A ²¤ÂÜÊÓƵ University Press book of photographs of jazz music greats combined with the life story of the late bassist and photographer was named the best jazz book of 2008 by .
About 450 writers, photographers, broadcasters and new media entrepreneurs voted Playing the Changes: Milt Hinton’s Life in Stories and Photographs the best jazz book of 2008 and also posthumously awarded Hinton the Lona Foote-Bob Parent Photography Award. The Jazz Journalists Association Awards were announced on Wednesday in
New York City.
"²¤ÂÜÊÓƵ University Press is delighted with the recognition from the jazz journalists, the most knowledgeable critics in the business, for this magnificent book that covers the whole history of jazz through Milt Hinton’s eye and voice," said Michael Ames, director of ²¤ÂÜÊÓƵ University Press.
Playing the Changes, by Hinton, David G. Berger and Holly Maxson, was published in January. It contains photographs of icons including Billie Holiday and Cab Calloway and stories from Hinton’s life as a musician including the witnessing of a lynching in
Mississippi, working for Al Capone and helping to break the color line in the recording studio.
"When I look at Milt Hinton’s great photographs in Playing the Changes, it is like viewing a grand retrospective of the musicians I have known in my life," said jazz musician Dave Brubeck. "His fascinating stories add special meaning to these extraordinary photographs."
For more information go to the ²¤ÂÜÊÓƵ University Press website at .
For more information on The Jazz Journalists Association, go to .
Media Contact: Jim Patterson (615) 322-NEWS
jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu