The Baby Dodds Story: As Told to Larry Gara (PB) (2003)

Born in New Orleans in 1894, Warren "Baby" Dodds became one of the greatest drummers of that city's early jazz tradition. This lively autobiography, first published more than 30 years ago and long unavailable, is the result of a series of interviews Dodds taped with Larry Gara a few years before his death in 1959. With disarming candor, Dodds recalls his remarkable musical career, which spanned more than four decades and took him from New Orleans' famed Storyville district to Mississippi riverboats, to Chicago and New York. Dodds performed and recorded with some of the most famous musicians of his time - King Oliver, Kid Ory, Bunk Johnson, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet, among others - and his recollections of these men and the music they created add much to our knowledge of jazz history. Dodds also discusses his own style and philosophy of music, revealing himself as a dedicated artist who placed a high value on craftsmanship, versatility and originality, and whose love of the jazz world never waned. Features 12 pages of photos and a Dodds discography.