Walk Tall: The Music and Life of Julian Cannonball Adderley (Hal Leonard Jazz Biographies) Paperback – February 1, 2013

I loved this book. I found out some things about Cannonball I didn't know. For instance he was a diabetic, I had heard he was a heroin addict and that was not the case, unfortunately for Cannonball he had a huge appetite and his weight definitely did not help him in the end. He was a very intelligent musician and also was very good at interacting with people. I also liked finding out his wife Olga was the woman who played Bill Cosby's sister-in-law in the early 70's Bill Cosby show. They had a good marriage until he passed. You also will find out his dealings with the record companies and how musicians such as Miles Davis and Quincy Jones were involved in his life as well. Although not a autobiography I still found myself a little moved after reading the book as I feel he passed too soon an 47. I guess that is always how one feels when one of the greats passes away at an early time in one's life . Good job by the author in my opinion.

Cannonball Adderley covered the gamut in jazz, from saxophonist and bandleader to producer and educator. Diabetes complicated by poor diet and obesity led to his death at the relatively young age of 46. The author covers all aspects of Adderley's life in just 162 pages of text, not including the basic discography and source list. Among areas covered are his and brother Nat's nurturing childhoods, his fortuitous early success in New York, his association with Miles Davis, the various incarnations of his quintet and the ebb and flow of its popularity related to "hit" songs (Dis Here, Work Song, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, etc.), his positive (Riverside) and negative (Mercury and Capitol) experiences with record companies, his devotion to jazz education, and his support of the civil rights movement. Among the many interesting factoids: his mini-stroke in 1958 at age 30, his nervous breakdown some years later, and his firing of Charles Lloyd on-the-spot at the end of a recording session. The most obvious errors detected include calling Yusef Lateef an avant garde musician, and labeling Alvin Batiste and Ernie Watts rock musicians, as well as misspelling pianist and composer Friedrich Gulda's last name "Gulder." Overall, Adderley admirers should find this bio informative and to-the-point about the tragically shortened career of this highly intelligent, enthusiastically outgoing, and very talented jazz master.

This is an excellent read . . . still reading it and will hate when I'm finished!

Great book, has so much to offer, a must read for any fan of jazz, brotherly love, and Black History.

This is s good beginners guide to the music of Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, Nothing very new is revealed here but the book is still a valuable source of information on someone who was one of the greatest voices of alto saxophone and arguably one of the best bandleaders ever. Adderley was also an educator and one wishes he had lived much longer as his influence and his personality is much needed in today's Jazz scene.

It's good to finally have a biography of the great Cannonball Adderley. It's strength is that through the collaboration of Cannonball's wife Olga and former associate David Axelrod there is perspective on the man that is not available elsewhere.What's missing is a musical analysis of what made Cannonball great. It's one thing to survey the man's recorded output and describe the commercial success of each project. It would be quite another to have musicians explain Cannonball's essential position as an instrumental stylist. Cannonball Adderley's hits have long ago come and gone, but his contribution to musical vocabulary will long remain a part of American music.

Cannonball thank you! Your music lives on in all of us sax players. You led the way to keep the soul flowing through time.

Very few Cannonball bio's out there. This was a quick, easy read that any Cannon-fan ought to read.

As a modern jazz fan and amateur musician growing up in the post-Parker period the recordings of Julian Adderley were an inspiration to many. Now with the easy availability of his 'back-catalogue' (Real Gone Jazz Records - available from Amazon!) I have the luxury of a detailed and interesting biog to go along with my re-listening sessions. An excellent book, highly recommended.

Bon livre pour un fan de cannonball comme moi mais bcp de choses deja connues car reprises des pochettes de disques et tres nettement moins bon que le Miles:the autobiography qui decrit beaucoup mieux l evolution du jazz et le virage be-bop ainsi que la vie des musiciens et des noirs en particulier a cette epoque.

Considering that Cannonball Adderley died in 1975, it's taken a long time for this biography to appear. And because this book appears so long after Cannonball's death, Cary Ginell has had to rely for his information mainly on published archive sources and less on having access to people who knew Cannonball and are still alive themselves. Fortunately, Cannonball's wife Olga, David Axelrod, Yusef Lateef and Roy McCurdy were available for interview.Unlike "Dis Here" (Chris Sheridan) or the Cannonball Adderley website, both of which deal almost exclusively with Adderley's recorded work, this book provides a broad picture of Cannonball's development from his early days in Florida through the various changes his career took and finally to his untimely death. Having been a fan of Adderley's since the sixties I found this book very informative, filling in some of the details of his later life of which I was not aware and the background to his health problems which dogged him throughout his life.Personally, I prefer the recordings that Cannonball made for Riverside Records and it's saddening to read how little his other recording companies did for him even though his "greatest hit" (Mercy, Mercy, Mercy) appeared on the Capitol label. I think that the relationship which Cannonball built with Orrin Keepnews of Riverside Records must have been artistically satisfying for both men. Cannonball's important contribution to the Miles Davis album "Kind of Blue" would have been enough to seal his fame but Cannonball went on to become a great artist in his own right.I can certainly recommend this book.

Excellent, exactly what it says on the cover! The listing of Cannonball’s recordings is invaluable.

Birthday present for me; I`m sure it will be a good read.