Overview

Dottie Dodgion is a jazz drummer who played with the best.  A survivor, she lived an entire lifetime before she was seventeen. Undeterred by hardships she defied the odds and earned a seat as a woman in the exclusive men’s club of jazz. Her dues-paying path as a musician took her from early work with Charles Mingus to being hired by Benny Goodman at Basin Street East on her first day in New York. From there she broke new ground as a woman who played a “man’s instrument” in first-string, all-male New York City jazz bands. Her inspiring memoir talks frankly about her music and the challenges she faced, and shines a light into the jazz world of the 1960s and 1970s.   Vivid and always entertaining, The Lady Swings tells Dottie Dodgion's story with the same verve and straight-ahead honesty that powered her playing. A Variety Best Music Book of 2021

Full Product Details

Author:   Dottie Dodgion ,  Wayne Enstice
Publisher:   University of Illinois Press
Imprint:   University of Illinois Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 3.00cm , Length: 22.90cm
ISBN:  

9780252043598

ISBN 10:   0252043596
Pages:   288
Publication Date:   29 March 2021
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Foreword Acknowledgments Prefatory Notes Introduction Part I. The California Years Scene One: On the Road Scene Two: Spot Behind The Scenes One: The Giaimos Scene Three: Eleanor Powell’s Shoes Behind The Scenes Two: The Tiptons Scene Four: The Eight-Day Clock Scene Five: Polio Scene Six: Jail Bait Scene Seven: TD&L Scene Eight: Mingus Scene Nine: Apple Pie, Apple Pie, Apple Pie Scene Ten: A Little Help from My Friends Scene Eleven: The Drummer Was Always Late Scene Twelve: Monty Scene Thirteen: Jerry Scene Fourteen: 176 Steps Behind The Scenes Three: Eugene’s Lessons Scene Fifteen: First Time in Vegas Scene Sixteen: Followed by Myself in the Moonlight Scene Seventeen: The IT Club Scene Eighteen: Thunderbird Part II. The New York and East Coast Years Scene Nineteen: 14 Drummers Scene Twenty: Mount Airy Lodge Scene Twenty-One: Strollers Scene Twenty-Two: The Village Stompers Scene Twenty-Three: Eddie Condon’s Behind The Scenes Four: Pearls to Swine Scene Twenty-Four: Park Ridge Scene Twenty-Five: Piano Party Behind The Scenes Five: Ruby Scene Twenty-Six: Suburban Housewife Scene Twenty-Seven: In the Middle of the Brook Scene Twenty-Eight: Harold’s Rogue and Jar Scene Twenty-Nine: Melba Liston And Company Scene Thirty: Fazee Cakes Part III. California Redux Scene Thirty-One: The Best Kept Secret in Town Scene Thirty-Two: A Leader at Sixty-Five Scene Thirty-Three: Pacific Grove Scene Thirty-Four: Octogenarian Postscript Notes Discography Inde

Reviews

Dottie Dodgion was honored during the In Memoriam segment of the Grammy Awards 2022 Dodgion had a fascinating story to relate. She and Enstice produced a book that flows naturally and always maintains the reader's interest. --Jersey Jazz This highly readable history says much about the demands upon someone determined to be a performer. . . . This book also contains an audio companion illustrating Dodgion's insufficiently celebrated playing, and she certainly knows how to tell a story, musically and verbally. --Jazzwise The Lady Swings undulates as much with dynamic rhythm as it does with delicious drama and laugh-out-loud storylines. --JazzTimes Written in a breathtaking, breezy narrative that takes the reader on a musical journey that is reflected as if in the mirror of Ms Dodgion's life itself. . . . This is what makes the book so exciting: the mere fact that you will discover a musician who gave - and continues to give - her life to the music she fell in love with as a child and one who remains its guardian, keeping the flame aglow even in the sunset of her life. --JazzdaGama A pioneering woman in jazz and swinging drummer, Dottie Dodgion played with some of the great musicians of her time. She has a unique story to tell. --Quincy Jones When I first caught Dottie Dodgion in action I was bowled over. I didn't hear a great female drummer but a truly great jazz drummer, period, able, as you'll be happy to learn from the story she tells with such insight, humor and complete honesty, to please both Charles Mingus and Wild Bill Davison. The lady's words swing as hard as her ride cymbal, and will keep your foot tapping all the way through. --Dan Morgenstern, Director Emeritus, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University Dottie Dodgion not only takes you on a dizzying ride through her incredible life, she teaches you some of the great secrets of jazz and unmasks the archaic attitudes toward female musicians that have marginalized great talents like hers. What a wonderful journey she's had. What a wonderful book this is! --Judy Chaikin, director and cowriter of The Girls in the Band A unique and important contribution to the history of jazz. --Dee Spencer, composer, performer, educator An interesting book about an eventful life in music. --New York City Jazz Record The Lady Swings belongs on the short list of essential jazz autobiographies. --All About Jazz The Lady Swings is an entertaining and informative book, one that is easily recommended. --Syncopated Times A full portrait of the obstacles American women faced in the 20th century jazz scene . . . Dodgion's pull-no-punches style and determination in the face of daunting situations bring an obscure figure to vivid life. --Library Journal A compelling tale of a groundbreaking person from a memorable time in American cultural history. --FraNoi A swinging tale that is more than a fascinating footnote in the annals of jazz. --Kirkus Finalist, Book of the Year About Jazz: Biography and Autobiography, Jazz Journalists Association (JJA), 2022

