A Companion to Jazz Interpretations of Porgy and Bess is now available as a paperback and eBook exclusively through Amazon.com. Just enter my name in the search box under “Books.” With so much of this music now available on YouTube you’ll be able to listen to the music while you read the commentaries.
Here are the details:
A Prologue, Preface, Introduction and Epilogue plus 32 chapters by a variety of Jazz authors documenting Jazz interpretations of the folk-opera Porgy and Bess, one of America’s great cultural achievements, including those by Bethlehem Records, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Gil Evans and Miles Davis, Bob Crosby, Oscar Peterson’s Trio, Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass, Hank Jones, Paolo Fresu, Diahann Carroll, The Jim Cullum Band, Rex Stewart and Cootie Williams, Ralph Burns, Mundell Lowe, Joe Henderson, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Bill Potts, Clark Terry, Nueva Manteca, Eddy Louiss, Phil Woods, Buddy Collette, Sammy Davis Jr. and Carmen McRae, Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue by Hollis Alpert, pp. 8-14
Preface - The Embryonic Beginnings and Flavor of the Times by Hollis Alpert, pp. 15-37
Introduction to A Companion of Jazz Interpretations of Porgy and Bess - Steven A. Cerra, pp. 38-43
Chapter 1. The Bethlehem Records Release of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess by J.F. Quinn, Joseph Laredo and Art Hilgart, pp. 44-70
Chapter 2. Porgy and Bess - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Lawrence D. Stewart, pp. 71-97
Chapter 3. Ella and Louis and Porgy and Bess by Ricky Riccardi, pp. 98-101
Chapter 4. Miles, Gil, and Porgy and Bess - In the Jazz Literature - Steven A. Cerra, Editor, 102-106
Chapter 5. Miles and Porgy and Bess - Jack Chambers, pp. 107-113
Chapter 6. Gil Evans and Porgy and Bess - Gene Lees and Charles Edward Smith, pp. 114-124
Chapter 7. Gil Evans and Porgy and Bess - Stephanie Crease, pp. 125-132
Chapter 8. Porgy and Bess: Ray Charles, and Cleo Lane (1976) by Benny Green, pp. 133-147
Chapter 9. Summertime - Norman Granz and Ted Gioia, pp. 148-152
Chapter 10. Duke Ellington with Edward R. Murrow on Gershwin's Porgy and Bess—and a Response from the Office of Irving Mills (1935/1936), pp. 153-161
Chapter 11. 1959 Bob Crosby “Porgy and Bess As Gershwin Would Have Liked It” by Nelson Riddle, pp. 162-165
Chapter 12. Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass Play Porgy and Bess Notes by Benny Green, pp. 166-169
Chapter 13. Porgy and Bess Swingin' Impressions by Hank Jones - by Edward Jablonski, pp. 170-173
Chapter 14. Paolo Fresu and the Jazz Orchestra of Sardinia - Porgy and Bess by Marcello Piras and Paolo Fresu, pp. 174-179
Chapter 15. Diahann Carroll and the André Previn Trio - Porgy and Bess by Edward Jablonski, pp. 180-186
Chapter 16. The Jim Cullum Jazz Band - An Original Transcription of Porgy and Bess, pp. 187-192
Chapter 17. “Porgy and Bess Revisited Stewart-Williams & Co." - George T. Simon, pp. 193-199
Chapter 18. Ralph Burns - Porgy and Bess by Burt Korall, pp. 200-208
Chapter 19. Gershwin’s PORGY AND BESS by the Mundell Lowe All-Stars - Frank Talmadge, pp. 209-214
Chapter 20. Joe Henderson’s PORGY AND BESS - A Review of the Jazz Literature - Steven A. Cerra, Editor, pp. 215-220
Chapter 21. The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess - Joel Dorn, Ira Gitler and John Tynan, pp. 221-230
Chapter 22. Bill Potts - The Jazz Soul Of Porgy And Bess by André Previn and Steve Wallace, pp. 231-253
Chapter 23. Clark Terry with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra - Porgy & Bess - Steve Graybow, pp. 254-258
Chapter 24. Oscar Peterson Plays Porgy & Bess by Lawrence D. Stewart and Benny Green, pp. 259-264
Chapter 25. Nueva Manteca Porgy and Bess - Jan Laurens Hartong, pp. 265-268
Chapter 26. Eddy Louiss, Ivan Jullien and PORGY & BESS - Alain Tercinet, pp. 269-272
Chapter 27. Porgy and Bess - The Jazz Class Orchestra Meets Phil Woods - Vittoria Franchini and Gabriele Comeglio, pp. 273-277
Chapter 28. Paolo Fresu – Kind Of Porgy & Bess, 278-280
Chapter 29. Buddy Collette and the Poll Winners - Modern Interpretations of Porgy and Bess - John Tynan, pp. 281-285
Chapter 30. Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae - Porgy and Bess - Wil Haygood, pp. 286-294
Chapter 31. Lena Horne and Harry Belafonte Sings Porgy and Bess by George Durham, 295-298
Chapter 32. Akiyoshi, Bailey, Hanna, Mraz and Rosengren - Not a Law Firm! - Steven A. Cerra, pp. 299-301
Epilogue -Porgy and Bess - Some Considerations and Reviews Excerpted from Gershwin Biographies, pp. 302-317
Winner of the 2025 Jazz Journalist Association Special Citation for Historic Writings, Steven Cerra is a professional Jazz drummer and the author of anthologies on Gerry Mulligan, Bill Evans, Stan Kenton, Dave Brubeck, Shelly Manne, Jazz West Coast Readers Vols. 1-3, Profiles in Jazz, Vol.1, Jazz Drummers A Reader Vols. 1-2, Jazz Saxophonists A Reader, Vol. 1, 2 & 3, Jazz Piano A Reader, Vols. 1, 2 & 3, Jazz Trumpet A Reader Vols. 1 and 2 and A Companion Celebrating The 100th Anniversary of the Jean Goldkette Orchestras, 1926-2026. He also hosts the jazzprofiles.blogspot and cerra.substack blogs.
