This portrait of jazz musicians Willie Ruff and Dwike Mitchell tells not just how these men became musicians but how they live their lives as musicians-how they give the gift of jazz to communities that would otherwise not have access to this powerful music. Born into Southern homes long before the civil rights era began, Ruff and Mitchell became successful musicians with degrees from two of the country's most elite conservatories. Mitchell & Ruff follows the musicians to Shanghai, where they bring jazz to China; to the Midwest, where they demonstrate their talents to audiences usually ignored by musicians; to New York City, where Mitchell teaches a new generation of talented but untrained musicians; and to Venice, where Ruff travels back to the roots of Western music in order to understand jazz's legacy.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
an overlooked classic:
This book is a masterpiece. Zinnser delivers what is perhaps the archetypical story of the development of serious American artists. Zinnser is one of the most talented and overlooked writers, and he tells the story of Mitchell and Ruff with humor, clarity, and intelligence. If most books about jazz and jazz musicians were this good, we'd have a whole subset of profound literature based on the music, but unfortunately, Zinnser's book is a rare gem. Dwike Mitchell and Willie Ruff couldn't have hoped for a... more info
Willie, Dwike and Zinsser:
I am a big fan of Zinsser and the child of a big band sax man so had to read Willie and Dwike. Willie and Dwike (the earlier, out -of -print edition of this book) is the life stories of two amazing and brilliant musicians and the author who shadows them as they travel to foreign countries and small towns across the U.S. Throughout, Zinsser conveys the great minds, quiet dignity and incredible musicianship of these men so dedicated to their art - the art of jazz. It is a delightful read! A must read if you... more info
Not Just for Jazz Fans:
Get this book! Zinsser is a fabulous writer. You will be moved and enthralled by the story of these gifted and dedicated men. The author's description of Ruff explaining the concept of musical improvisation to a Chinese audience is unforgetable. I think this is a re-issue of Willie & Dwyke (1984), now out of print.
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