This highly readable history says much about the demands upon someone determined to be a performer. . . . This book also contains an audio companion illustrating Dodgion's insufficiently celebrated playing, and she certainly knows how to tell a story, musically and verbally. --Jazzwise The Lady Swings undulates as much with dynamic rhythm as it does with delicious drama and laugh-out-loud storylines. --JazzTimes Written in a breathtaking, breezy narrative that takes the reader on a musical journey that is reflected as if in the mirror of Ms Dodgion's life itself. . . . This is what makes the book so exciting: the mere fact that you will discover a musician who gave - and continues to give - her life to the music she fell in love with as a child and one who remains its guardian, keeping the flame aglow even in the sunset of her life. --JazzdaGama A pioneering woman in jazz and swinging drummer, Dottie Dodgion played with some of the great musicians of her time. She has a unique story to tell. --Quincy Jones When I first caught Dottie Dodgion in action I was bowled over. I didn't hear a great female drummer but a truly great jazz drummer, period, able, as you'll be happy to learn from the story she tells with such insight, humor and complete honesty, to please both Charles Mingus and Wild Bill Davison. The lady's words swing as hard as her ride cymbal, and will keep your foot tapping all the way through. --Dan Morgenstern, Director Emeritus, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University Dottie Dodgion not only takes you on a dizzying ride through her incredible life, she teaches you some of the great secrets of jazz and unmasks the archaic attitudes toward female musicians that have marginalized great talents like hers. What a wonderful journey she's had. What a wonderful book this is! --Judy Chaikin, director and cowriter of The Girls in the Band A unique and important contribution to the history of jazz. --Dee Spencer, composer, performer, educator An interesting book about an eventful life in music. --New York City Jazz Record The Lady Swings is an entertaining and informative book, one that is easily recommended. --Syncopated Times The Lady Swings undulates as much with dynamic rhythm as it does with delicious drama and laugh-out-loud storylines. --JazzTimes Written in a breathtaking, breezy narrative that takes the reader on a musical journey that is reflected as if in the mirror of Ms Dodgion's life itself. . . . This is what makes the book so exciting: the mere fact that you will discover a musician who gave - and continues to give - her life to the music she fell in love with as a child and one who remains its guardian, keeping the flame aglow even in the sunset of her life. --JazzdaGama A full portrait of the obstacles American women faced in the 20th century jazz scene . . . Dodgion's pull-no-punches style and determination in the face of daunting situations bring an obscure figure to vivid life. --Library Journal

A unique and important contribution to the history of jazz. --Dee Spencer, composer, performer, educator Dottie Dodgion not only takes you on a dizzying ride through her incredible life, she teaches you some of the great secrets of jazz and unmasks the archaic attitudes toward female musicians that have marginalized great talents like hers. What a wonderful journey she's had. What a wonderful book this is! --Judy Chaikin, director and cowriter of The Girls in the Band When I first caught Dottie Dodgion in action I was bowled over. I didn't hear a great female drummer but a truly great jazz drummer, period, able, as you'll be happy to learn from the story she tells with such insight, humor and complete honesty, to please both Charles Mingus and Wild Bill Davison. The lady's words swing as hard as her ride cymbal, and will keep your foot tapping all the way through. --Dan Morgenstern, Director Emeritus, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University A pioneering woman in jazz and swinging drummer, Dottie Dodgion played with some of the great musicians of her time. She has a unique story to tell. --Quincy Jones

A full portrait of the obstacles American women faced in the 20th century jazz scene . . . Dodgion's pull-no-punches style and determination in the face of daunting situations bring an obscure figure to vivid life. - Library Journal

