Biography: arts and entertainment Books

Book SynopsisThis work tells the story not only of an intimate struggle between man and cello but also of the larger struggle between a society obsessed with success and payoff and individuals who choose challenging hobbies that yield no payoff except the love of it.

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Book SynopsisUmm Kulthum was a celebrated musical performer in the Arab world, and her songs still permeate the international airwaves. This, the first English-language biography, chronicles her life and career. In particular, it examines her success in a society which discouraged women from public performance.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most influential choreographers of the twentieth century, Merce Cunningham is known for introducing chance to dance. Far too often, however, accounts of Cunningham's work have neglected its full scope, focusing on his collaborations with the visionary composer John Cage or insisting that randomness was the singular goal of his choreography. In this book, the first dedicated to the complete arc of Cunningham's career, Carrie Noland brings new insight to this transformative artist's philosophy and career, providing a fresh perspective on his artistic process while exploring aspects of his choreographic practice never studied before. Examining a rich and previously unseen archive that includes photographs, film footage, and unpublished writing by Cunningham, Noland counters prior understandings of Cunningham's influential embrace of the unintended, demonstrating that Cunningham in fact set limits on the role chance played in his dances. Drawing on Cunningham's written and peTrade Review"What a terrific addition to the library! Noland is . . . taking the received understanding of Cunningham, and working against its fetish terms of chance, indeterminacy, nonnarrative, and so forth, to probe instead for Cunningham's interest in human connections and particularities. The effect of moving through Noland's text is of an unfolding of multiple issues and optics, many of them fundamentally biographical, all in turn shaping the kinesthetics of Cunningham's expertise as dancer and as choreographer. Rather than presenting the evanescent medium of dance as a linear compositional project, Noland shows it as constellational-recursive, dialogic, felt, meant, and, most importantly, thought."--Judith Rodenbeck, author of Radical Prototypes: Allan Kaprow and the Invention of Happenings "Merce Cunningham: After the Arbitrary is a rigorously argued, extremely persuasive, and highly topical book. While Cunningham's work is famous for being almost tortuously difficult, Noland successfully reads it through the arbitrary and the human, the abstract and the motivated, the structural and the personal. She has done so, moreover, with a fluid voice that moves easily between the register of observation and the metacritical. It is at once historical, theoretical, and formalist, making it a model of scholarship in any humanist field. Noland moves deliberately, examining not only a sequence of Cunningham's dances but their interlocking relationships with other choreographies, both contemporaneous and otherwise."--Rachel Haidu, author of The Absence of Work: Marcel Broodthaers 1964-1976

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"What a terrific addition to the library! Noland is . . . taking the received understanding of Cunningham, and working against its fetish terms of chance, indeterminacy, nonnarrative, and so forth, to probe instead for Cunningham's interest in human connections and particularities. The effect of moving through Noland's text is of an unfolding of multiple issues and optics, many of them fundamentally biographical, all in turn shaping the kinesthetics of Cunningham's expertise as dancer and as choreographer. Rather than presenting the evanescent medium of dance as a linear compositional project, Noland shows it as constellational-recursive, dialogic, felt, meant, and, most importantly, thought."--Judith Rodenbeck, author of Radical Prototypes: Allan Kaprow and the Invention of Happenings "Merce Cunningham: After the Arbitrary is a rigorously argued, extremely persuasive, and highly topical book. While Cunningham's work is famous for being almost tortuously difficult, Noland successfully reads it through the arbitrary and the human, the abstract and the motivated, the structural and the personal. She has done so, moreover, with a fluid voice that moves easily between the register of observation and the metacritical. It is at once historical, theoretical, and formalist, making it a model of scholarship in any humanist field. Noland moves deliberately, examining not only a sequence of Cunningham's dances but their interlocking relationships with other choreographies, both contemporaneous and otherwise."--Rachel Haidu, author of The Absence of Work: Marcel Broodthaers 1964-1976

