Swingin' the Blues - The Virtuosity of Eddie Durham

Volume I. What did Count Basie, Herschel Evans, Lester Young, Mary Lou Williams, The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Glenn Miller, and Charlie Christian share in common? Their careers were massively impacted by the genius of Eddie Durham (1906-1987). The Swingin' The Blues book series chronicles the life, extensive musical contributions, and career of one of the world’s most prolific and influential artists overlooked in the 20th Century. Raised as a Spanish-speaking cowboy in southern Texas by a Native American mother and African-American/Irish father, Eddie Durham is the most important jazz master you've NEVER heard of... His career began in the Southwest circuses. If you remove Eddie from the big-band era equation, the Swing idiom may not have happened. As a performer, he innovated a non-pressure technique on his trombone, amplified his guitar, built his amp, innovated a whammy bar. He was among the first to record on amplified and electric guitar. He was a musician’s musician who pioneered 6-part harmony in his compositions and arrangements and a showman who choreographed brass sections to add visual excitement to the performances. Eddie's charts spawned, and then his charts document the swing era craze. He became the “hit-maker” scouted by promoters and bandleaders, who hired him to be the primary creative force in their bands. He was also Musical Director for several all-girl orchestras. Bandleaders needed him in more ways than they ever admitted, for instance, Durham’s 1939 arrangement of "In The Mood" was inducted into the N.A.R.A.S. Hall of Fame. Eddie Durham’s unique perspective has never been revealed… Until now…Tweet @OfficialDURHAM. Visit EddieDurhamJazz.com for the Youtube Channel, SoundCloud. The Swingin' The Blues Series is self-published. Thank you for your support and your REVIEW on Amazon: Volume 2 - to be released in 2024 Volume 3 - Eddie Durham and The Ladies of Jazz (2023) with 100 photos Volume 4 - Eddie Durham and The Harlem Blues & Jazz Band (2022) with 100 photos on tour