American Rock and the Classical Music Tradition: A special issue of the journal Contemporary Music Review [Paperback] Review

First of all: I am not dealing professionally in any way with music and I am not a music theory student either. However, I find the article 'Listening to Zappa' by Professor Jonathan W. Bernard (which takes circa one third of this volume) as much entertaining as insightful. Like me, Mr. Bernard is a Zappa fan from his early youth on, and in spite of all the theoretical analysis, one can feel that the author truly likes Zappa's music and even appreciates his sense of (often purely musically expressed) absurd humour.
So if you are seriously into Frank Zappa and his music (and his musical parody, of course), this book is a must!

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Product Description:
This issue explores the often uneasy relationship betwen rock and classical music by presenting a range of essays on the composers, performers, theorists, historians, critics and listeners who welcome the difficult but fruitful intercourse between classical and popular culture.Fascinating philosophical and analytical issues arise as a picture of the rich historical relationship between the two media emerges.
John Covach is associate professor of music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.He has published numerous articles on rock music, twelve-tone music and theory, and the philosophy of music.He is co-editor, with Graeme Boone, of Understanding Rock: Essays in Musical Analysis (Oxford UP, 1997).
Walter Everett is associate professor of music of Music at the University of Michigan.He has published numerous articles on rock music, art song, opera, Schenkerian theory, and other topics.He is author of The Beatles as Musicans: Revolver through the Anthology (O

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The Encyclopedia of the History of Broadway, Hollywood, Swing, and Pop Singers, and Vocal Musical Arrangers [Paperback] Review

Harvy Sheldon has an obvious love for music, comedy, show and style that literally jumps off of the pages.His insight's into stars like Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Vaughn Monroe, Mel Torme and nearly 200 others is mind boggling. He made me smile ear to ear when he included my favorites "Dino" and The Mills Brothers...man could they swing.
When I read about the author I soon relalized the years he spent as leader of his own bandstand and meeting many of these "musical legends" personally, gave him an in-depth grasp of the artists lives and what they were about.That is what makes these stories not just the some old tabloid gossip... they are more...they sparkle!
I would like to have seen the names alphabetized for easier reference, but that is a selfish observation.My family and friends keep this on the table during an evening of fun to settle many trivia questions about the stars we all love.
Thanks Harvey, you brought it all together, in one book, a true "encyclopedia" of magical people from a magical time.
J. P. "Gus" Godsey
Selected "The Happiest Man in America" by USA Weekend Magazine
[...]

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Product Description:
The world of showbiz, including Jazz, Pop, Rock N" Roll, Hollywood and Broadway is unmerciful. How easy it is to forget the music, entertainment giants and pioneers of yesteryears! Time erases the glory, the memory, and accomplishments of past stars and legends, most cherished musical treasures, lost or forgotten for lack of scholarly research or because of changes in musical taste and preference of a generation that lost interest in the music of the golden years of Broadway, Hollywood, Swing and Pop music. I know this is the best of any book you will find, of singers. .It is without any hesitation one of the best books ever published on Broadway, Hollywood, Swing, Pop and beloved stars who entertained us for generations. This book is a must read,HARVEY SHELDON HE KNOWS ALL - TELLS ALL - TELLS EVERYTHING - of all the questions and the history of Broadway, Hollywood, Swing and Pop music and the biographies of the ground breakingsingers, and vocal arrangers.

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How to Play Guitar in a Big Band [Paperback] Review

I love this book! It goes into different style, voicings, gear, musicianship, and other topics that I always thought about and to see it in a book is just great! The best part is the psychology of the big band guitarist, amazing! A must have for the student/teacher/guitarists! Good information even if not into big band, but into jazz guitar.

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Ragtime Gems: Original Sheet Music for 25 Ragtime Classics [Paperback] Review

The first follow up to the three larger Dover editions of collected ragtime, this is the one that really smokes, and has rags that simply will not be ignored. Not only are three Joplin greats part of the package, but the well known Dill Pickles, Wild Cherries, Temptation Rag, the incomparable Entertainer's Rag, and Scott's masterpiece, Grace and Beauty. You can find many of them on my site as well, if you want to hear them first. The three Joplin pieces alone would run in the hundreds of dollars in today's thriving collectible sheet music market. So if you can deal with the covers not printed in color, you'll be duly entertained, and hopefully entertaining, when perusing the contents of this book that you should be buying instead of just reading this rambling review!!!

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Product Description:
Includes original sheet music and covers for 25 rags, including three of Scott Joplin's finest: Searchlight Rag, Rose Leaf Rag and Fig Leaf Rag.


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Complete Fingerstyle Guitar [Library Binding] Review

I have received a request to review this book from Amazon.
Unfortunately, Amazon never delivered this book.
After about month wait, they sent me a message that the book was unavialble.
I gave three stars, because I am sure that one of Stefan Grossman's books, of which I have several, would have deserved 4-5 star, and Amazon derserves 0.

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Product Description:
This comprehensive text covers the spectrum of fingerpicking technique and styles. Preformance and stylistic notes, fingerstyle guitar solos and a listening guide are presented for each section of the book. Sections include; Gospel Songs; Country Blues; Ragtime Blues; Rags and Dances; Appalachian Fiddle Tunes; Celtic Airs; Jigs and Reels; Classic Rags; Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar and Fingerstyle Guitar Duets. All solos are in notation and tablature and are written by noted fingerpicking guitarists Stefan Grossman, Elizabeth Cotten, Dean Sires, Ton Van Bergeyk, David Laibman, Rev. Gary Davis, Duck Baker, Seth Austen, Steve Tilston, John Morris, Sid Percy, Tom O'Farrell, Jim McLennan, Leo Wijnkamp Jr., Lasse Johansson, and Claes Palmqvist. 237 pages. The 2-CD's contain 43 of the 60 songs in this book.

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Four Musical Minimalists: La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass (Music in the Twentieth Century) [Hardcover] Review

Potter's book will be best appreciated by those with a much better understanding of music theory than I.However, I learned something about the personal and musical history of so-called "minimalism."(Potter falls prey to some extent to the problem of reifying an abstraction -- having first grouped some things together into a category, then searching for the true meaning of the category.)Is there a torch passed, so to speak, from Young to Riley to Reich to Glass?Glass is the only one to adamantly deny it, but Potter documents the basis for seeing it just that way (including Reich's influence on Glass).

One aspect I am keen to know more about, but which Potter doesn't stress overly much, is the striking confluence of non-Western influences.Young and Riley are both disciples of the North Indian master singer, Pandit Pran Nath, who died in 1996.Reich studied both African drumming as well as the gamelan music of Bali.Glass studied Indian music, after being immersed in serialism.With the European "classical" tradition at an impasse at the turn of the millennium, it seems only natural that the future would lie in creative fusions and combinationswith other traditions.(Not a very original idea, I realize, as evidenced by the recent emphasis of the Kronos Quartet among others.)Minimalism seems by now to be another style that passed into history and critical assessments -- is there an opening there that is being missed?

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Product Description:
This book offers the most detailed account so far of the early works of these four minimalist composers, putting extensive discussion of the music into a biographical perspective. The true musical minimalism of the 1960s and early 1970s is placed in the wider context of their music as a whole, and considered within the cultural conditions of the period, which saw not only the rise of minimalism in the fine arts but also crucial changes in the theory and practice of musical composition in the Western cultivated tradition.

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The Great American Songbook: Stories of the Standards [Paperback] Review

I was really disappointed with the book.I am an aspiring performer, and have been doing a lot of research on the standards.I thought this book would same me a lot of time. The great american songbook includes hundreds of standards -- this book covers only about 30 of them.You can get all of this information on the internet.Save the $9+.

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Intriguing, Inspiring and Entertaining Stories of the Songs, the Singers and the ComposersFrom Tin Pan Alley to Broadway and Hollywood, THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK: The Stories Behind the Standards tells the stories of our most popular songs with humor, drama and insight. This is timeless music written in unique ways that is constantly being reinterpreted by each generation. Isaac Stern made this distinction between talent and genius: "A person possesses talent; genius possesses the person." This is a book about singers, musicians, lyricists and composers taking their talent into the atmosphere of immortality. They are fascinating, and they set the standards by which popular music is measured. They may not have lived easy lives, but their creativity drove them to new heights and they changed the face of American music forever.
Music by a wide variety of artists is covered, including: George Gershwin, Billie Holiday, Cole Porter, Rogers & Hart, Paul McCartney, Dave Brubeck, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, John Coltrane and many others. Some chapters tell the story of just one song; others sketch the life stories of the artists. Music lovers will find new facts and deeper understanding about old friends in THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK The Stories Behind the Standards, and readers unfamiliar with the standards will find the book accessible, easy to read, and delightfully entertaining and informative.

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Offbeat: Collaborating with Kerouac [Hardcover] Review

Dave Amram passionately evokes in his newest book the rhythms and poetic vibes of his life all the while casting to the four winds the much misaligned "beatnik myth" that plagued Jack Kerouac's life and stigmatized his art.Through Amram's sound recollections, Kerouac's legacy as an artist resounds with the exclusive atmosphere that is also conducive, even to this day, to the heart and soul of Amram's classical compositions and world-wide performances.It is a testament written from a contemporary of Kerouac's that celebrates the efforts of those fascinating artists of the post-WWII years consisting of Jack Kerouac, Gregory Corso, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Frank, Philip Lamantia and Dody Muller (as well as a host of others).We are there at the first jazz/poetry reading in NYC in 1956, the filming of Pull My Daisy in 1959, the last years of Jack Kerouac's life in the late 1960s until the posthumous aftermath that gradually began to realize the literary merit of Kerouac's art that today firmly places him within the canon of American Literature along side Hemingway, Poe, Melville and Twain.Kerouac is not so much eulogized in this memoir as he ispainted humanly as the soulful cat he was celebrating life the best way he knew how, in his books.Despite telling Amram in July 1968 that "fame is a drag to anybody who wants new work done", Kerouac intuitively sensed the longevity of his life's work would outlast his own years dogged by the fame he no longer wanted.The same can be said for David Amram whose own art is vital to the understanding and appreciation of post-WWII American culture in symphonic, jazz, global and folk music.Pick up this book today for a breath of fresh Kerouacian air . . . .

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Billy Joel: The Biography [Hardcover] Review

First of all, a little context: There have been only 2 thorough bios of Billy, both in just the last couple of years. This one, and Hank Bordowitz's "Life of an Angry Young Man." As often stated, the bios are rare because Billy and his friends wouldn't talk. Now, thanks to Billy's alienation of those friends, they're talking. Of the two, Bordowitz has the better book, but it's worth comparing the two to get the full picture.

The story of Billy's grandparents is described in detail for the first real time in print (although Bego relies heavily on a PBS documentary of the Joels), and this was good to see. Unfortunately, Bego does a much less thorough job covering Billy's early years. Not only is it covered with less detail, but he seems to rely heavily on previously published interviews with Billy. And as Bego himself references, Billy's memory is not only bad but criminally selective. For example, Bego seems to take Billy at his word surrounding the events of Billy's attempted suicide circa 1969. Hank Bordowitz has a completely different description of the incident, but Bego doesn't even mention that there's a conflict between Billy's memory and the facts. Regrettably, there is also still very little about Billy's odd jobs between Attila and his first solo album. Granted, only Billy (who won't or can't recollect these events) could fully piece together that era, and maybe it's a small point, but it's a shame that time period of Billy's life still remains vague.

The rest of the book is basically a pastiche job of Billy's interviews and other publicly known material. But Bego has two things going for him: First of all, it's a very good compendium of the info that's out there; so even if you knew all this stuff, you finally have it in one read. Secondly, the newer, most revealing things come from interviews from former band members who actually go on record and recall specifics, which gives Bego, I think, a leg up over the Bordowitz book.

Some notable downsides: Bego makes some serious, hilarious goofs. One is to quote a National Enquirer story without any comment on how dubious the source material is (maybe he thought it wasn't necessary, I don't know). He also attributes a quote of Billy's to "The Nylon Curtain," even though the quote was clearly referencing "An Innocent Man"--with hilarious results. But the biggest weakness of the book are the song analyses: Not only are they weak and redundant--most fans don't need to be told what "Piano Man" is about--but he occasionally gets them wrong. In fact, at one point, he says "Temptation" is about Christie--and then 2 pages later quotes Billy as explaining that it's about Alexa!

Now for the technical writing complaints (some will say "nitpicking," but I gotta get 'em off my chest). I don't know how Bego got this book past an editor (presumably he had one??). He often wanders into odd segues and non sequiturs. And he's CONSTANTLY misusing the word "ironically." For example, he talks about how Billy couldn't graduate high school because of a missing English credit. Bego follows this up with, "Ironically, the principal who gave Billy his diploma was his former gym teacher." WHA--? On what planet is that "ironic"?! And, someone tell Bego to stop using a comma after "and" (like I just did). Sorry, but this had to be said.

And yes, Billy comes out looking bad after this. But maybe he should. The band members' stories seem to dovetail, and Bego is gentle in his soapboxing. It's not a hatchet job; it's not investigative journalism; but it is an interesting and revealing read.

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Product Description:
Billy Joel ranks among rock'n'roll's most talented artists. This biography is the first in-depth portrait of a man who is the son of German Jews who fled the Nazi regime, including his childhood in the Bronx, his professional struggles, and his six Grammys. Billy Joel is also widely known for his professional struggles - his substance abuse problems, his marriage to Christie Brinkley, and a string of car accidents. This is a portrait of a larger-than-life figure, featuring interviews with his bandmates and representatives from Columbia Records, an extensive examination of his diverse music tastes, and never-before-seen photographs.

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The History of Hollywood Musical Bio Pics [Paperback] Review

I love reviewing Harvey Sheldon books because he knows it all and tells it all. Again I ask, how does he do it? He covers so much ground and brings to life once again all those great movies they don't make anymore. I remember the Jolson Story, a movie that brought the great Jolson back into our lives again. He sang all the songs and Larry Parks did the acting, and boy did it work. It brought Columbia out of financial ruin and spawned a batch of very entertaining biographical films that were just wonderful film fair.From the bios of Jolson - to Gershwin-to Benny Goodman ( with Steve Allen as Benny) all the films are gathered here in one fat book and worth every cent. If you are interested in these films from The Great Ziegfeld to George M. Cohan's Yankee Doodle Dandy ( played by Jimmy Cagney) then buy this book and have a happy time reading it. Sheldon, you have done it again and again. A definite 5 stars. Richard Grudens

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Because of the cultural centrality of music, music history films constitute something of an informal chronicle of American popular culture from vaudeville, Broadway, Hollywood, Swing and Pop era. Considered in their historical context, these musical biographicals also disclose remarkable changes in cultural taste and temperament over the last 100 years.Not coincidentally, the first musical bio pic ever made The Jolson Story in 1946-created a white Jewish singer famous for his performances in black face. Likewise, several post World War II musical bio pics focused on white swing era band leaders and musicians (Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, The Fabulous Dorsey's and Red Nichols) There have been a slew of biopics in recent years, although its history dates back to 1900 with Cyrano de Bergerac. I guess the old adage that "truth is stranger than fiction" has been taken to heart by Hollywood. The music biopic has been around a while too. The first one I could find was 1942's Yankee Doodle Dandy, about the life of Broadway impresario George M. Cohan, with James Cagney in the lead role. Since then the silver screen has been filled with films about musicians of all stripes: vaudeville entertainers (The Jolson Story), big band jazz leaders (The Glenn Miller Story Gene Krupa Story, Benny Goodman Story, Red Nichols), Frank Sinatra (Sinatra) Bobby Darin (Beyond the Sea), and to name a few. While these music biopics have the advantage of often colorful personalities and great soundtracks, many of them fall victim to the boring conventions of formula. Oftentimes it goes something like this: hardships early in life, usually stemming from poverty, abusive parents or tragic accident meteoric rise to fame fall from grace, usually brought on by drugs, alcohol, or divorce (sometimes all three - see Ray and Walk the Line) redemption and comeback or early, tragic death. Despite these filmic trappings, there have been some amazing biopics favorites

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Dvorák to Duke Ellington: A Conductor Explores America's Music and Its African American Roots [Hardcover] Review

Maurice Peress is an inspiring guide to the main roads and byways of American music. A conductor of distinction and a writer, scholar and thinker of substance, he offers a combination of personal reminiscences and exciting historical discoveries. He is a leading expert on Dvorak and his time, and offers fresh new insights into the material. His original research on Dvorak's American years has been quite influential in the development of this field more broadly and thus he may be considered the "Dean" of American Dvorak scholarship.

This is a splendid book to read straight through, or to browse and enjoy.

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In From Dvorak to Duke Ellington the prominent symphony conductor Maurice Peress describes his career and experiences with American music and musicians. Peress conducted the world premiere of Leonard Bernstein's Mass, worked with Duke Ellington on the Suite from Black Brown and Beige and Queenie Pie, and reconstructed and recreated historic American concerts at which Antheil's Ballet Mecanique, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, and Ellington's Black, Brown, and Beige were first presented. Peress also revisits Dvorak's three year residency in 1892-95, the controversy that greeted his radical notion that composers turn to Negro music for inspiration, and the careers of his students who went on to teach Copeland, Gershwin, and Ellington.

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Making Music Modern: New York in the 1920s [Hardcover] Review

Carol Oja's 'Making Music Modern: New York in the 1920s' is an important book for those of us who want to know more about the historical development of 'modern' music in the US. Her main thesis is that it was during the latter part of the 1910s and the whole of the 1920s, and particularly in New York, that American composers developed a modernity that was wholly theirs, not something borrowed from Europe. Of course, there were predecessors--giants like Charles Ives--but they were still largely being ignored. It wasn't until a nucleus of composers, patrons, and fledgling arts organizations began coalescing in New York that the American voice finally emerged and was being heard. Beginning with visionaries like Leo Ornstein in the 1910s, this group soon included such rugged individualists as Dane Rudhyar, Edgard Varèse, Carl Ruggles, Henry Cowell, George Antheil, Roger Sessions, Aaron Copland. And individual voices they were, but they recognized, or at least some of them did, that they needed to band together in a sort of artistic and political brotherhood to get their works performed and published. Such efforts as 'Musical Quarterly,' the League of Composers, 'Musical Review,' 'Modern Music,' the Copland-Sessions Concerts and many more came into being. Music journalists (and promoters) like Carl van Vechten and Paul Rosenfield called wider attention to this new music.
This was a heady time. Of course, not all of the excitement was in New York. But many musicians from outside New York were attracted there. For instance, Ruth Crawford, later Ruth Crawford Seeger and one of the most original voices of all, came from Chicago late in the 1920s. Artistic ferment, not only in music but in all the arts, made New York THE place to be.
The book mentions and discusses the works of many composers that are not very well remembered today--but whose music may be due some sort of revival of interest--like Marion Bauer, Louis Gruenberg, William Grant Still, Emerson Whithorne, Frederick Jacobi. And of course composers now very well-known are discussed: Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson, Roy Harris, Carlos Chávez, Walter Piston.
There is a chapter on the widening influence of jazz on American concert music and a description of the famous Aeolian Hall concert in 1924 that introduced Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue,' (and Zez Confrey's 'Kitten on the Keys,' as well!).
A good deal of engaging prose is written about the wealthy and fiercely devoted women who were important, even crucial, patrons of modern music: Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Blanche Walton, Alma Morgenthau Wertheim.
There are many illustrations--concert programs, pictures of musicians and the like. Particularly interesting are reproductions of literally dozens of pages from musical scores, as from Varèse's 'Octandre,' Antheil's 'Ballet mécanique,' Ruggles's 'Vox clamans in deserto,' Cowell's 'The Voice of Lir,' Copland's 'Piano Variations,' Crawford's 'String Quartet' and many others.
A valuable and fascinating 40-page appendix lists all the pieces played on most of the new music series in New York during the period under discussion.
Oja has obviously done her research meticulously and the book is written in a lively, engaging style. It is not aimed at the scholarly audience, although surely musicologists can find plenty to marvel at here, but would be, I suspect, fascinating for the curious general reader.
Recommended.
Review by Scott Morrison.

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The Invisible Art of Film Music [Paperback] Review

For one who collects, listens and enjoys film music, this tome is the best available in the market. It is a wonderfully comprehensive reference guide to the best film scores from the early twenties up to almost the nineties. Eminent composers are given adequate biographies. The salient highlights of the scores are reviewed by decade. The golden age of hollywood is represented by Korngold, Steiner, Tiomkin, Newman, Waxman. One can actually feel the development of film music techniques from the silents to the talkies and the sophistication of today`s electronic scores. The rise, decline and revival of this art form is well documented and one can compare different periods in terms of orchestration, styles, audience tastes and composer standards. The composer, arranger, conductor, songwriter were sometimes one person for example, Alfred Newman. The death of the studio system also spelt the end of the road for studio orchestras which employed hundreds of emigrants from Europe. Also, the predominance of Jewish composers and musicians is keenly felt even today. A good investment for any film music lover, it will pay dividends many times over. High readable and highly recommended.

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Product Description:
A comprehensive introduction to film music for the general student, the film historian, and the aspiring cinematographer. It is a historically structured account of the evolution of music in films. The book is arranged as a chronological survey and includes biographical sketches on many important film composers in addition to the development of the films themselves.

