Robert Goffin
Encyclopedia
Robert Goffin was a Belgian
lawyer, author, and poet, credited with writing the first "serious" book on jazz
, Aux Frontières du Jazz in 1932.
in 1898. His mother was unmarried, and his pharmacist grandfather supported them. In 1916, Goffin completed his humanities study at the Athenaeum of Saint-Gilles where Paul Delvaux
was his classmate. Two years later, he published his first collection of poetry, Rosaire des soirs (Evening Rosary), while he was studying law at the Free University of Brussels
(now split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles
and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
).
By 1923, he was a lawyer at the Court of Appeal of Brussels, and in 1928, he married Suzanne Lagrange. During this period, his focus shifted to the new American art form, jazz, and in 1932 he published what is considered the first serious book on the new genre, Aux Frontiers du Jazz.
He was active in the Belgian resistance against the nazis, whose invasion of his country he predicted twelve months in advance, creating in 1939 the magazine Alert, in which he advocated the abandonment of the Belgian neutrality
for an alliance with France
. He had harsh polemics with Belgian fascist Léon Degrelle
. He left Belgium for the United States at the outset during World War II
, supporting himself through lectures and writing, including essays such as Jazz: from the Congo to the Metropolitan, and novels set in German-occupied Belgium, including La colombe de la Gestapo ("the dove of the Gestapo") and The White Brigade (published in French as Passeports pour l'Audelà).
In 1942, he collaborated with Leonard Feather
to teach what is considered the first course ever on jazz history and analysis, held at the New School for Social Research
in New York City.
After the war, he returned to Belgium to again take up his legal activities at the Court of Appeal of Brussels. In 1952, he joined Royal Academy of French Language and Literature, becoming director in 1971, and director of the Belgian Pen Club in 1956. His wife Suzanne died in 1965 and in the late 1970s, Goffin began a life of semi-retirement on the shores of Lake Genval
, dying in 1984.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
lawyer, author, and poet, credited with writing the first "serious" book on jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Aux Frontières du Jazz in 1932.
Life
Robert Goffin was born in Ohain, BelgiumOhain, Belgium
Ohain is a town in the Belgian municipality of Lasne, located in the province of Walloon Brabant.Marvin Gaye recorded his top selling album "Midnight Love" at Katy Studios in Ohain....
in 1898. His mother was unmarried, and his pharmacist grandfather supported them. In 1916, Goffin completed his humanities study at the Athenaeum of Saint-Gilles where Paul Delvaux
Paul Delvaux
Paul Delvaux was a Belgian painter, associated with Surrealism, famous for his paintings of female nudes.-Biography:...
was his classmate. Two years later, he published his first collection of poetry, Rosaire des soirs (Evening Rosary), while he was studying law at the Free University of Brussels
Free University of Brussels
The Free University of Brussels was a university in Brussels, Belgium. In 1969, it split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel....
(now split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles
Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a Flemish university located in Brussels, Belgium. It has two campuses referred to as Etterbeek and Jette.The university's name is sometimes abbreviated by "VUB" or translated to "Free University of Brussels"...
).
By 1923, he was a lawyer at the Court of Appeal of Brussels, and in 1928, he married Suzanne Lagrange. During this period, his focus shifted to the new American art form, jazz, and in 1932 he published what is considered the first serious book on the new genre, Aux Frontiers du Jazz.
He was active in the Belgian resistance against the nazis, whose invasion of his country he predicted twelve months in advance, creating in 1939 the magazine Alert, in which he advocated the abandonment of the Belgian neutrality
Neutrality (international relations)
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
for an alliance with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He had harsh polemics with Belgian fascist Léon Degrelle
Léon Degrelle
Léon Joseph Marie Ignace Degrelle was a Walloon Belgian politician, who founded Rexism and later joined the Waffen SS which were front-line troops in the fight against the Soviet Union...
. He left Belgium for the United States at the outset during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, supporting himself through lectures and writing, including essays such as Jazz: from the Congo to the Metropolitan, and novels set in German-occupied Belgium, including La colombe de la Gestapo ("the dove of the Gestapo") and The White Brigade (published in French as Passeports pour l'Audelà).
In 1942, he collaborated with Leonard Feather
Leonard Feather
Leonard Geoffrey Feather was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer who was best known for his music journalism and other writing.-Biography:...
to teach what is considered the first course ever on jazz history and analysis, held at the New School for Social Research
The New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
in New York City.
After the war, he returned to Belgium to again take up his legal activities at the Court of Appeal of Brussels. In 1952, he joined Royal Academy of French Language and Literature, becoming director in 1971, and director of the Belgian Pen Club in 1956. His wife Suzanne died in 1965 and in the late 1970s, Goffin began a life of semi-retirement on the shores of Lake Genval
Lake Genval
Lake Genval is a lake located in Belgium in the south-east of Brussels near the Sonian Forest in the municipalities of Rixensart in Wallonia and Overijse in Flanders. The river of the lake is named Silver river. The lake is a great leisure place for the people of Brussels...
, dying in 1984.
Selected works
- "The Best Negro Jazz Orchestra", 1934, printed in Negro, Nancy Cunard, ed.
- Was Leopold a traitor?: The story of Belgium's eighteen tragic days, 1941.
- Patrie de la poésie, 1945.
- Histoire du jazz, 1945.
- The White Brigade, 1945.
- La Nouvelle-orleans, Capitale Du Jazz, 1945.
- Jazz from the Congo to the Metropolitan, 1945.
- Horn of Plenty: The Story of Louis Armstrong, originally published as Louis Armstrong, le roi du jazz ("the king of jazz"), 1947.
- Le roi du Colorado ("The king of Colorado"), 1958.
Excerpt
From the Best Negro Jazz Orchestra:- "I consider Duke Ellington as the most extraordinary phenomenon in the whole development of jazz. He took wing in a first period of enthusiasm, in common with other executants, for the undiluted spirits of "hot"; these early performers played in a kind of inspired trance, they were accumulators of musical energy and transmitted the flow of syncopation without comment."