Reading a very well written and researched biography on Jon Hiseman published recently and  co-authored by fellow PA member Martyn Hanson. Just over half way through but discovered a completeness combined with a lightness of touch that has me moving through and absorbing the book really easily.  Any others got this yet? Full review in a couple of week's time.

Formentera Lady wrote: it's littered with unreadable signatures,

Hey, I see you're new here.... welcome...

londonjazzer wrote: Sure thing Sean...wasn't too sure that wouldn't be a bit too blatant a plug!   Here you go: You can order through Jon's website: http://www.temple-music.com/ or direct from the online shop @   http://www.cka-net.com/acatalog/Temple_Music_Books.html My blogsite also has some stuff on it.  It's @ colinrichardsonjazz.typepad.com  and thanks for the friendly welcome.

Dick Heath wrote: Formentera Lady wrote: it's littered with unreadable signatures,     Please explain.     I will certainly write a review for PA once I've completed reading the book.

I mean, I bought the book at the concert and let all six of them sign it.

The United Jazz And Rock Ensemble definitely deserve a lot more attention. They suffer from the problem that for a long time their albums were only available from 2001, a small shop chain with shops in Frankfurt, Cologne and Hamburg. But they were a fantastic abnd, as these videos prove:



I grew up with that band, in a way; they first appeared in a TV sitcom named "Goldener Sonntag" ("Goilden Sunday"), which was quite popular in Germany in the late 70s and was shown, you guessed, on Sundays at 11 am.. The sitcom had an interesting concept; it was played live, and the actors all called each other by their real first names. And at one point in each episode someone would switch on the TV, where the United Jazz And Rock Ensemble played one track live, and after that the TV was switched off again. The band did not have a name back then, and they were not always exac tly the same musicians, but when the TV-show turned out to be so popular the band finally was formed.


Edited by BaldFriede - November 12 2010 at 13:16

I hadn't heard about this TV programme...the first mention that Jon Hiseman makes is when they were recording 'Rockpalast' for WDR.  The reaction to these appearances was so good that they decided to play some live gigs...and the rest is (jazz/rock) history.
LJ

Edited by londonjazzer - December 24 2010 at 11:43

Check out my Amazon review on the best and most insightful biography I've read on the rock/blues/jazz (aka jazz rock fusion) musician(s) I've read in a very long time:

I was very impressed by this entertaining and informative biography of one the greats of British jazz and jazz fusion, Jon Hiseman. While not quite 'warts and all', we do get a clear sense of the author standing back to analyse the various periods and changes in Hiseman’s musical life, helped in no small way by his having the opportunity to talk and tease out all the background details with many of the key players in his musical history. While this book is relatively long, there no sense of overdoing things to a point of tedium – space is made to describe and discuss events and developments. For these reasons, you will find more clarity and understanding of what makes Jon Hiseman and his long-term colleagues tick, than found in most published musical biographies. If there were any major regrets by any of the former members of Hiseman’s bands, they aren't obvious, but rather more hinted at by a sense of omission. Indeed, the honesty of  the text makes quite clear which players were hired and fired, but who then invariably speak of their time with Hiseman as being formative and/or educational. Later reunions clearly show that any bitterness was short-lived or even non-existent.  Indeed, the most critical of his role here is Jon Hiseman himself, but nevertheless Jon comes across as a comparatively nice guy – albeit somewhat hard-nosed and self-critical, but certainly as a survivor in the tough business of fusing jazz, rock and blues.

 

I did start to think at one point, that author Hanson was going to over-do Colosseum’s original 3 year period, but with 400 plus pages of text in total, there is no shortage of detail about all the other bands forming Hiseman's musical family tree, with plenty to mull over with respect to the post-1972 years . There are  individual, but interconnected histories of Colosseum, Tempest, Colosseum 2, Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia as well as the Hiseman family business. This is not just the story of Jon Hiseman alone. In one sense, the neat, continual use of thumb-nail biogs of the key players reinforces the importance of each and every one of Hiseman’s bands, both to the author and Hiseman himself. In one particular area of importance we get to understand why Jon & Co. turned to Europe, achieving far more accolades and a large fan base here than in North America: Europe’s gain is America big, big loss.

So, I am pleased to report that this is one of the most comprehensive rock/jazz/(blues) biographies I’ve read in respect of its completeness and balance, due in no small part, I'm sure, to the access Martin Hanson had to the main players and, more importantly, their enthusiastic willingness to talk honestly and openly to him.  Thus you are getting the real deal, from the collective horses’ mouths, so to speak. All-in-all, this biography has a freshness, which clearly comes from the author’s enthusiasm for Hiseman and his music, but without any fawning or gratuitous flattery. I have to add the book is extremely readable – I can’t recall at any time flicking through any dull pages attempting to seek  something more readable. Finally, I also have a sense of being brought right up to 2010 in the company of musicians who are still working hard and making music that is still very much alive and relevant today.

Nice sentiments, Dale.  I will pass them on to Jon.  You are not the only one to have experienced Jon's generous spirit.  He has always supported fellow-musicians over the years and is always patient and responsive with his fans. In fact he is a total antithesis to the archetypal ego-driven 'star'.