Biography: arts and entertainment Books
Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd. THE MAKING OF THE GREATEST MICROSOFT
Book SynopsisStarting with a turnover of just $16, 005 in 1976, Microsoft, the house that Windows built'', had clocked up over $143 billion in revenues in 2020. It also became one of the very few companies to cross the $1 trillion mark in market capitalization! It''s not just the story of its main architectsbill Gates and Paul allenbut also of peopleike Steve Ballmer and Satan Nadella, who have taken Microsoft into an orbit of its own. This book affords us fascinating insights into how modern businesses are built, sustained and scaled up, besides offering an analysis of how differenteadersead the same organization in their own unique ways. The book traces Microsoft''s eventful journey from its early fledgling days to the current dominant statusits first major deal with IBM and theaunching of Windows and Office software, gaming gadgets, and making forays into other computer products and servicesike cloud, mobile phones, computer hardware and artificial intelligence, covering the entire gamut of information Technology. This is a story that has no parallels.
£7.19
Buddhist Publication Society,Sri Lanka Life of Nyanatiloka Thera: The Biography of a
Book SynopsisVen. Nyanatiloka, a pioneering European Buddhist monk, ordained in 1903, attracted many disciples and left a lasting influence through his scholarly work and translations of Pali scriptures. His autobiography and biographical postscript cover his life until his death in 1957.
£29.69
Gefen Publishing House Giacamo Meyerbeer: The Deliberately Forgotten
Book SynopsisWhen Giacomo Meyerbeer died in 1864 at the age of seventy-two, he was widely regarded as having written the greatest operas since Mozart. And yet, remarkably, his fame and his very name were all but eliminated from the history of music for approximately a hundred years. Who did the dastardly deed? Each for his own reasons, the principal culprits were Schumann, Mendelssohn, Heine, and Wagner. David Faiman presents here an outline of Meyerbeer''s life: his precocious childhood in Prussia, his rise to fame in Italy, his reluctant achievement of superstar status in Paris, the jealousy this engendered among some of his less successful colleagues, and the way one of the above-mentioned availed himself of the latent anti-Semitism of nineteenth-century audiences to remove Meyerbeer''s works from our stages and airbrush his very name from our awareness. Thankfully Meyerbeer is now enjoying a deserved revival. This book helps to reintroduce some of the music world''s greatest long-lost pleasures.
£18.89
Sang-e-Meel Publications Fiaz, Folk Heritage and Problems of Culture
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£58.50
Baakhan Nyane Waa Guided By Gods Lost In Lines
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£32.29
HarperCollins Publishers GILCHRIST ON BLAKE The Life of William Blake by Alexander Gilchrist
Book SynopsisLIVES THAT NEVER GROW OLD Part of a radical new series – edited by Richard Holmes – that recovers the great classical tradition of English biography. Gilchrist’s ‘The Life of William Blake’ is a biographical masterpiece, still thrilling to read and vividly alive.