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"In what is simultaneously a coming-of-age story; an elegy for a bygone, grittier Chicago; and a case study on the many ways the color barrier was crossed musically in the mid-twentieth century, Iglauer and Roberts contextualize the blues' story as America's."--Booklist "Apart from the musicians themselves, few Chicagoans have done more for the genre--or witnessed more of its history from the inside--than Iglauer."--Howard Reich "Chicago Tribune " "Iglauer and coauthor Patrick A. Roberts provide an enlightening view of the music-making process--from scouting talent to obscure clubs to the quest for originality in the studio to marketing and distribution."--DownBeat "This book is long overdue. Alligator Records has been a cornerstone of the blues world for over four decades. The stories about the artists and sessions that have paved the way for so many others are a pleasure to read. As an Alligator artist I am truly grateful for what Bruce and Alligator Records have done for me and this genre."--Shemekia Copeland "Bruce and his history with Alligator Records encompass so much of the richest and most exciting eras of urban blues. All the fascinating stories and behind-the-scenes intrigues are here, and the indelible legacy of his commitment to this music and the artists he cares so passionately about makes this a terrific, important read."--Bonnie Raitt "Bruce Iglauer stepped through the door of Florence's Lounge on Chicago's South Side and into a timeless love affair with the blues. Iglauer's story is about finding talent, nurturing it, and sharing it with others. It's also about staying independent in a world where conglomerates glom and Big Tech assumes more power. His Alligator Records is a soundtrack to modern blues, from Hound Dog Taylor in 1970 on through Son Seals and Albert Collins and to today's JJ Grey & Mofro. There are great stories here."--Robert Gordon, author of Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion "A fascinating look at one of the great independent record labels, and producers, of our time. For blues fans, this one has teeth."--Library Journal "Blues and gospel have always been first cousins, and Bruce was as supportive and gracious to me as you could imagine, always willing to offer his insight and expertise. He's been a true friend of the blues and independent music."--Mavis Staples "This is a book packed with a yearning nostalgia for a time and place which we British bluesers could only dream about. If you want to get to grips with the electrifying history of Chicago blues, you need this book--it's a houserockin' gem."--Blues Matters "The book is a wealth of blues history that draws both from Iglauer's encyclopedic knowledge of blues along with his vivid, personal experiences with legendary artists."--Chicago Blues Guide "When I was about twenty years old, Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers were my imaginary best friends. They were with me everywhere I went because I always had my portable CD player with me. I know for a fact I wouldn't be in this business if Bruce hadn't released those first two Hound Dog records. The fire Bruce captured on those records is the magic place I'm reaching for every time I'm in my studio."--Dan Auerbach, The Black Keys "You have to admire Bruce Iglauer's dedication and persistence over the years. He acknowledges he's a workaholic but he has also been meticulous in his control of every aspect of his business. He's been tireless and inspired in building up his artist roster, moving away from his early obsession with Chicago artists and branching out, both following and helping to create new blues forms."--Blues & Rhythm "Iglauer's storytelling, his illuminating views of the artists he's worked with, his straightforward recounting of the business--from recording to running the label, and deciding who to sign or drop--kept me going strong, finishing the highly readable book, coauthored by Patrick A Roberts, in just a couple sittings."--Lincoln Journal Star "Bruce Iglauer's autobiographical history of Alligator Records is, in many ways, a story about technological change as much as it is about music. Yet, even more than a book about music or technology, at its heart, Bitten by the Blues is a business tale--the story of how a young college student started his own label to record his favorite musician, and ended up building a successful operation that not only provided for his family, but facilitated dozens of musicians being able to earn a living from their music. . . . Iglauer and his co-writer, Patrick A. Roberts, have written a history that is warmly conversational in tone, the equivalent of sharing stories with a good friend."--All About Jazz "Iglauer imbues Bitten By The Blues with the same wit, humor, and charm that he evinces in person, and his larger-than-life personality shines through every page. . . . Most importantly, perhaps, Bitten By The Blues reveals some of Bruce's vision for the future of the label, a future that's not carved in stone by any means, but is strengthened by the label's discovery and development of young talents like Shemekia Copeland and Selwyn Birchwood as well as the addition of road-tested blues veterans like Tommy Castro, Nick Moss, and Tinsley Ellis to the label's ever-evolving roster. Bitten By The Blues is an insightful and entertaining read for any blues music fanatic or anybody interested in the business of music. The only (admittedly minor) quibble I have with the book is that I'd loved to have seen more photos, but extra credit to Bruce for including a complete Alligator Records discography that we rabid collectors can use as a convenient shopping list. Grade: A+"--That Devil Music "In addition to being an enjoyable read for blues and Chicago enthusiasts, Bitten by the Blues reminds us that one's passion can become one's profession. Genuine Houserockin' Music indeed."--Birmingham Stages "In many ways the story of Alligator Records is the story of the blues over the last fifty years. Bitten by the Blues is the saga of Alligator Records through the eyes of the one person who knows it best--label founder and owner Bruce Iglauer. With his tough business mind, coupled with an often self-effacing sense of humor, Iglauer tells the tale of the Gator with candor and clarity. From the first Hound Dog Taylor record that launched the label, to the meteoric success of artists like Luther Allison and Shemekia Copeland, Alligator Records has, in many ways, defined success in the blues world. Bitten by the Blues is an eye-opening look at one of the most popular independent blues labels in history."--Brett J. Bonner, editor, Living Blues magazine "No book written today has told a more complete story of contemporary Chicago blues and its multitude of musicians as thoroughly as Bitten by the Blues. This is essential reading for any lover and collector of blues."--Blues Music Magazine

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Book SynopsisBy relating biography to the cultural and musical contours of contemporary American life, Ronald M. Radano observes jazz practice as part of the complex interweaving of postmodern culture. Radano accomplishes this by analyzing the creative life of Anthony Braxton.

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Book SynopsisBest-known as Mozart's envious nemesis, Antonio Salieri was actually among the leading opera composers of his age. This study seeks to restore Salieri's musical reputation, and identifies some orchestration, melodic style and form as distinctly "Salierian". It includes many excerpts from his works.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of the ten best Chicago books of 2020. Plenty of books have been written about Afrofuturist pioneer Sun Ra and his Arkestra, but Sites is the first to make Chicago his co-protagonist. . . . Sites provides crucial context on how Chicago's Afrocentrist philosophy, religion, and jazz scenes helped turn Blount into Sun Ra.” * Chicago Reader *Best Historical Research in Recorded Jazz, Certificate of Merit 2021 * Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence *“Four stars. A must-read for fans of the musician and his city. . . . Fascinating and thoroughly readable. . . Sites makes the engaging argument that the idiosyncratic jazz legend’s penchant for interplanetary journeys and African American utopia was in fact inspired by urban life right on Earth.” * Spectrum Culture *“An important contribution. . . Sites draws on an impressive number of disciplines to ground Ra’s spacebound theatrics in material history. . . . He cites work from urban studies, African American studies, theology, and literary theory. . . It’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Sites writing a work that demands mastery of these specific disciplines.” * The Wire *"Required reading for anyone seriously interested in Sun Ra and his ensemble, the Arkestra." * American Literary History *"Not the launching point for an introduction to the life of Sun Ra, but rather a deeper dive into the city life and utopian vision informing his work and philosophy, emphasizing that (Urban) Space Is the Place." * Library Journal *“Highly readable. . . What Sites is good at is the detail of the period. . . He is good, too, on the economics of segregation, the racial divisions of the American working class, and the role of the black establishment. . . But best of all, especially to musicians and jazz fans, he is great about the musical life of Chicago, the Pershing and Du Sable venues, and the Jim Crow squalor of Calumet City, the sin suburb of Chicago. Where this book really scores is in its investigation of the sheer 'otherness 'of Sun Ra.” * Jazz Journal *"Sites’s project in this work is to get back to this future city by understanding Sun Ra’s geographic, intellectual, and galactic journeys. . . . Sites’s considerable skills as an urban cartographer help to further remap Chicago. . . . In Sites’s analysis, Sun Ra’s work continues to rethink the U.S. city." * Rain Taxi *“One of the most unique books to ever look at the music of Sun Ra. . . Digs very deep into Ra's early years – time that isn't covered in as much details as in other projects – and the book paints a picture of the city that's as vivid as the jazz legend himself. . . Sites comes at the project from a different perspective than most music writers – which makes for a very fresh volume that may well open up whole new territory in the exploration of jazz and community.” * DustyGroove.com *“Sun Ra’s Chicago is a masterful account of the musician’s formative years. Sites deftly applies a wider lens to his biography, analyzing the urban spaces and networks that shaped Sonny Blount’s transformation from an itinerant musician into the otherworldly philosophical leader of the Arkestra. This book is essential reading not only for Sun Ra listeners but for readers interested in the crosscurrents of Black intellectual thought and the utopian possibilities, past and present, of America’s cities.” * Erik S. Gellman, author of Troublemakers: Chicago Freedom Struggles through the Lens of Art Shay *"Like its subject, Sun Ra’s Chicago is a category buster—social history, musicology, urban studies, hermeneutics, cultural reclamation—and as such, a revelation. Sites tells a story of countercultural ferment in 1950s south side Chicago that is detailed and provocative. Sun Ra, Alton Abraham, and the members and friends of the Arkestra were truly a 'creative class' long before that term, as we know it, was coined." * Larry Bennett, author of The Third City: Chicago and American Urbanism *Table of ContentsUrban Routes, Utopian PathwaysPart I: Birmingham 1 Downtown Sounds 2 Industrial School to Territory Band 3 Leadership DreamsPart II: Chicago 4 South Side Music Scene 5 “Sound So Loud It Will Wake Up the Dead” 6 Utopian Chicago 7 African Space 8 Wonder Inn, 1960 Lineages/Legacies Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“As editor and contributor Brooks has done a fine job, mixing judiciously chosen source materials with carefully researched scholarly articles, plus photographs, scores and handwritten documents. Her book fulfills an academic agenda but, more importantly, to read it feels like spending time in Boulanger’s world, understanding a little better who she was and what she experienced as a human being.” * The Wire *"This publication joins a growing list of scholarly works about Nadia Boulanger (1887–1979) and her sister, Lili (1893–1918). . . but the present volume evaluates new sources and leads to several reassessments. The maturity of these essays makes the book particularly compelling. Each contributor pays meticulous attention to details at every level: the book is marked by in-depth presentation of ideas; clear, nuanced, and explicit analysis; and excellent documentation that often adds context, source details, locations of the many primary sources consulted, and other useful information. This book is about the world Boulanger occupied and about the world she created: space and visibility for Lili’s compositions, placement of Gabriel Fauré at the center of French modern music for American audiences, links to new music and international connections for Polish musicians, and especially encouragement for the 50-plus who were her students." * Choice *"Nadia Boulanger and Her World offers a variety of new perspectives on a well-known figure... In eight full-length essays and five substantive introductions to excerpted primary sources, Brooks and the book’s nine other contributors present Boulanger as a master musician whose performances, pedagogy, and social dexterity placed her at the center of twentieth-century art music in Europe and the United States." * Journal of the American Musicological Society *Table of ContentsPreface: The Only Woman in the Picture Acknowledgments Permissions and Credits The Strange Fate of Boulanger and Pugno’s La ville morte ALEXANDRA LAEDERICH TRANSLATED BY CHARLOTTE MANDELL Serious Ambitions: Nadia Boulanger and the Composition of La ville morte JEANICE BROOKS AND KIMBERLY FRANCIS From the Trenches: Extracts from the Final Issue of the Paris Conservatory Gazette EDITED BY NADIA AND LILI BOULANGER SELECTED, INTRODUCED, AND ANNOTATED BY ANNEGRET FAUSER TRANSLATED BY ANNA LEHMANN From Technique to Musique: The Institutional Pedagogy of Nadia Boulanger MARIE DUCHÊNE-THÉGARID TRANSLATED BY MIRANDA STEWART Nadia Boulanger’s 1935 Carte du Tendre INTRODUCED BY MARIE DUCHÊNE-THÉGARID INTRODUCTION TRANSLATED BY ANNA LEHMANN 36 rue Ballu: A Multifaceted Place CÉDRIC SEGOND-GENOVESI TRANSLATED BY ANNA LEHMANN “What an Arrival!”: Nadia Boulanger’s New World (1925) NADIA BOULANGER TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY JEANICE BROOKS AFTERWORD BY GAYLE MURCHISON Modern French Music: Translating Fauré in America, 1925–45 JEANICE BROOKS For Nadia Boulanger: Five Poems by May Sarton MAY SARTON INTRODUCED BY JEANICE BROOKS Friend and Force: Nadia Boulanger’s Presence in Polish Musical Culture ANDREA F. BOHLMAN AND J. MACKENZIE PIERCE “What Awaits Them Now?”: A Letter to Paris ZYGMUNT MYCIELSKI TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY J. MACKENZIE PIERCE A Letter from Professor Nadia Boulanger TRANSLATED BY J. MACKENZIE PIERCE The Beethoven Lectures for the Longy School INTRODUCED BY CÉDRIC SEGOND-GENOVESI TRANSLATED BY MIRANDA STEWART Boulanger and Atonality: A Reconsideration KIMBERLY FRANCIS Why Music? Aesthetics, Religion, and the Ruptures of Modernity in the Life and Work of Nadia Boulanger LEON BOTSTEIN Index Notes on the Contributors

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“As editor and contributor Brooks has done a fine job, mixing judiciously chosen source materials with carefully researched scholarly articles, plus photographs, scores and handwritten documents. Her book fulfills an academic agenda but, more importantly, to read it feels like spending time in Boulanger’s world, understanding a little better who she was and what she experienced as a human being.” * The Wire *"This publication joins a growing list of scholarly works about Nadia Boulanger (1887–1979) and her sister, Lili (1893–1918). . . but the present volume evaluates new sources and leads to several reassessments. The maturity of these essays makes the book particularly compelling. Each contributor pays meticulous attention to details at every level: the book is marked by in-depth presentation of ideas; clear, nuanced, and explicit analysis; and excellent documentation that often adds context, source details, locations of the many primary sources consulted, and other useful information. This book is about the world Boulanger occupied and about the world she created: space and visibility for Lili’s compositions, placement of Gabriel Fauré at the center of French modern music for American audiences, links to new music and international connections for Polish musicians, and especially encouragement for the 50-plus who were her students." * Choice *"Nadia Boulanger and Her World offers a variety of new perspectives on a well-known figure... In eight full-length essays and five substantive introductions to excerpted primary sources, Brooks and the book’s nine other contributors present Boulanger as a master musician whose performances, pedagogy, and social dexterity placed her at the center of twentieth-century art music in Europe and the United States." * Journal of the American Musicological Society *Table of ContentsPreface: The Only Woman in the Picture Acknowledgments Permissions and Credits The Strange Fate of Boulanger and Pugno’s La ville morte ALEXANDRA LAEDERICH TRANSLATED BY CHARLOTTE MANDELL Serious Ambitions: Nadia Boulanger and the Composition of La ville morte JEANICE BROOKS AND KIMBERLY FRANCIS From the Trenches: Extracts from the Final Issue of the Paris Conservatory Gazette