PETER JOHN KING

“is the finest alto saxophonist that Britain has ever produced, and one of the finest in the world today”
                     In the words of critic, Dave Gelly, 'The Giants Of Jazz', Aurum Press, 1986

Peter King's book ranks among the great jazz autobiographies. One of the world's leading alto saxophonists, he tells his story with searing honesty, revealing the obsessions and motivations that have driven him and the dilemmas of surviving as a top creative musician in an often inhospitable world. With unsparing self analysis he describes the traumas that accompanied his brilliant career for many years.

Internationally recognised as a jazz star, he has performed and recorded with a galaxy of musical legends, many of them his close friends. Among those vividly recalled in this book are Bud Powell, Milt Jackson, Ray Charles, Anita O'Day, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Hampton Hawes, Al Haig, Philly Joe Jones, Zoot Sims, Jimmy Witherspoon, Dakota Staton, Red Rodney, Jon Hendricks, Tony Bennett and Marlene Dietrich.

But while the story here centres on Peter King's life in jazz it shows other important sides of him too: his ambitions and achievements in classical composing, his interests outside music (he is a leading figure and writer in the aero modelling world) and, above all, the treasured personal relationships that have sustained him through a turbulent life. Flying High tells of an exhilarating high altitude journey, in the jazz world and beyond.

Cover design by Adam Yeldham of Raven Design.

Front cover photo: Peter King at the Theater De Tobbe,
The Hague,in 1995 by Rene Laanen.
http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/culture-and-arts/Theater-de-Tobbe-1.htm

Back cover photo: Peter King with Archie Shepp,
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, 19 May 1997, by Peter Symes.

Photo page vi, Peter King by John Stoddart.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-09550908-9-9

Published 2011 by:                                 
Northway Publications,                       
39 Tytherton Road, London N19 4PZ, UK

http://www.northwaybooks.com

Copyright © Peter King 2011, except for Foreword, © Benny Golson, 2011

The Beaulieu Jazz Festival with the
John Dankworth Big Band

The world's greatest museum
of art and design

http://www.vam.ac.uk

Opening times
10.00 to 17.45 daily
10.00 to 22.00 Fridays

MYSPACE:

. . . currently being updated . . . 

LINKS:

http://peterkingjazz.com/bio.html