£11.39
HarperCollins Publishers sofarewellthenthebiographyofpetercook
Book SynopsisThe most intimate portrait of Peter Cook to date, Cook's first wife writes of her life with Britain's most ingenious and innovative comedian, and offering a side of him few have ever seen.Trade Review'An evocative and moving account of Cook's beginnings'Daily Express 'Her candid disclosures reveal a side of the man the fans never saw.'Sunday Express 'Peter was a wit, it goes without saying, but he was funny in an almost supernatural way that has never been matched by anyone I've met or even heard about.'Stephen Fry 'If there is a heaven he will be the funniest man there.' Clive Anderson 'Possibly the funniest man in the Western world. From his early 20s, nobody could hold a candle to him.'Daily Mail
£11.39
HarperCollins Publishers The Hardest Working Man in Showbiz
Book SynopsisThe incredible, uncensored full story of the number one male porn star and legend, told in his own words.Trade ReviewBook of the Month in the April issue of Boys Toys ‘Explosive’Sunday World ‘It's fun to read… my opinion of the 'Hedgehog' was considerably raised.' Desire magazine
£14.24
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Nicholas Ray The Glorious Failure of an American
Book SynopsisThe visionary filmmaker Nicholas Ray spent his lifetime creating films that were dark, emotionally charged, and haunted by social misfits and bruised young people consumed by private anguish. This title presents portrait of Nicholas Ray - a man whose troubled life was punctuated by moments of creative genius.Trade Review"[A] portrait of a filmmaker who managed over time to upstage the movies that made him celebrated." -- Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel "A clear and balanced portrait of a most complex man." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "[A] fascinating, formidable account of a director whose life was as fraught with complications and melodrama as were his movies...Meticulously researched and gratifying, a biographical page-turner." -- Library Journal (starred review) "McGilligan limns the tragic trajectory of Ray's career with insight and compassion." -- Booklist
£15.71
£13.60
HarperCollins PAPER LIFE
£9.99
HarperCollins Fabulosity
Book SynopsisExplains how to balance feminine, stop-them-in-their-tracks glamour with sign-on-the-dotted-line business power; how to get past barriers that exist because of gender, race, or age; how to find a marriageable man who'll support your biggest dreams (while keeping other women at bay); and how to have the most fun of your life while doing it.
£15.00
HarperCollins Everything and Nothing The Dorothy Dandridge Tragedy
£12.89
HarperCollins Publishers Inc ACDC Maximum Rock Roll
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£17.09
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Gilded Lily
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£16.19
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Roasting in Hells Kitchen
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£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Furious Love
£12.34
HarperCollins Fall to Pieces
Book SynopsisOn the surface Mary Forsberg Weiland had a fairy-tale life. She was a highly paid fashion model. This is a memoir of Weiland that offers a window into the world of modeling and rock 'n' roll celebrity while providing deep insights into a serious and misunderstood psychological disorder.Trade Review"A harrowing story of addiction and mental illness." -- People "A worthy addition to the rock canon." -- New York Post "Weiland's lively, vernacular memoir tells the sadly wasted but ultimately self-directed tale of her meteoric rise as a model from impoverished, half-Mexican roots to a precipitous plunge into drug addiction...Weiland's forthright, resilient can-do spirit injects this sad story with a healthy moral." -- Publishers Weekly "A brutally honest and compelling account of Mary Weiland's struggles with addiction and mental illness. Brave, bold and unfiltered, Mary's writing injects humor and levity in a way that is both entertaining and necessary. I have no doubt that this important book will help save many lives." -- Dave Navarro "Mary Weiland's beautifully crafted memoir takes the reader through the journey that is so very common today, the slow drift into addiction and mental illness. Honest, clear, and accurate, Fall to Pieces is perhaps the most vivid rendition of this experience I have ever come across." -- Dr. Drew Pinsky, host of Loveline and Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, author of The Mirror Effect and Cracked "Mary Weiland describes the depths of madness and addiction with surprising clarity. Fall to Pieces is a wild, gripping story, told with intense emotional honesty." -- Terri Cheney, New York Times bestselling author of Manic "For all the death and devastation detailed in its pages, this book is surprisingly funny." -- Reuters
£14.30
HarperCollins Strange Things Happen
£13.60
HarperCollins Publishers Inc I Tina
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£14.44
HarperCollins Luck or Something Like It Large Print
£20.69
HarperCollins Anyone Who Had A Heart
£19.79
HarperCollins Jason Priestley
£13.60
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Sing to Me
£16.71
HarperCollins Dirty Daddy
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Hilarious and at times heartbreaking ..." -- Vanity Fair "Equal parts smut and sincerity ..." -- Larry King Now "Both funnier and darker than you might expect ..." -- AskMen.com
£12.19
HarperCollins Publishers The Fat Lady Sang
Book SynopsisTold in the same irresistible style as The Kid Stays in the Picture, this book chronicles author's triumphant recovery from a devastating series of strokes, with the aid of neurologists, physical therapists and old friends like Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Sumner Redstone, and Beverly D'Angelo.Trade ReviewPraise for The Kid Stays in the Picture: "The best Hollywood memoir I've ever read!" -- Michael Fleming, Variety "Don't even try to put it down." -- Janet Maslin, New York Times "A naughty, outrageous, and wild ride--and perhaps the best Hollywood memoir ever written." -- Publishers Weekly Top Three Greatest Hollywood Tell-Alls -- Entertainment Weekly "A sequel better than any [readers] could have anticipated... It's a remarkable story of endurance, faith and determination, even readers who've never heard of Evans will find this to be both entertaining and inspiring. A harrowing but lively supplement to The Kid Stays in the Picture." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The notorious kid is still in the picture... Evans has produced a quintessential Hollywood memoir." -- Kirkus Reviews "A compelling and, at times, deeply emotional memoir." -- Booklist
£12.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Nelson's unmistakable voice shines through ... funny, inspirational and bawdy, with a well-honed sense of humor." -- Kirkus Reviews "An irreverent, entertaining read. Humble, optimistic, and quick to give credit to those around him for contributing to his success, Nelson is a charming narrator." -- Publishers Weekly "Nelson takes us for a rollicking ride along the highways and byways of his long life and career in this rambunctious, hilarious, reflective, and loving memoir." -- American Songwriter "Compelling page-turner ... for all his fame and accessibility, he still has so much wisdom left to share." -- Jambands.com "So many decades into his fabled life and career, Willie fans pretty much know what to expect from him. And he does not let his readers down with his Musings From the Road. " -- Country Music Television, Nashville Skyline blog
£12.87
HarperCollins The Grand Tour
£19.94
Dey Street Books Why Bob Dylan Matters Revised Edition
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£16.65
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Other Side of the Coin The Queen the Dresser
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£31.50
HarperCollins How I Saved the World
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Where is Dana Perino? She is desperately needed.” — Jesse's mom “Jesse Watters is officially out of control.” — Washington Post “Does Watters have the most punchable face in America? The answer is obviously yes.” — Daily Beast “Keep this guy off TV.” — Mayor Bill DeBlasio “A human Jäger bomb.” — Media Matters “A smug, unfunny goon.” — The Daily Show "Blissfully ignorant." — Salon “Probably the smarmiest fuck on the planet.” — Gawker “Jesse Watters is even more stupid than I originally gave him credit for. I mean, surprisingly ignorant. Which I kinda knew, but still.” — Soledad O'Brien “A Fox News reporter with a Stiffler-esque swagger who does not tend to break actual news.” — New Yorker
£19.00
HarperCollins Where Are Your Boys Tonight
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£13.78
HarperCollins And Then We Rise
£14.44
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Into the Void
Book Synopsis
£22.49
HarperCollins Notorious
£24.38
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Unti9780063445192
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£21.25
Penguin Random House Australia Garcia An American Life
Book SynopsisHe was there when Dylan went electric, when a generation danced naked at Woodstock, and when Ken Kesey started experimenting with acid. Jerry Garcia was one of the most gifted musicians of all time, and he was a member of one of the most worshiped rock ''n'' roll bands in history. Now, Blair Jackson, who covered the Grateful Dead for twenty-five years, gives us an unparalleled portrait of Garcia--the musical genius, the brilliant songwriter, and ultimately, the tortured soul plagued by his own addiction. With more than forty photographs, many of them previously unpublished, Garcia: An American Life is the ultimate tribute to the man who, Bob Dylan said, had no equal.
