Cootie Left the Duke.\" In reality, it was a seismic event. The Black press predicted Black bands would collapse from raids on their ranks. White musicians were afraid they would be put out of work. And the white press stirred up visions of Black musicians mixing with white women in the new landscape of integrated orchestras. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe twenty years trumpeter Williams spent as a band leader (1942-1962) have been covered in only the barest of details. His involvement in politics and the civil rights movement have not been detailed before. An astute talent scout, Williams and his band launched the careers of Eddie \"Cleanhead\" Vinson, Earl \"Bud\" Powell, Eddie \"Lockjaw\" Davis, and Pearl Bailey. He also was the first to record the music of a young Thelonious Monk, using two of Monk's compositions (\"Epistrophy\" and \"'Round Midnight\") as theme songs for his band. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Steven C. Bowie respectfully tells Williams's story, from his Alabama ancestry onward, including many new details rediscovered from the historical archives of the African American press and those gleaned from the author's interviews with his friends and colleagues.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSteven C. Bowie\u003c\/b\u003e curates and hosts the Duke Ellington-themed podcast \u003ci\u003eEllington Reflections\u003c\/i\u003e. He has presented papers on Cootie Williams and Kenny Burrell for conferences held by the Duke Ellington Society of Sweden and written articles for \u003ci\u003eDownBeat\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eJazz Improv\u003c\/i\u003e magazines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 456\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.02 x 9.21 x 6.14 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 24, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47500637962493,"sku":"9781496859440","price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/3414\/0157\/files\/NACZyNPgDX9781496859440.webp?v=1778028922","url":"https:\/\/booktolia.com\/products\/concerto-for-cootie-the-life-and-times-of-cootie-williams-paperback","provider":"booktolia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}