David Baker

A Living Jazz Legend, musician and composer David Baker has made a distinctive mark on the world of music in his nearly 60-year career -- as player (chiefly on trombone and cello), composer, and educator. In this richly illustrated volume, Monika Herzig explores Baker's artistic legacy, from his days as a jazz musician in Indianapolis to his long-term gig as Distinguished Professor of Music at Indiana University and Chairman of the Jazz Studies department that he founded. Baker's credits are striking; in the 1960s he was a member of George Russell's "out there" sextet and orchestra; by the 1980s he was in the jazz educator's hall of fame. His compositions have been recorded by performers as diverse as Dexter Gordon and Janos Starker, the Composer's String Quartet and the Czech Philharmonic. Featuring enlightening interviews with Baker and an in-depth look into each facet of his career, this book brings a jazz legend into clear view.