£20.90
Oxford University Press Verdi
Book SynopsisIn this third edition of the classic Verdi, renowned authority Julian Budden offers a comprehensive overview of Verdi the man and the artist, tracing his ascent from humble beginnings to the status of a cultural patriarch of the new Italy.Table of ContentsIllustrations ; Key to Sigla ; PART I THE LIFE ; 1. Early Life at Busseto ; 2. Success and Failure in Milan ; 3. The Journeyman ; 4. Florence, London and Paris ; 5. Return to Busseto ; 6. Viva V.E.R.D.I. ; 7. The New Order ; 8. The Dark Decade ; 9. Indian Summer ; 10. The Last Years ; 11. Verdi as Man and Artist ; PART II THE MUSIC ; 12. The Background ; 13. From Oberto to Ernani ; Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio, Un giorno di regno, Nabucco, I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Ernani ; 14. The Prison Years ; I due Foscari, Giovanna d'Arco, Alzira, Attila, Macbeth, I masnadieri, Jerusalem, Il corsaro, La battaglia di Legnano, Luisa Miller ; 15. The High Noon ; Stiffelio, Rigoletto, Il trovatore, La traviata ; 16. Towards Grand Opera ; Les vepres siciliennes, Simon Boccanegra, Aroldo, Un ballo in maschera, La forza del destino, Don Carlos, Aida ; 17. The Final Masterpieces ; Otello, Falstaff ; 18. Miscellaneous Operatic Compositions ; 19. Chamber Compositions ; 20. Choral and Religious Works ; Appendices ; A. Calendar ; B. List of Works ; C. Personalia ; D. Select Bibliography ; E. Glossary of Nineteenth-Century Operatic Terms ; Index
£32.29
Oxford University Press, USA Louis Armstrong An American Genius
Book SynopsisLouis Armstrong was more than a great entertainer-he was one of the most important musicians of our times, not only a key figure in the history of jazz but also a formative influence on all of twentieth-century popular music. James Lincoln Collier, author of The Making of Jazz chronicles the saga of Armstrong's rise as a musician, providing a unique, insightful portrait of the man and his times.Trade Review"Destined to become one of the enduring jazz reference works."--The Philadelphia Inquirer"The definitive account of Armstrong's life. Collier is a tough, unblinkered critic."--The Washington Post"By far the most thoughtful and articulate study to date of a much misunderstood titan of jazz."--The Nation"A masterful critical biography--sophisticated in its contexts, shrewd yet sympathetic, rich in its supporting cast...and splendidly conscientious in the delicate balance between character and culture."--Kirkus Reviews"The most comprehensive account yet of the man who all but invented swing."--Newsweek"One of the most important jazz studies in recent years."--Callaloo"An excellent introduction to the real 'Satchmo.'"--History Book Review"It could be a long time before we are given a more detailed, comprehensive, perceptive, and human portrait of the great Satchmo."--Jervis Anderson, The New Republic"Only with the publication of James Lincoln Collier's biography is a truly comprehensive critical study of Armstrong available. And a splendid one it is....Distinguished by sound logic, a generous breadth of understanding of music and people, and a writing style that is a model of clarity, economy, and grace....Collier's book joins that select group of biographies of Americans in the arts whose representatives are in themselves admirable works of art."--American Music"Splendid....Distinguished by sound logic, a generous breadth of understanding of music and people, and a writing style that is a model of clarity, economy, and grace....Collier's book joins the select group of biographies of Americans in the arts whose representatives are in themselves admirable works of art."--American Music"A superb book....It is thoughtful, intelligent, informative, provocative, and comprehensive."--Stephen L. Stone, University of Oregon"This comprehensive, well-researched, highly readable biography deftly separates fact from myth in telling the rags-to-riches saga of Armstrong's life."--The Christian Science Monitor"A detailed, provocative, intellectually stimulating, and skillfully written account--in fact, one of the most engrossing biographies of a jazz musician ever written."--Down Beat"Impeccable scholarship, razor-sharp musical analysis, and lively, vibrant prose are the hallmarks of this groundbreaking biography of an American jazz legend."--Booklist
£17.49
Oxford University Press Fanny Brice