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Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn [Hardcover] Review

Billy Strayhorn'scontribution to the work of Duke Ellington is immeasurable--at last he is given his full due in David Hajdu's perceptive and insightful portrait of this largely unsung genius of 20th centurymusic. Hajdu's sensitive biography, derived from countless interviewswith friends, family and fellow musicians, reveals Strayhorn as a complex,creative individual who preferred to stay discreetly in Ellington's shadow throughout much of his life.It also provides a telling portrait of a manwho lived his life as a gay African-American musician completely out in the open during a time in this country when it was both difficult anddangerous to do so.Hajdu has givenus telling portraits as well of manyof Strayhorn's contemporaries such as Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, JohnnyHodges, Ray Nance and the Duke himself who loved "Swea-Pea"(Strayhorn's nickname) as a part of himself.Not only a portrait of acreative, intellectual genius, "Lush Life"also gives us aninsightful look into the world of jazz and African-american popular musicthat grew out of an age of racism and discrimination.The concludingchapters that chronicle Strayhorn's involvement inthe civil rightsmovement of the early '60's andhis friendships with Martin Luther Kingand Medgar Evans and his own battle with the throat cancer that cut hislife short (at age fifty-one) areespecially powerful.Throughout thebook, Hajduprovides lively anecdotal writing while remaining a respectfuljournalist and chronicler of his subject.I highly recommend this book toanyone interested in jazz history, popular culture, orpurely for aportrait of an understated genius.

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Tom Waits (Kill Your Idols) [Paperback] Review

this book was a major disappointment.i picked it up hoping to learn a little about tom waits motivations and approach to music making.instead i got a very dry and shallow biography seemingly written based almost singularly on tom waits' discography.there's nothing revealing in this book, just an album by album recollection.it's a decent reference if you want to know about all of waits' works, but then again you can find a lot more of this sort of information on the web.the padding in this biography is snippets gleemed from interviews.
very uninteresting read.

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Product Description:
While his gravel-voiced, bohemian cataloging of America's underbelly has won him a dedicated following, Tom Waits's restless, idiosyncratic experimentation has led to comparisons with Ledbelly and Kurt Weill. Terry Staunton offers an authoritative overview of Waits's influence on his contemporaries, detailed biographical information, and an extensive discography.

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College Guide for Performing Arts Majors 2007 (Performing Arts Major's College Guide) [Paperback] Review

A must have for anyone who wants to go to a college or conservatory for creative majors.If your counseling department at your high school does not have this book, you need to buy it yourself.

Provides enrollment facts, degrees offered, application procedures, website addresses, contacts, expenses, student profiles, and is especially useful in addressing whether freshman are admitted directly into the professional programs or if they must pay their dues to get in.

Get this book!

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Product Description:

Program listings of accredited schools for performin Arts Majors



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They All Played Ragtime - The True Story Of An American Music [Paperback] Review

It's difficult to understand how a publisher cannot get the authors' names correct.The authors are Rudi (not "Ridi") Blesh AND Harriet Janis; Blesh was always insistent that Janis receive equal credit.
The book, itself, is of major importance to our understanding of ragtime history.It was published in 1950 and its story has, in many respects, been supplanted by more recent research and writings.But it was an inspiration for ragtime fans from 1950 on, and remains an irreplaceable source for information about many of the original ragtimers interviewed by Blesh and Janis.Our knowledge of ragtime, its culture, and the history of that time, would be greatly lessened without this book.
Ragtime: A Musical and Cultural History
King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and His Era

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Product Description:
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

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The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Popular Standards [Paperback] Review

There is no one better qualified to write about this tuneful subject than Max Morath, whose musical interests obviously range far beyond the ragtime that made him famous. The subject matter is the "Standard" songs that have defied the laws of popular music gravity. Instead of fading from view in a few weeks, these songs have remained in the public mind long after other tunes have been forgotten.Mr. Morath describes the songs, the composers, and the historical setting surrounding the music that has impacted the lives and loves of more than one generation, an influence that lives on yet today. A thorough treatment of a delightful topic.

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Product Description:
* Every major singer from Frank Sinatra to Christina Aguilera * Every major composer from Irving Berlin to Stephen Sondheim * Every major song from a century of favorites * Every major musician and lyricist * Every major styling from blues, jazz, and country to folk, big band, and rock and roll * The most recorded songs of all time * A guide to understanding the "standard" lingo * The evolution of popular music from Tin Pan Alley to contemporary musical theater, and more

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Arranging Concepts Complete: The Ultimate Arranging Course for Today's Music (2718) [Plastic Comb] Review

A very detailed mathematical aproach to band arranging. Useful tables to cover all practical situations, mostly from the point of view of horn section arranging. Somewhat light on in terms of rhythm section arranging. This book doesn't aim to teach you WHAT to write, but if you already have some experience in band arranging and are familiar with extended chords and basic harmonic and melodic concepts, it will help to guide you through the labyrinth of endless musical possibilities. Band arranging from a jazz (thus also blues/rock/pop/show music etc) perspective, not so much concert band or wind orchestra.

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Product Description:
A comprehensive text that covers the characteristics and ranges of each instrument in the stage band; analyzing and arranging many musical styles, voice leading, passing chords, modulations, intros, endings, turn-arounds and orchestration.

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Musica!: The Rhythm of Latin America - Salsa, Rumba, Merengue, and More [Paperback] Review

It is hard to imagine that "Hall of Famer" Willie Colon, who wrote the foreword to this book, actually read it and gave it anendorsement.He writes, "...this book has helped put a face on someof my heroes".What Mr. Colon should have written was that this bookhas helped to distort the truth and put a mask on some of hisheroes.
Musica is a book full of misinformation.Someexamples:
Musician turned dance promoter Federico Pagani was not italian,he was Puertorican.Chick Webb did not die in 1932, he died on June 6,1939."Hall of Famer" Mario Bauza and Dizzy Gillespie did notmove together into Cab Calloway's orchestra, nor did they played withCalloway in 1932.It was in 1938 that Bauza joined Calloway's band. Pretending to be sick, and without warning to Calloway, he sent Gillespieto play in his place...that is how the great Gillespie got into Calloway'sband.
On page 41 a huge blunder is committed.Here it is stated that"Hall of Famer" Maria Teresa Vera was the first Cuban woman onrecord.Her suppose debut recording was in New York with Sexteto Habaneroin 1918.Nothing could be further from the truth.The facts are that thefirst Cuban singer on record was "Hall of Famer" Rosalia"Chalia" Herrera Diaz. Not only was she the first singer of Latinorigen on record, she is also the very first to record a"habanera".She manages to do all this with the famous"Habanera Tu" in New York in 1901!
I doubt very much that MariaTeresa Vera did any recordings with the Sexteto Habanero in 1918...first,this is the year in which the Sexteto Habanero was formed and secondly,those who have done their research indicate that the Sexteto Habanero'sfirst recording was realized on October 29, 1925 with a tune titled"Maldita Timidez"...Maria Teresa Vera was not part of thisrecording.However, Maria Teresa Vera was probably the first female todirect a group in Cuba and probably in South America.She did this withthe famous Sexteto Occidente that did recordings for Columbia Recordsaround 1925 in New York.She also recorded for the Brunswick and Odeonlabels.She later sold the group to "Hall of Famer" IgnacioPineiro who renamed the group Sexteto Nacional.
The book goes on and onwith countless errors.It is a shame, Because Sue Steward is a very goodwriter and the book has a great colorful layout, with dozens of greatphotos.It also has a good amount of solid information.But how is thereader suppose to decipher fact from fiction?You can see the confusion bythe reviews written on this book.People who have no knowledge about thehistory of Latin music gave this book good reviews...they assumedeverything was true and they enjoyed and believed that its content wasaccurate.That's the sad part of this book...people are going to read itand be persuaded that it is accurate and perpetuate the misinformation onto others.
I do believe that all is not lost...perhaps Sue Steward wouldtake the responsible high-road and issue a revised accurate edition. Careful and meticulous research can make this book a winner.In themeantime I would hope that Sue Steward does not attempt to produce atelevision program based on the information in this book...that would be agreat diservice to those who contributed so much to this great music and tothose who work so hard at researching the truth.