The Lady Swings undulates as much with dynamic rhythm as it does with delicious drama and laugh-out-loud storylines. --JazzTimes Written in a breathtaking, breezy narrative that takes the reader on a musical journey that is reflected as if in the mirror of Ms Dodgion's life itself. . . . This is what makes the book so exciting: the mere fact that you will discover a musician who gave - and continues to give - her life to the music she fell in love with as a child and one who remains its guardian, keeping the flame aglow even in the sunset of her life. --JazzdaGama A pioneering woman in jazz and swinging drummer, Dottie Dodgion played with some of the great musicians of her time. She has a unique story to tell. --Quincy Jones When I first caught Dottie Dodgion in action I was bowled over. I didn't hear a great female drummer but a truly great jazz drummer, period, able, as you'll be happy to learn from the story she tells with such insight, humor and complete honesty, to please both Charles Mingus and Wild Bill Davison. The lady's words swing as hard as her ride cymbal, and will keep your foot tapping all the way through. --Dan Morgenstern, Director Emeritus, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University Dottie Dodgion not only takes you on a dizzying ride through her incredible life, she teaches you some of the great secrets of jazz and unmasks the archaic attitudes toward female musicians that have marginalized great talents like hers. What a wonderful journey she's had. What a wonderful book this is! --Judy Chaikin, director and cowriter of The Girls in the Band A unique and important contribution to the history of jazz. --Dee Spencer, composer, performer, educator An interesting book about an eventful life in music. --New York City Jazz Record The Lady Swings is an entertaining and informative book, one that is easily recommended. --Syncopated Times The Lady Swings undulates as much with dynamic rhythm as it does with delicious drama and laugh-out-loud storylines. --JazzTimes Written in a breathtaking, breezy narrative that takes the reader on a musical journey that is reflected as if in the mirror of Ms Dodgion's life itself. . . . This is what makes the book so exciting: the mere fact that you will discover a musician who gave - and continues to give - her life to the music she fell in love with as a child and one who remains its guardian, keeping the flame aglow even in the sunset of her life. --JazzdaGama A full portrait of the obstacles American women faced in the 20th century jazz scene . . . Dodgion's pull-no-punches style and determination in the face of daunting situations bring an obscure figure to vivid life. --Library Journal

This highly readable history says much about the demands upon someone determined to be a performer. . . . This book also contains an audio companion illustrating Dodgion's insufficiently celebrated playing, and she certainly knows how to tell a story, musically and verbally. --Jazzwise The Lady Swings undulates as much with dynamic rhythm as it does with delicious drama and laugh-out-loud storylines. --JazzTimes Written in a breathtaking, breezy narrative that takes the reader on a musical journey that is reflected as if in the mirror of Ms Dodgion's life itself. . . . This is what makes the book so exciting: the mere fact that you will discover a musician who gave - and continues to give - her life to the music she fell in love with as a child and one who remains its guardian, keeping the flame aglow even in the sunset of her life. --JazzdaGama A pioneering woman in jazz and swinging drummer, Dottie Dodgion played with some of the great musicians of her time. She has a unique story to tell. --Quincy Jones When I first caught Dottie Dodgion in action I was bowled over. I didn't hear a great female drummer but a truly great jazz drummer, period, able, as you'll be happy to learn from the story she tells with such insight, humor and complete honesty, to please both Charles Mingus and Wild Bill Davison. The lady's words swing as hard as her ride cymbal, and will keep your foot tapping all the way through. --Dan Morgenstern, Director Emeritus, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University Dottie Dodgion not only takes you on a dizzying ride through her incredible life, she teaches you some of the great secrets of jazz and unmasks the archaic attitudes toward female musicians that have marginalized great talents like hers. What a wonderful journey she's had. What a wonderful book this is! --Judy Chaikin, director and cowriter of The Girls in the Band A unique and important contribution to the history of jazz. --Dee Spencer, composer, performer, educator An interesting book about an eventful life in music. --New York City Jazz Record The Lady Swings is an entertaining and informative book, one that is easily recommended. --Syncopated Times A full portrait of the obstacles American women faced in the 20th century jazz scene . . . Dodgion's pull-no-punches style and determination in the face of daunting situations bring an obscure figure to vivid life. --Library Journal A compelling tale of a groundbreaking person from a memorable time in American cultural history. --FraNoi A swinging tale that is more than a fascinating footnote in the annals of jazz. --Kirkus

Author Information

Dottie Dodgion is a trailblazing American jazz drummer. Wayne Enstice is a coauthor of Jazzwomen: Conversations with Twenty-One Musicians and Jazz Spoken Here: Conversations with Twenty-Two Musicians.

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