March 5, 2007: Organizing Research

Luther’s papers archived at the Schomburg Center are organized in four categories:

1. Personal Papers filling 8 archival storage boxes with file labels such as Ephemera, Household, Family Correspondence, Appointment Books, etc.
2. Production papers placed in larger cartons with legal size manila folders each labeled with the name of a show – starting with Broadway, then off-B’way/ regional, unproduced special concerts, television, dance, films, industrials, recordings, and finally shows for individual artists.
3. Photographs
4. Musical Scores

On my first trip to New York last September, over a three-day period, I tried various methods of note taking

• Typing directly into my laptop
• Typing into my palm with small wireless keyboard
• And dictating sotto voce into a Sony minidisc recorder

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February 15, 2007

One of the things on my mind during these last few weeks is the similarity between the work of a psychotherapist and that of a biographer. I mentioned it on my blog (February 10th), but for those of you who might not have seen it, I paraphrase:

…not only the reconstruction of a life, but also the nature of the relationship between biographer and subjects/sources and the complexities of transference and counter-transference. While in NY earlier this month I was discussing biography with an psychoanalyst friend and she said “hmmm, that’s a lot like the work that I do.” Then a few nights ago I had a conversation with a writer friend who is also a therapist and he agreed that there were similarities between the work of therapist and biographer. Okay, this is not a giant revelation; apparently it was not even a new thought to me, but one that had slipped my mind. So, just to be sure I was paying attention, the universe sent me another reminder message yesterday. While reviewing my note files, I came across an excerpted quote taken from an August 2000 newspaper article, “Writing from the Heart but Drawing on the Mind,” about novelist Amy Bloom. She said, “Some of the traits that led me to be a psychotherapist are the ones I find in myself as a writer. I’ve spent a lot of time listening to people, and I’m endlessly intrigued by relationships, particularly the gap between what people say and what they truly feel, and the gap between what they do and what they really want.” One might be able to ignore a one-two punch, but this thought has now come up three times in ten days, so I had best pay attention.

I am paying attention now.

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October 1, 2006: New York Bound

I have been waiting patiently for many many months and the time is now at hand. More than seventeen years ago, Luther Henderson donated a treasure trove of his personal papers to the Schomburg Library. Unfortunately, as is the case with many public institutions, they did not have the resources to catalogue Luther’s archives, so his papers sat in storage for all these years. A year ago I offered to document everything I saw if they would let me go through the boxes, but they demurred, probably due to my lack of a degree in library sciences. When Mrs. Henderson learned that Luther’s materials were not available to researchers, she expressed her dismay, and suddenly resources were found and applied to the project. Two archivists were hired, and they finally completed their task just last month. In the next day or two I will book my flight and sometime during the next few weeks I’ll get my first look at some of his older files.

The Schomburg is located in Harlem, so time and weather permitting, I’ll plan to take a walk to see the neighborhood and buildings that Luther frequented in the early days. Of course everything has changed, but we’ll see what, if anything, is still standing.

September 25, 2006: Preliminary Notes

Most jazz biographies are about performers — singers and instrumentalists. Not only are they usually more famous than, say, arrangers or recording engineers, but their work is something that the public understands. Some composers become famous enough to merit a biography (even a movie) – think Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin… — but not often does an arranger get the spot light. Still there are a few including Peter Levinson’s “September in the Rain : The Life of Nelson Riddle” and Stephanie Stein Crease’s “Gil Evans: Out of the Cool“). One of the many challenges I face is how to give the reader a real understanding of the nuances of musical creativity, defining the fine lines between writing a melody, hearing a harmony, arranging for appropriate instruments, developing themes, orchestrating, composing, and re-imagining.

I have already completed the preliminary research and book proposal for Seeking Harmony, which Scarecrow Press has slated for publication in 2008. But I will flash back so you can appreciate the full journey. Here’s the most basic sequence of steps:

Look for the story

Assemble the basic chronology

Write proposal

Conduct research and interviews

Deepen the chronology and create lists of people and events themes and issues

Chapter outline – identify the conflicts

Consider the best approach. point-of-view, and voice for the story

Write and rewrite drafts

Edit drafts and “polish”

This may seem like a sequential list, but the process is never strictly linear. To begin with, I had to do a significant amount of research just to assemble the initial chronology of Luther’s life. I say “initial” for two reasons. First, because it is not by any means complete. And second, even when it becomes more complete, it will only be a timeline from which I will select what is to be included in the story and what will not make the cut.

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