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Product Description:
Salsa, the irresistible dance music of the Spanish-speaking world, has made its way into the lives of millions around the globe. But salsa is only one of many popular Latin rhythms. The first comprehensive guide to the music, its history, and its legends, Musica! charts the vast territory of this lively Latin heritage, which began in Cuba and spread throughout the Caribbean and into North and South America. Illustrated with contemporary and vintage photos, Musica! features a gallery of legendary musical performers, plus sections on the musical styles and dances including the rumba, mambo, cha-cha, and merengue. A discography and bibliography complete this comprehensive story of Latin America's extraordinary rhythmic tradition.

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There Is No Such Thing As A Mistake : A No Stress Approach to Bandstand Music Theory [Plastic Comb] Review

Barney McClure currently conducts the jazz band at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, of which I am a member of. I took an improv class of his using his book. I have read many improv books in the past, and none of them make jazz theory seem so simple. I don't have any history with the piano, so this book is for anybody regardless of instrument.

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There Is No Such Thing As A Mistake is both a guide forteachers, and a self-help methodology for students.Though a slightunderstanding of the piano helps, it is a resource for allinstruments, including drums and vocal.Primarily this book is gearedtoward those wanting to learn to improvise.It also discussessubjects like bandstand protocol for those who want to learn toperform professionally, or to "sit in."A no-nonsense and easilyunderstandable approach to improvisational theory, this book is easyto read, and is written in a fun style.

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The Ambient Century: From Mahler to Moby--The Evolution of Sound in the Electronic Age [Paperback] Review

Your evaluation of THE AMBIENT CENTURY will depend on what you're looking for.I expected serious analysis, and by that criteria would give it 1 star.If what you're interested in, though, is an eclectic encyclopedia of interesting 20th century musicians, loosely grouped by the theme of "ambience," which is never defined, then you might think this is great.(I can't comment on the fact-checking criticism, but to me it's a secondary point.)Prendergast moves from "high art" composers including Debussy and Stockhausen, to "minimalism," to rock, broken into categories such as psychedelic, krautrock and synthesizer music, to the '90s techno/house/drum&bass/ambient trend.

However, his definition of "ambient" involves "music being deconstructed" by Mahler and Debussy (sounds really "postmodern," but what does it mean?), and developments in technology/electronics, along with an "interest in pure sound."He pronounces:"[T]he bleeding heart of electronic progress had by its very nature rendered all recorded music, by definition, Ambient." (4)Given this sort of cosmic perspective Prendergast could have included all music, and what he does include seems to be more or less "cool stuff that I like."Harsh, I know, but does Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door," by any stretch of the conceptual imagination, belong on a list of the Essential 100 Recordings of 20th Century Ambient Music?If so, our author fails to offer any explanation.How about Led Zeppelin IV (ie, ZOSO)?I'm at a loss.

If the book was appropriately titled, I would have much less to criticize.But when you title a book "The Evolution of Sound in the Electronic Age," you lead the reader to expect some sort of theoretical analysis -- what sort of evolution?In what direction?What mechanisms are involved?But there is "no there there" if what is happening is just technological progress, and "an interest in pure sound" may characterize Cage's famous *4'33"* (the silent composition), but there is not even an attempt here to argue that it is the direction of 20th century music.If Prendergast really means to emphasize the use of music as background, where is his discussion of Muzak, and music in advertising?He doesn't develop his embryonic theme(s), but rather rushes headlong into profiles of musicians, which are strung together with little connecting analysis.

Caveat emptor -- if you're looking for serious analysis, look elsewhere, but if you want a breezy journalistic encyclopedia of non-mainstream music (that is seen as cool by The Wire magazine) you might find this a useful reference work.(For a model of analysis of cutting edge music, check out Nyman's EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC.It also has a foreward by Brian Eno!)

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Frederic Chopin [Paperback] Review

This book is a biography of Chopin, written by his dear confidant and fellow musician, Franz Liszt. It is engaging and contains some interesting stories, though the validity of some of them is questionable. If you are looking for a serious biography of Chopin, I would advise you look elsewhere.
It is very likely that Liszt wrote this as an almost remorseful homage to Chopin after his untimely death. Liszt and Chopin were close friends for a while, but sadly, their friendship ended bitterly for a number of reasons -- namely, their own connections to George Sand, and differences in opinion regarding things in music and otherwise. (Chopin never did consider Liszt a real composer.) Also, these two had a tense relationship due to their temperamental dispositions, as well as their constant rivalry. Chopin's death came before they were ever to reconcile their differences, which I am certain weighed very heavily upon Liszt't conscience.
Consequently, we have a charming, affectionate biography, written in a reverent tone but not very insightful. It includes some basic information about Chopin, as well as anecdotes (some which were probably just rumors, as Liszt did not do a very extensive amount of research, besides trying to contact relatives of Chopin unwilling to give any interviews). It is a lot of soft, happy memories, but does not explore Chopin on a deeper level. Also, Liszt supposedly let various people tamper with his writing, resulting in an "improved" edition -- actually just a more sentimental, wordy writing resulting in an even larger amount of fluff than before. Nonetheless, this book still makes for an enjoyable bit of reading; however, it is not of enough value to merit an actual purchase. My advice: check it out from the library if you're really interested.

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The Latin Beat: The Rhythms and Roots of Latin Music, from Bossa Nova to Salsa and Beyond [Paperback] Review

First, I am basing my poor review mainly on the sections on Brazilian music, which are a significant part of this book.
Contrary to the Editorial review stating Mr. Morales' "incredible depth of historical and musical knowledge" I found the author's lack of knowledge of some of the more basic elements of Brazilian history and music culture downright ingnorant.
As an example of some of the minute details that may seem insignificant, the famous pre-lenten Carnaval celebrations are not "winter" celebrations since the entire southern hemishphere has opposite seasons from North America. In other more significant areas, the migration of laborers from the north was not due to the "failure of northern coffee plantations" as the coffee regions were all part of southern Brazil. A basic reading of any decent history of Brazil, such as Skidmore's "Five Centuries of Change" would have taken care of such innaccuracies.
Erroneous uses of traditional instrument names and the reference of samba as "a call to wild, mass movement, an (...) of percussion, not the structured rhythmic base for improvisation that came from the fusions of African rhythms and courtly European dances in Cuba...samba is more like 'chaos in tempo'" reek of the typical non-Latin view from insensitive writers who knew little about Latin American culture. It is surprising that a latino, especially in 2003, would be subscribing to the exoticism that permeated the work of scholars (and non-cholars) from the early 20th century.
The author uses no citations, although he does include a rather short bibliography of sources. Perhaps the auhtor should have focused on the music and history of the parts of Latin America that he is more familiar with, rather than attempt to be all-emcompassing at the risk of demonstrating such utter lack of basic historical and musical knowledge of Brazil.

