Rhythm in the Rain: Jazz in the Pacific Northwest

by Lynn Darroch, George Colligan (Foreword by)

Overview

Rhythm in the Rain is a nonfiction narrative about the jazz community in the Pacific Northwest that examines the people, places, and events that have made cities like Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, so popular among musicians. From the genesis of Jackson Street and Williams Avenue in the 1940s & '50s with such legends as Ray Charles and Quincy Jones, to the modern voices of George Colligan, Rebecca Kilgore, and Esperanza Spalding, this book aims to encompass and illuminate the rich musical history of a region that, while not widely recognized as a jazz mecca, has seen its relevance within the local community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781932010817
Publisher:	Ooligan Press
Publication date:	02/08/2016
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Lynn Darroch has written extensively about jazz for The Oregonian, Jazz Times, and Willamette Week, and has contributed to the books The Guide to United States Popular Culture and Jumptown: The Golden Years of Portland Jazz, 1942–1957. His script for “The Incredible Journey of Jazz” is performed yearly in area schools, and his stories about jazz history—told to the accompaniment of live music—are collected in three albums: Jazz Stories: Heroes of the Americas (2006), Beyond the Border—Stories of the Latin World (2008), and Local Heroes/American Originals (2009). Currently, Darroch hosts the weekly jazz radio show "Bright Moments!" and edits and produces the monthly magazine Jazzscene. Having lived up and down the West Coast, he has called Portland, Oregon, home since 1979.

Table of Contents

Introduction. We Live Here Chapter 1. From Frontier to Jazz Mecca Chapter 2. 1940s and ’50s — Jackson Street and Williams Avenue Chapter 3. 1963 − 1972 — The Dark Ages Chapter 4. 1973 − 1982 — The Renaissance Chapter 5. 1983 − 1992 — Big Changes Chapter 6. 1993 − 1998 — A Rising Tide Chapter 7. 1999 − 2007 — Boom times Chapter 8. 2008 ­ present — Freedom on the Margins Chapter 9. An Uncertain Future — Quo Vadis Jazz?