Book SynopsisFanny Brice was arguably the greatest American stage comedienne and the first truly great torch singer. Best known today through the Broadway and Hollywood versions of Funny Girl, the vehicle that catapulted Barbara Streisand to super-stardom, her most famous role was as `Baby Snooks'' the `incorrigible tot of network radio from 1936 to 1951''.This meticulously researched biography chronicles her entire stage career from childhood amateur shows to national fame. Full of colourful anecdote, it covers her personal life, including three broken marriages - one two a notorious gangster - and also includes four appendices detailing every aspect of her stage, film, radio, and recording careers.Trade Review'Fascinating account of the Funny Girl's career.' Peter Hepple, Stage & Television Today
£21.49
Oxford University Press Inc The Uncrowned King of Swing
Book SynopsisIf Benny Goodman was the King of Swing, then Fletcher Henderson was the power behind the throne. Not only did Henderson arrange the music that powered Goodman''s meteoric rise, he also helped launch the careers of Louis Armstrong and Coleman Hawkins, among others. Now Jeffrey Magee offers a fascinating account of this pivotal bandleader, throwing new light on the emergence of modern jazz and the world that created it. Drawing on an unprecedented combination of sources, including sound recordings, obscure stock arrangements, and hundreds of scores that have been available only since Goodman''s death, Magee illuminates Henderson''s musical output, from his early work as a New York bandleader, to his pivotal role in building the Kingdom of Swing. He shows how Henderson, standing at the forefront of the New York jazz scene during the 1920s and ''30s, assembled the era''s best musicians, simultaneously preserving jazz''s distinctiveness and performing popular dance music that reached a widTrade Review"Magee does an excellent job of placing his subject in the context of uncertain social changes in the African American community. Well researched and highly readable."--Library Journal "An invaluable survey of Henderson's life and music. Detailed analyses of numerous musical scores are juxtaposed against a view of the roller-coaster progress of Henderson's career in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance. Perhaps most important, Magee deals with the complex issue of Henderson's identity as both a creative facilitator of other musicians' efforts and the frustrated composer-arranger of music that was a foundational element in the Swing Era--bringing triumphs that had eluded his groups to leaders such as Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers and Isham Jones."--Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times "Magee paints a vivid portrait of the central figures of early jazz and swing (Louis Armstrong is a 'strong streak of color in a crazy quilt') as well as the business of recording and touring in the 1920s and '30s. While Benny Goodman is lauded as the major force behind the Big Band sound, Magee argues convincingly that Henderson was equally important in 'building the kingdom of swing.''--Publishers Weekly "An invaluable survey of Henderson's life and music. Detailed analyses of numerous musical scores are juxtaposed against a view of the roller-coaster progress of Henderson's career in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance. Perhaps most important, Magee deals with the complex issue of Henderson's identity as both a creative facilitator of other musicians' efforts and the frustrated composer-arranger of music that was a foundational element in the Swing Era--bringing triumphs that had eluded his groups to leaders such as Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers and Isham Jones."--Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times "Magee does an excellent job of placing his subject in the context of uncertain social changes in the African American community. Well researched and highly readable."--Library Journal "Magee paints a vivid portrait of the central figures of early jazz and swing (Louis Armstrong is a 'strong streak of color in a crazy quilt') as well as the business of recording and touring in the 1920s and '30s. While Benny Goodman is lauded as the major force behind the Big Band sound, Magee argues convincingly that Henderson was equally important in 'building the kingdom of swing.''--Publishers Weekly
£24.22
Oxford University Press Inc Too Marvelous for Words
Book SynopsisArt Tatum defined the limits of the possible in jazz piano. Gunther Schuller called Tatum''s playing a marvel of perfection.... His deep-in-the-keys full piano sonority, the tone and touch control in pyrotechnical passages...are miracles of performance. Whitney Balliett wrote no pianist has ever hit notes more beautifully. Each one--no matter how fast the tempo--was light and complete and resonant, like the letters on a finely printed page. His famous runs have been compared to the arc left against the night sky by a Fourth-of-July sparkler. And to have heard him play, one musician said, was as awe-inspiring as to have seen the Grand Canyon or Halley''s Comet. Now, in Too Marvelous For Words, James Lester provides the first full-length biography of the greatest virtuoso performer in the history of jazz. Before this volume, little was known about Tatum, even among jazz afficionados. What were his origins, who taught him and who provided early pianistic influences, how did he break into Trade Reviewexcitingly depicts the New York City jazz scene during the rise of be-bop and the enormously rich activity of the 1930s and '40s. * Publishers Weekly *