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College Guide for Performing Arts Majors 2008: Real-World Admission Guide for All Dance, Music, and Theater Majors (Performing Arts Major's College Guide) [Paperback] Review

My son asked me to buy this, he wants to be a music performance major.Helpful features in this book: the nuts & bolts of auditions, how to communicate with the college, knowing your teacher before you decide on a college, questions to ask on a college visit, 12 pages of universities/colleges that offer every imaginable music major/concentration, and facts concerning 500 music schools (number of full & part-time faculty, programs of study).My big problem with this book: out of 500 conservatories/colleges/universities listed for music, two excellent universities were left out:Yale University in Connecticut and The Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester) in New York.Both of these are listed as having excellent music programs in the Fiske Guide (which only lists 12 conservatories, 17 universities and 17 colleges in the nation).It appears that the author, the former Julliard admissions director (New York), did not want to list their competition?

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The Artistry of George Shearing [Paperback] Review

This is truly one of the best artistry edition from WB , if you like The Artistry of Bill Evans 1& 2, then this is absolutly better stuff. Tuff but for real this also related to one album of Shearing(Piano) from concord Jazz, so you can learn what it should hear,,,worth more I think than Oscar Peterson note for note,,,especially shearing song book.

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Bob Hinz has included some top standards and some originals in this great folio of solo piano transcriptions of jazz piano legend George Shearing. Amust for all jazz fans.

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The Hollywood Bowl: Tales of Summer Nights [Illustrated] [Hardcover] Review

This is a wonderful history of the Hollywood Bowl.Chapters by various writers review the history of the physical plant, the administration, music, opera, dance, pop, rock, etc.There are even chapters on the audience and its activities.There are wonderful pictures and drawings.Some of the information has become slightly out of date, but the historical data is still valid.The only thing I felt was lacking was a high quality map of the facility;it's a confusing place and a good diagram would have helped me orient myself.

This is a great book for lovers of the performing arts and American pop culture.

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RandB Soul Keyboards: The Complete Guide (Musicians Institute Press) [Paperback] Review

I have to thank Henry Brewer for putting so much comprehensive information and history behind the r & b keyboard. He shows you licks and patterns and explains the different eras of r & b and how it is infused with styles such as gospel and blues.

Henry Brewer makes sure you understand that this book should not be the end of your r & b training. He instructs you books to read to understand the history, videos and recordings so that you can absorb the sound and feel of r & b. Personally just listening to the pianists he suggested and transcribing and learning what they are doing helps a good deal with understanding this style.

I sense that the reviewer who gave this book only 3 stars was looking for a short cut to r & b piano.

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Product Description:
A hands-on guide to the essential RandB soul grooves, chords and techniques, taught by Musicians Institute instructor Henry Brewer. Covers: gospel and soul keyboard voicings; technique, independence and the left hand; rhythm, feel and groove; the piano, organ, strings, and horns; and more. The CD includes 99 full-band tracks.

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Student's Guide to College Music Programs (Students Guide to College Music Programs) [Paperback] Review

I was diappointed and underwhelmed by this book.There just wasn't much information. To it's credit, a couple things this book lists that the regular college guides don't is the name music program, e.g., "Conservatory of Music," "Department of Music," "College of Fine and Performing Arts," etc.It also - usually - lists the name of the department head.

Beyond that???It appears that schools were given the option of providing additional text; most schools did not bother.Many listings - and this is a huge shortcoming - did not even list what degrees a particular school conferred!So, okay, the a college has a department of music... BA program?BS?Music Education?Performance?Graduate program????For many listings there is no info on this at all.This means the book is mainly a glossary of addresses.However, if you are more interested in knowing the state flower, bird, motto, and year the state entered the union, as opposed to what degrees the school offers, what (if any) musical accreditation it has, how much it costs to go there, if it is public or private school, whether or not it is affiliated with any church, or how competitive admissions are, you will either have to cross-check with another college guide, or look up each college individually online to get even that very basic information.

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The publishers of School Band and Orchestra magazine proudly present this third edition, offering expanded state-by-state (and now Canadian) listings of more than 1,300 college and university music programs. Detailed information is given for each of the schools listed, including basic admission contacts, course requirements, and music programs. Every state also has its own "home page," with useful facts for students, such as music programs within the state, general state stats, and population figures. Also includes invaluable articles on financial aid, what's expected of incoming freshmen, following a musical vocation, and more.

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Stardust Melodies: A Biography of 12 of America's Most Popular Songs [Paperback] Review

"How potent cheap music is."
-Noel Coward

I believe that Will Friedwald included the Noel Coward line about the potency of cheap music in the introduction to his "Stardust Melodies" simply to see those two words - potent and music - in the same sentence.There is nothing "cheap" about the popular songs featured in his book, but they are all undeniably "potent."The power of popular music, according to Friedwald, is its ability to "move us on a deep level, and in a way that few other artistic mediums can."Friedwald has obviously been moved - profoundly so --and his book is a phenomenally entertaining biography which encompasses the creation, debut, musical intricacies and recording history of a dozen American pre-rock popular songs.

I had to keep reminding myself that Friedwald wasn't actually alive when these songs first launched (he is a tail-end "boomer" and most of the songs in his book were written in the 1930's) because he relates the details at his disposal in such an electrifyingly cinematic way, you'd think he had been inside each composer's head (or at the very least, sitting in the composer's living room with a video camera) when the songs came to birth.When George Gershwin said to his friend Kay Halle "sit down, I think I have the lullaby" (for Porgy and Bess), she was immediately moved to tears at the raw beauty of Summertime.Cole Porter raced over to the piano to finish the introduction to his latest (and ultimately, greatest) composition, Night and Day, after he heard his hostess, Mrs. Astor, complain about the "drip, drip, drip" of her broken drain pipe.

Arguably the most dramatic "you were there" incident portrayed in Stardust Melodies not only illustrates the birth of a song (and a star) but stunningly represents an entire musical epoch as well: the golden musical era when pop music and jazz were inexorably linked.When Friedwald describes Ethel Merman first belting out I Got Rhythm "with all the subtlety of a tornado descending on a trailer," he also narrates what was rumbling beneath her feet - a genuine jazz orchestra.Gershwin had insisted on having one and it was a stunner: future luminaries Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey and Gene Krupa, were all accompanying Ms. Merman on the night I Got Rhythm made her a star.That's some orchestra.

