Music journalist Friedwald collects his columns published in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Sun between 2003 and 2024 for this exuberant ode to the great jazz pianists. Beginning in turn-of-the-20th century New Orleans, Friedwald spotlights “founding fathers” like Jelly Roll Morton, who proved that jazz could “be written down, annotated, and played by ensembles of any size,” and the lesser-known Earl “Fatha” Hines. From there, Friedwald moves on to such contemporary up-and-comers as Indonesian “wunderkind” Joey Alexander, who mixes “soul and smarts” in his original compositions…. [J]azz devotees…. will be charmed by Friedwald’s lyrical prose (“On ‘Rainy Day,’ Monsieur Solal danced around the tune as though he were darting between the raindrops falling outside on Seventh Avenue”), irrepressible enthusiasm, and keen eye for jazz’s rising stars. The result is a cheerful celebration of a uniquely American musical form. (Nov.)
Nights at the Red Steinway: Adventures in Jazz Piano, from the Wall Street Journal and Elsewhere by Will Friedwald will be published in the English language by Applause Books in November 2024.
Will Friedwald writes about music and popular culture for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Sun, The New York Stage Review, Vanity Fair, Playboy, and other publications. He is also the host of the Saturday morning radio show “Sing! Sing! Sing!” on San Diego’s KSDS. He is the author of ten previous books including the award-winning A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers, Sinatra!: The Song Is You, Stardust Melodies: A Biography of 12 of America’s Most Popular Songs, Tony Bennett: The Good Life, The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums, Straighten Up and Fly Right: The Life and Music of Nat King Cole, and Jazz Singing: America’s Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond. He has written over 600 sets of album liner notes, has received eleven Grammy nominations, and appears frequently on television and in documentaries. He lives in New York City.