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Song for Someone

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Trumpeter and composer Kenny Wheeler (1930–2014) was one of the most enigmatic and influential musicians in recent memory. His instantly recognisable sound was a driving force within every major innovation in modern European jazz during the last half of the 20th century.

More importantly, his life provides us with a profound example of the way music can manifest itself in the most unlikely of vessels. As a lonely and shy teenager in Canada, he sought refuge from his difficult home life in the friendships he forged through a mutual love of bebop. After an unexpectedly bold move to London at the age of 22, he struggled with his confidence for years before making his first big break with the John Dankworth Orchestra. Kenny would soon find his voice in a triumvirate of musical communities: straight-ahead jazz, the burgeoning free scene, and in the busy recording studios.

Throughout his life, he constantly pursued personal growth while investing in his friends from every corner of the music business who would bring the inimitable beauty, precision, and chaos in his compositions to life. And in an artform where individuality represents the highest level of expression, Kenny was peerless. Indeed, few jazz artists of any era developed such a fingerprint in one area, let alone becoming immediately identifiable as virtuoso instrumentalists, improvisors, and composers.

Kenny Wheeler’s life is a compelling – and fundamentally human – story. This book brings together over 130 original interviews and new archival and biographical research on Wheeler’s life and music, chronicling his journey from small town Canada to international acclaim. It is as much a perspective on the history and development of jazz in Britain and Europe as it is the extraordinary tale of this improbable pioneer.

Published: Feb 1, 2025

Series


Section Chapter Authors
Introduction
Introduction Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Chapter 1
A Long Time Ago Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Chapter 2
The Imminent Immigrant Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Chapter 3
Everybody’s Song But My Own Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Chapter 4
Song For Someone Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Chapter 5
Gnu High Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Chapter 6
Music for Large and Small Ensembles Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Chapter 7
Angel Song Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Chapter 8
The Long Waiting Brian Shaw, Nick Smart
Epilogue
Present Past, Past Present: The Musical Legacy of Kenny Wheeler Brian Shaw, Nick Smart

Reviews

Although I had the honour and pleasure of spending countless hours talking with him about life and music over a period of about 45 years, this lovingly created biography by Nick and Brian revealed many details about Kenny’s life that were unknown to me and gave me a new understanding of the man, the musician and his lifelong commitment to more perfectly express himself through his music and share it with us all.
Dave Holland