Each chapter includes a section on the musical intricacies of the particular song featured and here Friedwald gets out from behind the camera, so to speak, and beckons the reader into the classroom - an intermediate-to-advanced music theory classroom.Some readers might get lost in the minutia of these details; if you don't know your tonic from your dominant, you won't have a clue.The lessons aren't longer than a few paragraphs, however, and for those fairly well versed in music fundamentals, it's fascinating stuff.Friedwald explains why every note, chord and corresponding lyric works.Did you know, for instance, that Star Dust contains a 32-bar chorus and that its melody is basically composed of thirds, some major and some minor?I've played and sung the song (never actually thought to count the bars), but now that he's mentioned it, the thirds do switch back and forth from major to minor, probably why the melody possesses such a wistful, bittersweet feel - a good fit for lyrics about a lost love.

One of the criteria by which Friedwald judged a song worthy of inclusion in his book is the sum and variety of its recorded manifestations and he lists these recordings in assiduous detail (and he is a writer of such wit and lucidity that a grocery list would sparkle in his hands).The recording history of one song in particular - As Time Goes By -illustrates how truly insightful and entertaining his approach to the material is.

Long before As Time Goes By provided the backdrop to Rick and Ilse's ill-fated love affair in Casablanca and even shortly before Frances Williams introduced it in the 1931 Broadway show Everybody's Welcome, Rudy Vallee made a recording of it that was broadcast over the radio.Because of conflicting recording contracts, the very talented Williams was unable to record the song herself, but Dooley Wilson (Sam in Casablanca) - who couldn't play the piano as his cinematic character could - did make a recording following the success of the film.

Actually, when the film was nothing more than a newly purchased play, Sam and the song were the only two irrefutables in the project, which greatly irked hired composer Max Steiner.He had nothing against Sam, of course, but initially thought As Time Goes By was too "square."When he finally saw the light, he made it the musical focal point of Casablanca.This would have probably won composer Herman Hupfeld an Oscar if it hadn't been for a strange, just-laid-down rule about Oscars being granted only to songs specifically written for a film.Hupfeld wasn't too upset; his song was a becoming a phenomenally popular recording vehicle that would ultimately be immortalized by artists as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Tiny Tim.Not bad for a little song protesting the march of progress.

Although Stardust Melodies is bursting with passion for the musical era that produced its songs and is replete with a sense of time and place, because Friedwald is able to infuse his book with a sense of immediacy, it never falls prey to nostalgia.Rather, it is a celebration of songs that have managed to outlive their composers, their performers, many of their recording stars and which have embedded themselves deeply into the American consciousness.

"Though I dream in vain, in my heart it will remain
My stardust melody, the memory of love's refrain."
(Stardust lyrics by Mitchell Parish)

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Product Description:
This pop culture history takes 12 legendary songs and, with a staggering wealth of detail and unprecedented understanding, provides an extended history of each. The circumstances under which each was written and first performed are explained and their musical and lyric content are explored. Those who were responsible for making these songs famous and performers who have left their unique marks on them are also identified. Variations in style, classic and obscure versions, brilliantly original interpretations, and ghastly travesties in the performance lifetime of each song are discussed. Also included are revelations of facts, such as Herman Hupfeld, who wrote "As Time Goes By," had a much bigger hit with "When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on the Tuba"; Billy Strayhorn wrote about "a week in Paris" in "Lush Life" when he was a teenager and had never been to any city larger than Pittsburgh; and the first-ever public performance of "I Got Rhythm," sung by Ethel Merman, featured Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Jimmy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller.

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Great Spirits: Portraits of Life-Changing World Music Artists [Paperback] Review

This book is a very engaging, thoughtful portrait of each artist. I was drawn in to the personal stories of struggle and triumph and each anecdote made me want to learn more about the artists and their music. Mr. Grass's intimate knowledge and unique perspective serves to amplify the individual talents and contributions that each artist has made.

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What do such artists as Bob Marley, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Nina Simone, and Sun Ra have in common? All created uniquely powerful musical art that had a profound effect on their audiences. Through their music and their lives they became forces for liberation, challenging the established order and inspiring people around the world to look at life in new ways. So great was their originality that to a large extent they created their own musical genres, and listeners claim the music leads them to a higher state of being.
Great Spirits: Portraits of Life-Changing World Music Artists presents personal encounters with some of the most interesting and important musical artists of the past fifty years--Bob Marley, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Nina Simone, Sun Ra, Augustus Pablo, the Neville Brothers, Yabby You, and Nadia Gamal. Based on the author's meetings and interviews with these giants, the pieces reveal the unique essence of each musician as a person, as an artist, and as a force for social change. Spanning the realms of jazz, blues, reggae, gospel, African, and Middle Eastern music, these artists epitomize musical creation at its highest level.

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September in the Rain: The Life of Nelson Riddle (Book) [Hardcover] Review

Being a fan of both Nat King Cole's and Frank Sinatra's work, I was intrigued by this book about the man who was pretty much responsible for their successful run of hits in the 1950s and '60s. Not knowing much about Nelson Riddle other than his association with Cole, Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and other singers he arranged material for, I found this book to be very interesting indeed.
Mr. Levinson's "September In The Rain" is a candid look at the life and career of Riddle, which certainly had its ups and downs. Riddle was able to create great music, but he suffered immensely in both his personal and professional life: one wife who turned to alcoholism to cope with her husband's indiscretions, and sometimes reacting with physical violence, and another, who was domineering and had no love for Riddle's children from his previous marriage, and isolated Riddle from people she didn't like; an overbearing and snobbish mother, a weak but loving father, various affairs (most notable was his torrid love affair with singer Rosemary Clooney), not being given credit when it was due, his complex relationship with Sinatra and his children, and much more. Riddle, as talented as he was, was at times doubtful of his abilities, and rarely ever smiled, because he was almost always saddened by SOMETHING and this was true throughout his life.
Reading this book, I found myself bordering between distain and sympathy for Riddle, reading about how he related to his children, the musicians in his orchestra, and the singers who worked with him. But it is my general feeling that Riddle was just like any other person who had a dysfunctional upbringing: it would carry over to his adult life, and ultimately shape who he was to become in later years. But one thing above all must be said: Nelson Riddle was indeed a musical genius, and created some of the most memorable musical arrangements ever of popular standards of the mid to late 20th century. For fans of this type of music, it is worth reading. Find out just what made this man a legend in his own time.

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The George Gershwin Reader (Readers on American Musicians) [Hardcover] Review

Having four biographies of George Gershwin (GG) already in my collection, I wondered if something called "The George Gershwin Reader" would be of any value. I needn't have wondered! Reading it cover to cover has been one of the more pleasant tasks I have encountered as a reviewer.
This Oxford University Press book retails for $30. Edited by Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson, it is organized into eight sections: Portraits of the Artist, The Growing Limelight (1919-1924), Fame and Fortune (1924-1930), Maturity (1930-1935, Porgy and Bess, Last Years: Hollywood (1936-1937), Obituaries and Eulogies, and As Time Passes. There are 83 reading selections in all. Some are contemporary reports, essays, letters, biographies; some are backward looks written since the composer's death.
In short, this can be used as a sourcebook for those studying various aspects of Gershwin's life and works (practically the same things) or read for pure enjoyment. My favorite anecdote that so wonderfully reveals the innocent egotism of GG is the story told on pp. 181-182 about a remark he made to composer Harry Ruby and his reaction to being reminded of it two years later. Priceless.
Each selection is introduced by the editors, who give background information about what is to be discussed and the persons involved. There is no dearth of negative criticism about GG's "classical" compositions; and they have even included one which states that Gershwin could not have written the music attributed to him. (The implication is that no Jewish composer could have done that well, a strong echo of Wagner's identical claim, and then contradicted by the writer's claiming the music is bad anyway!)
This OUP book is the very model of what a "reader" should be-and teachers and students of the history of American music, I will be making great use of the information therein.
Need I add, Highly Recommended?

