Larry Fisher, (1966). Miles Davis and David Liebman - Jazz Connections. Lewiston, NY: The Edwin Mellen Press (distributed by Caris Music: see above). ISBN 0-7734-8771-9), 206 pages, $19.95.
Before you assume that this column is simply devoted to promoting David Liebman, let me hasten to point out that the perspective in this book provides still another dimension of the man, to say nothing of the important material that is added about Miles Davis. In other words, to compare these books is to compare apples and oranges. Fisher is a dedicated and veteran jazz researcher who has assiduously served IAJE as Chair of Research and for the past six years has tirelessly served as the moderator for the annual research sessions that take place during the IAJE conferences. He has long established himself as comfortable and adept in the use of the oral interview process as a basis of his investigation.
In this instance, the interviews took place during three extended sessions. In some ways, this book is a melange: Liebman was clearly strongly influenced by his Davis experiences (indeed, it's hard to imagine anyone who worked with Davis not being dramatically changed by the encounter) so that we get to know both subjects more powerfully and intimately. But the timing of the interviews is crucial as well. For instance, the final segments of the book were developed almost immediately after David died, which allowed both Liebman and Fisher to explore several topics that would have otherwise been off-limits in respect to David. The result is a candid and revealing text that is neither sentimental nor maudlin.
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