There and Back: The Roy Porter Story

Jazz drummer and composer Porter tells the story of his life, from his childhood in Colorado to his involvement with the jazz and bebop scene on the West Coast in the 1940s and '50s, his imprisonment for drug possession, and the deterioration of his career due to drug and alcohol addiction and a major stroke. Chronicling his achievements as a musician, band leader and composer, he concludes with an assessment of the way in which black musicians have been exploited. Unfortunately, he and Keller, who runs a Los Angeles jazz management business, have so overloaded their account with the names of all the famous musicians Porter has ever known that readers soon lose interest. The final section is devoted to reminiscences of Porter by many of his colleagues. Photos not seen by PW. (June)