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George Gershwin is one of the giants of American music, unique in that he was both a brilliant writer of popular songs ("Swanee," "I Got Rhythm," "They Can't Take That Away From Me") and of more serious music, including "Rhapsody in Blue," "An American in Paris," and "Porgy and Bess." Now, in The George Gershwin Reader, music lovers are treated to a spectacular celebration of this great American composer. The Reader offers a kaleidoscopic collection of writings by and about Gershwin, including more than eighty pieces of superb variety, color, and depth. There is a who's who of famous commentators: bandleader Paul Whiteman; critics Robert Benchley, Alexander Woollcott, and Brooks Atkinson; fellow musicians Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Alec Wilder (who analyzes the songs "That Certain Feeling" and "A Foggy Day"), Leonard Bernstein, and the formidable modernist composer Arnold Schoenberg (who was Gershwin's tennis partner in Hollywood). Some of the most fascinating and important writings here deal with the critical debate over Gershwin's concert pieces, especially "Rhapsody in Blue" and "An American in Paris," and there is a complete section devoted to the controversies over "Porgy and Bess," including correspondence between Gershwin and DuBose Hayward, the opera's librettist (a series of excerpts which illuminate the creative process), plus unique interviews with the original Porgy and Bess--Todd Duncan and Anne Brown. Sprinkled throughout the book are excerpts from Gershwin's own letters, which offer unique insight into this fascinating and charming man. Along with a detailed chronology of the composer's life, the editors provide informative introductions to each entry. Here then is a book for anyone interested in American music. Scholars, performers, and Gershwin's legions of fans will find it an irresistible feast.

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Ragtime, Vocal Selections [Paperback] Review

I had an urge to play some Ragtime tunes on my piano, so I bought thisbook and began to play.It has the vocal selections along with the sheetmusic.I find that the sheet music consists of many many chords, making itmore difficult, but it's still great fun to play and sing!Great forauditions!
Ragtime has awesome music, and though not all of the bestsongs are in this, most of them are.My favorite song from Ragtime isWheels of a Dream, and I was SO happy to see it in here.
One thing Ienjoyed about the Ragtime music book was that it wasn't chopped up.When Isay that, I mean from experience with other piano books.Many books withchop up the song like from movies for instance.The songs are translatedand arranged horribly, but I loved that since a lot of the music from themusical was in piano solo, the music plays EXACTLY the same as you would'veheard on Broadway!
Overall, each song is wonderful and this music is anabsolute delight to play!Enjoy!

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Titles are: Back to Before * Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc. * Gliding * Goodbye, My Love * Make Them Hear You * New Music * Our Children * Ragtime * Sarah Brown Eyes * Till We Reach That Day * Wheels of a Dream * Your Daddy's Son.

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The Gangster of Love: Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Performer, Preacher, Pimp [Paperback] Review

"If you want to keep your sweet dreams of our guitar hero, don't read this book." The author says in the preface. Rather than focusing on the brighter side of Watson's life and career, this book also attempts to dig deep into his "dark side" as well including his complicated relationships with the ladies and his family members. Some of the stories here aren't very pretty, but they are what you usually don't see on other publications or liner notes. The book contains as an appendix approximately 40 pages of information sources list the author referenced for writing. I would say this alone should interest fans of Watson, not to mention the complete discography which also constitutes a part of the appendix.

True the resolutions of some photos aren't really good, and it's also true that there are some English grammar problems (as the author is Dutch), however, still that doesn't diminish the value of the book so much. It is a very interesting read, and it's well worth checking out if you are a fan of Watson's music.

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This first biography of Johnny "Guitar" Watson (1935-1996) paints an intriguing portrait of this American blues funk composer. His fans appreciate his historical role in black American music. Rappers honored him with samples.In this book tens of musicians reveal the life story of the struggling guitarist who became eternal with "Gangster Of Love" and "A Real Mother For Ya".Besides hundreds of others, the love bandit had three First Ladies he lived with for years. They tell their untold love stories and explain how they stimulated his music as Muse, and how they financed his music business as Maecenas, helping to produce gold albums by working as prostitute, thief or booster. His musicians reveal: how did he compose his incredible oeuvre?This book includes:* The first complete Discography with 280 songs,* Register with hundreds of related artists, and 470 References,* 117 Illustrations, of which 4 in full color.

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The Young Musician's Survival Guide: Tips from Teens & Pros [Hardcover] Review

This book is filled with practical easy to read information about what it means to learn music.As a music teacher, I find this book to be a great tool for parents and students.It teaches the basic aspects of what isinvolved in learning a musical instrument.It is also written on a levelthat schoolage students can understand.I found it to be simple to read,yet very informative and enjoyable.I am going to recomend it to mystudents - especially the Jr. High students who seem to have lostmotivation.I may even assign them chapters to read and intergrate it intomy lessons.

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Stardust-The Big Band Bible [Perfect Paperback] Review

This is the quintessential book on the Big Band era.I have read many, many books on the subject, including large, fancy, hard cover books, but none compares with this. Every other book seems to be more a list of statistics compared with the life that Richard Grudens has breathed into this exciting, informative work.I have had the good fortune to have met many of the players, and been friends with some of the leaders and arrangers, and yet I have gleaned a wealth of knowledge I did not have. Do not fail to get this book.
Dr. Irwin C. Shiell

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The complete Big Band Bible covering the Bands, the bandleaders, the musicians, the vocalists, the arrangers, the singing groups of most of the previous century told through a collection of personal profiles featuring the twentieth century's greatest musical stars with a foreword by Frankie Laine and an introduction by Kathryn Crosby, Mrs. Bing Crosby. The book will include the history of the song Stardust, bandleader Van Alexander's 'So You Want to Lead a Band.' The lists will document every known band and its theme song, as well as two lists documenting every girl and boy singer who ever sang with a band or bands. Features: Your Lucky Strike Hit Parade, The Cotton Club, Big Band Million sellers, Presentation of the First Gold Record, Great Moments in Big Band History, WNEW radio polls, the Recording Ban, Anecdotes and Fables, interviews with almost every Big Band Leaders and their vocalists. Vignettes of every known singing group, Big Band Associates like Mitch Miller and John Hammond, a chapter on the songwriters, the arrangers, the broadcasters, the Ghost-tribute bands and their tours of today, a list and interviews with the current crop of singers, The Music of Your Life story, 50 pages devoted to the bands of England and Europe, the complete alphabetical list of all known bands 1920-1980's, Big Band organiztions, clubs, and publications. Big Band Anecdotes and Non de Plumes; the performers real names, and much more. The book has over 300 photos, many never before published.

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