Off the Books A Jazz Life
“Off the Books: A Jazz Life” by Peter Leitch is a memoir published by Véhicule Press in 2013, consisting of 221 pages in English. In this candid account, Leitch shares his experiences as a jazz guitarist navigating the challenges of a life dedicated to music and art, while also confronting personal struggles such as depression, alienation, and addiction. He recounts his journey through various jazz clubs and studios in Montreal, Toronto, and New York, providing insight into the realities of a musician’s life.
Readers will find a vivid portrayal of Leitch’s upbringing as an Anglophone in Montreal’s working-class East End, where he discovered jazz through CBC radio and honed his craft outside traditional academic settings. The memoir details his collaborations with notable musicians and offers a deep dive into the jazz business, particularly during his years in New York. This edition presents a unique perspective on the intersections of biography, music, and cultural identity, making it a significant contribution to the understanding of jazz and its practitioners.
Official synopsis Publisher
Many jazz lives have unfolded as marginal existences, as jazz guitarist Peter Leitch attests in this honest memoir of a life lived in search of excellence in music and art, but also a life lived battling depression, alienation, and narcotics addiction. Leitch vividly relates trying to eke out a living in jazz clubs, nightclubs, and studios in Montreal, Toronto, and New York. He tells of growing up as an Anglophone in Montreal’s working-class and predominantly French-speaking East End refinery district, discovering jazz on CBC radio and learning to play it–outside of the academy. Peter Leitch has played with many musicians in his long career including Oscar Peterson, Jaki Byard, Renee Rosnes, Jeri Brown, and Sadik Hakim. He lived and played in Montreal during his early years, Toronto in the 1970s, and in New York since 1982, which comprises the largest section of the book, chronicling the inner workings of the jazz business.
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