Paris Impressions: Critics and Gimmicks in the Art World of Erroll Garner, 1957-58

摘要

This thesis examines how the events of Erroll Garner’s European tour of 1957-58 informed the creation of his ensuing album, Paris Impressions. Applying Howard S. Becker’s definition of “art world” to the global and capitalist landscape in which Garner found himself provides multiple perspectives for understanding his expected role, as artist, among a network of powerful jazz intermediaries. For the prominent, French theatre owners and booking agents, Garner was potential bait, unable to defend himself from negotiating a contract in a foreign language. From the vantage point of jazz critics, Garner was an easy target of a traditional jazz musician they could pit against more modern players in order to secure their membership as qualified judges in the art world. He was a valuable commodity as long as the record companies could continue to sell his albums and keep him from disrupting their own strategies. Unfortunately, for those intermediaries, it did not happen quite as they had planned. For the French theatre bullies, Garner had a secret weapon; for the critics, he had the last word; and for the record companies, his albums would continue to flow, on his terms. However, there was a buffer to whom credit is due. If it were not for his manager, Martha Glaser, the relationship between him and market influencers may have been all but lost. Together, they were able to overcome the obstacles of the long-awaited Parisian trip and capitalize on all its unpleasantries in the release of Paris Impressions.