£19.99
Oxford University Press Leader of the Band The Life of Woody Herman
Book SynopsisWoody Herman was a central figure in the development of jazz - a musical giant whose career spanned the big band and bebop eras. Gene Lees has spent close to a decade interviewing Herman's friends and fellow musicians, to produce a vivid portrayal of the triumph and tragedy of a life in jazz.Trade Reviewthe kind of book that makes you want to go and listen to all the records * New York Times Book Review *
£16.49
Oxford University Press Something to Live for The Music of Billy Strayhorn
Book Synopsis'Something to Live For' investigates and analyses the entire oeuvre of Billy Strayhorn, who, for over 30 years, was the musical collaborator of Duke Ellington. Nearly 70 music examples, drawn directly from his original autograph scores, provide insight into the development of Strayhorn's own musical language and style.Trade Review"An epochal work--groundbreaking, fearless, sensitive, and exquisitely modulated, much like the music it illuminates. Something to Live For is the best possible book about Billy Strayhorn's art and a highwater mark of music scholarship."--David Hajdu, author of Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn "The celebration of Billy Strayhorn's life and legacy continues with Walter van de Leur's magnificent new book. Something to Live For immediately takes its place as an absolutely indispensable addition to the history of the Ellington orchestra and American music in general."--Ellingtonia "Richly provocative.... There is a real intellectual hunger in this exploration to identify the unique glory and lasting contribution Strayhorn made to the art of jazz.... Jazz musician and historian Van de Leur subjects Billy Strayhorn's musical arrangements to deep scrutiny and credibly finds them original, undervalued, frequently misattributed, and tasting of the sublime."--Kirkus Review "In this exemplary work, combining meticulous, dedicated research and brilliant analytic illumination, Van de Leur has brought Strayhorn, the musician, and his legacy into full and unobstructed view at last, thus deepening our understanding of Ellingtonia. Indispensable!"--Dan Morgenstern, Director, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University "For lovers of Ellingtonia, jazz, and twentieth-century music, Walter van de Leur's new book is indeed Something to Live For. The first in-depth study of the music of composer-arranger Billy Strayhorn, this volume is meticulously researched, clearly written, and enriched with excerpts from Strayhorn's autograph scores. For the first time, we can learn the details of Strayhorn's monumental 28-year contribution to the Duke Ellington Orchestra and music he wrote for other contexts. Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn sets a new standard of excellence for jazz musicology."--Bill Kirchner, Composer-arranger, saxophonist, jazz historian, producer, educator, and editor of The Oxford Companion to Jazz "Richly provocative.... There is a real intellectual hunger in this exploration to identify the unique glory and lasting contribution Strayhorn made to the art of jazz.... Jazz musician and historian Van de Leur subjects Billy Strayhorn's musical arrangements to deep scrutiny and credibly finds them original, undervalued, frequently misattributed, and tasting of the sublime."--Kirkus Review "The celebration of Billy Strayhorn's life and legacy continues with Walter van de Leur's magnificent new book. Something to Live For immediately takes its place as an absolutely indispensable addition to the history of the Ellington orchestra and American music in general."--Ellingtonia "This scholarly evaluation of Strayhorn's compositions still manages to pay homage to the visionary force behind some of the 20th century's greatest music."--Publishers Weekly "An epochal work--groundbreaking, fearless, sensitive, and exquisitely modulated, much like the music it illuminates. Something to Live For is the best possible book about Billy Strayhorn's art and a highwater mark of music scholarship."