Bebop : Third Ear - The Essential Listening Companion [Paperback] Review

This is a handy compendium of introductory overviews, musical biographies, and rated record recommendations for all of Bebop's main and minor players, but unfortunately it doesn't stop there. Dozens of entries for musicians whom you'd never think to connect with Bebop (Lew Tabackin? Marian McPartland?) merely serve to unnecessarily complicate the issues and probably confuse newcomers. That said, Scott Yanow is a knowledgeable reviewer and writer, and this guide will be a useful starting point for jazz fans who want to explore more deeply the musical essence of modern jazz.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bebop : Third Ear - The Essential Listening Companion [Paperback]

Product Description:
On the heels of swing, bebop lifted jazz from the dance floor into an art form powered by virtuoso players. This engaging collection of essays, biographies and reviews by veteran jazz journalist Scott Yanow probes the lives and revolutionary works of more than 500 great beboppers, including the giants: Charlie Parker, Dizzie Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach and Thelonious Monk. The guide also explores key artists such as Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Christian and the young Miles Davis, plus such later figures as Joe Pass and Barry Harris.

Buy cheap Bebop : Third Ear - The Essential Listening Companion [Paperback] now

Open Sky: Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation [Paperback] Review

Eric Nisenson claims that this is not a definitive biography of Sonny Rollins.I would have to agree.Not only does this book tell us hardly anything about Sonny's personal life (his inpirations, his heartbreaks, his relationships with other jazz musicians), it has neither a discography nor an index. It's list of sources is only a page and a half, half of which seem to be previous books by Nisenson.After an inspired first chapter, Nisenson just seems to list through Sonny's albums and notable achievements, using generous quotes from Sonny describing events that were just described by the author himself.There were some good discriptions of some of the albums and some of Sonny's better solos, but most of it reads like a textbook.I would suggest that someone wait for either Sonny's autobiography (for which he's obviously saved a lot of info) or a "definitive" biography.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Open Sky: Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation [Paperback]



Buy cheap Open Sky: Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation [Paperback] now