--David Hajdu, author of Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn "Van de Leur posits that Strayhorn was not merely Ellington's alter ego but a distinctly different composer who had a direct influence on Ellington's music...this evaluation of Strayhorn's compositions manages to pay homage to the visionary force behind some of the 20th century's greatest music."--Publishers Weekly "In this exemplary work, combining meticulous, dedicated research and brilliant analytic illumination, Van de Leur has brought Strayhorn, the musician, and his legacy into full and unobstructed view at last, thus deepening our understanding of Ellingtonia. Indispensable!"--Dan Morgenstern, Director, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University "For lovers of Ellingtonia, jazz, and twentieth-century music, Walter van de Leur's new book is indeed Something to Live For. The first in-depth study of the music of composer-arranger Billy Strayhorn, this volume is meticulously researched, clearly written, and enriched with excerpts from Strayhorn's autograph scores. For the first time, we can learn the details of Strayhorn's monumental 28-year contribution to the Duke Ellington Orchestra and music he wrote for other contexts. Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn sets a new standard of excellence for jazz musicology."--Bill Kirchner, Composer-arranger, saxophonist, jazz historian, producer, educator, and editor of The Oxford Companion to JazzTable of Contents1. Fantastic Rhythm: The Pittsburgh Years ; 2. The Renaissance of Arranging: First Works for and with Duke Ellington ; 3. The Strayhorn Effect: A New Way of Writing for Jazz Orchestra ; 4. Thinking with the Ear: Strayhorn's Musical Fingerprints ; 5. Writing and Arranging Companions: Credited and Uncredited Collaborations ; 6. "He is He and I am Me": The Ellington-Strayhorn Collaboration ; 7. Wounded Love: Away from the Ellington Organization ; 8. Masterpieces by STrayhorn: Writing for Albums ; 9. The Whodunnit Game: The Mature Style of Billy Strayhorn ; 10. North by Southwest: The Final Years ; 11. Conclusion ; Appendix A: Score of Scores: Manuscripts at the Duke Ellinton and Billy Strayhorn Collections ; Appendix B: Billy Strayhorn's Works on Record ; Appendix C: Billy Strayhorn's Works on Record (posthumously premiered) ; Appendix D: The Compositions of Billy Strayhorn
£24.22
Oxford University Press Amy Beach Passionate Victorian
Book SynopsisAmy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944), the most widely performed composer of her generation, was the first American woman to succeed as a creator of large-scale art music. Her Gaelic Symphony, given its premiere by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896, was the first work of its kind by an American woman to be performed by an American orchestra. Almost all of her more than 300 works were published soon after they were composed and performed, and today her music is finding new advocates and audiences for its energy, intensity, and sheer beauty. Yet, until now, no full-length critical biography of Beach''s life or comprehensive critical overview of her music existed. This biography admirably fills that gap, fully examining the connections between Beach''s life and work in light of social currents and dominant ideologies. Born into a musical family in Victorian times, Amy Beach started composing as a child of four and was equally gifted as a pianist. Her talent was recognized early by BostoTrade ReviewAward-winning study... her music... is enjoying a revival of interest that is richly deserved and long overdue. Block's book is a thorough, academic study of Beach's life and work. She handles the musical elements with both sharp analytic skills and considerable sensitivity. It is a satisfying and illuminating read and hopefully will encourage more musicians to delve into the music itself - which, by the way, is strong, beautiful and filled with Beach's individual musical voice. * Jessica Duchen, Classical Music 17/06/2000. *Block's patient reconstruction of the complex mediations that shaped Beach's career is a refreshing change from the one dimensional revisionism of some recent biographies ... painstaking reconstruction of a career suspended awkwardly between genius and conventional restraint. * Brian Morton, Times Higher Education Supplement *Table of Contents1: A Prodigy's New England Upbringing 2: The Cheneys and the Marcys 3: A Prodigy Despite Her Mother 4: The Making of a Composer: I 5: Two Ways of Looking at a Marriage 6: The Making of a Composer: II 7: Becoming Mistress of Her Craft 8: Reaching Out to the World 9: "One of the Boys" 10: Amy Beach's Boston 11: The Composer at the Keyboard: Beach Plays Beach 12: "A Veritable Autobiography"?: The Piano Concerto 13: The Composer's Workshop 14: Choral Music 15: The Chambered Nautilus 16: Europe and a New Life 17: "Lion of the Hour" 18: My Old New Hampshire House 19: At the MacDowell Colony: "Solitude in Silence" 20: Caring 21: A Fascinating New York Life 22: Beach the Modernist? 23: Reckonings 24: Harvest Time Postlude: The Legacy Appendix: Catalog of Works Music's Ten Commandments as Given for Young Composers
£69.35
Oxford University Press Inc Trumpet Blues The Life of Harry James
Book SynopsisSwing is back in style, and with it a renewed interest in the Big Band Era. And few players dominated that era more than Harry James, whose soaring trumpet solos and romantic hit tunes influenced popular music for a generation. Now, Peter J. Levinson, who knew Harry James personally, has written a revealing biography of this jazz icon, based on nearly 200 interviews with musicians and friends. Harry James led a truly colorful life, and in Trumpet Blues Levinson captures it all. Beginning with James''s childhood in a traveling circus, we follow the young trumpeter''s meteoric rise in the 1930s and witness his electrifying performances with the Benny Goodman Orchestra. We see how James formed his own band in 1939, an incubator for many pop music stars of the 1940s and ''50s, including Frank Sinatra, Connie Haines, Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest, and Kitty Kallen. Combined with James''s superb musicianship, peerless trumpet technique and talented sidemen, this stellar group dominated the war Trade Reviewexcellent biography ... Music biographies really don't come any better than this superb book. * Andrew Vine, Yorkshire Post *Table of ContentsPreface ; Acknowledgments ; Everette and Maybelle ; Louise and Ben ; The Kingdom of Swing ; Ciribiribin ; You Made Me Love You ; Trees, The Legs, and The Lip ; Hollywood Royalty ; The In-Between Years ; Back to Basie ; I Don't Want to Walk Without You ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index
£17.99
Oxford University Press The Grateful Dead Reader Readers on American Musicians
Book SynopsisThe Grateful Dead are one of the most fascinating rock bands and cultural phenomena of the twentieth century. This book collects the most important and illuminating writings by and about the band, its members, and its fans (known as Deadheads), providing a rich account of the Dead and their importance in rock music and popular culture.Trade ReviewGrateful Dead literature is approaching Beatles-lit in volume, and this gathering about the band and its fans attests to how vast and dedicated the nation of the Deadheads is ... A must for Dead-heavy collections, the book is also a nice addition to any popular culture collection. * Booklist *
£15.41
Oxford University Press Myself When I Am Real The Life and Music of Charles Mingus
Book SynopsisCharles Mingus was one of the most innovative jazz musicians of the 20th century. This new biography by the acclaimed music critic Gene Santoro argues that Mingus was not only a great musician and composer but a central character in the postwar American cultural renaissance.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Physically bearish and imposing, Mingus always seemed even larger psychically, a figure to fill the room, alter the vibes, suck up all the air - a cross between Falstaff and Othello. In his marvellous hall of mirrors, Myself When I Am real, Gene Santoro has grasped him whole, or at least as whole as one can expect from mere prose. Some passages suggest the hammering rhythms of a drum solo, others the sprawl of a Mingusian piano meditation. It is a stunning achievement. * Gary Giddins, author of Visions of Jazz *Mingus's creative turbulence comes alive. we see how his life and times, including his battles with racism and the musci business and himself, were intimately entwined with his remarkable music. * Cassandra Wilson *An admirably objective attempt to come to terms with the personal and musical complexity that was Charles Mingus. Gene Santoro's comprehensively researched and critically insightful book makes Mingus as fascinating and as outrageous as Mingus himself seemed to have always wanted to be. * Albert Murray, author of Stomping the Blues *Table of ContentsPreface ; Introduction ; Prologue: Better Get It In Your Soul ; 1. Growing Up Absurd ; 2. Black Like Me ; 3. Making the Scene ; 4. Life During Wartime ; 5. Portrait of the Artist ; 6. The Big Apple, or On the Road ; 7. Pithecanthropus Erectus ; 8. Mingus Dynasty ; 9. Camelot ; 10. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady ; 11. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest ; 12. Beneath the Underdog ; 13. Let My Children Hear Music ; 14. Changes ; 15. Don't Be Afraid, the Clown's Afraid, Too ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Discography ; Acknowledgements ; Index
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