EDITED BY NADIA AND LILI BOULANGER SELECTED, INTRODUCED, AND ANNOTATED BY ANNEGRET FAUSER TRANSLATED BY ANNA LEHMANN From Technique to Musique: The Institutional Pedagogy of Nadia Boulanger MARIE DUCHÊNE-THÉGARID TRANSLATED BY MIRANDA STEWART Nadia Boulanger’s 1935 Carte du Tendre INTRODUCED BY MARIE DUCHÊNE-THÉGARID INTRODUCTION TRANSLATED BY ANNA LEHMANN 36 rue Ballu: A Multifaceted Place CÉDRIC SEGOND-GENOVESI TRANSLATED BY ANNA LEHMANN “What an Arrival!”: Nadia Boulanger’s New World (1925) NADIA BOULANGER TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY JEANICE BROOKS AFTERWORD BY GAYLE MURCHISON Modern French Music: Translating Fauré in America, 1925–45 JEANICE BROOKS For Nadia Boulanger: Five Poems by May Sarton MAY SARTON INTRODUCED BY JEANICE BROOKS Friend and Force: Nadia Boulanger’s Presence in Polish Musical Culture ANDREA F. BOHLMAN AND J. MACKENZIE PIERCE “What Awaits Them Now?”: A Letter to Paris ZYGMUNT MYCIELSKI TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY J. MACKENZIE PIERCE A Letter from Professor Nadia Boulanger TRANSLATED BY J. MACKENZIE PIERCE The Beethoven Lectures for the Longy School INTRODUCED BY CÉDRIC SEGOND-GENOVESI TRANSLATED BY MIRANDA STEWART Boulanger and Atonality: A Reconsideration KIMBERLY FRANCIS Why Music? Aesthetics, Religion, and the Ruptures of Modernity in the Life and Work of Nadia Boulanger LEON BOTSTEIN Index Notes on the Contributors

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Seidel acts as a guide to the places immortalized by Van Gogh in this Provençal city." -- Martin Bailey * The Art Newspaper *"Vincent van Gogh’s 15-month stay in Arles, France, is where he created some of his most iconic paintings, including Cafe Terrace at Night and his Sunflowers series. Art history professor Seidel explores the French town as it was in the late 19th century, when Van Gogh and other artists moved there in search of inspiration, as well as what it’s like today as a visitor." * Book Riot, "Most Anticipated Travel Books of 2023" *"In a fascinating blend of travel, history, and art, Seidel tours the culturally rich town of Arles in southern France and incorporates stories and letters from legendary artist Vincent Van Gogh's life to shed light on the key sites." * The Bookseller (UK) *“Vincent’s Arles takes us step by step on a fascinating journey around Arles as it was in Vincent’s time and how it is today. Offering many surprises and fresh reflections, Seidel’s authoritative and intimate voice delves meticulously into history, myth, and legend. We explore the city’s Roman heritage, tombs, and churches that enchanted van Gogh, sacred places that have been a crossroads of pilgrimages for centuries. Vincent, a voracious reader, would have loved these pages.” -- Mariella Guzzoni, author of "Vincent’s Books"“It is a circumstance that would become crucial to the history of modern art that Vincent van Gogh often found himself living in places of profound natural beauty, in places with impressive architectural or even archaeological histories, or both, and that so many of his greatest paintings were set in these gorgeous places. Now Seidel takes us on an intimate journey, beautifully written, through one such place, helping us to see Arles as van Gogh himself saw it, and therefore revealing how he reimagined the places he lived for artistic impact.” -- Steven Naifeh, Pulitzer Prize–winning coauthor of "Van Gogh: The Life""Like a medieval pilgrimage to a shrine celebrating the dead, this book is a journey through time more than space. Van Gogh's encounter with the portal of the church of Saint Trophime in Arles generates a riveting reflection on the matter of experience. What produces an event? What lies behind a painting? What comes into view? Seidel takes us from what van Gogh saw to the mist of images stored in his mind to stories of which he was unaware but that shaped every street on which he laid his eyes. The result is a gentle, most beautiful contemplation of the magical entanglements of history." -- Emanuele Lugli, author of "Knots, or the Violence of Desire in Renaissance Florence"Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Poets of the Place The Art of Colors and the Art of Words The Road to Remembrance “A Little Rome of Gaul” The Portal and Its Past Seeing Stories Crossroads of the Mediterranean Pilgrimage Facts and Fictions Journey’s End Afterwords Index

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Book SynopsisSaxon brings together more than 300 letters written by the self-styled Prince of Humbugs. Here we see him, opinionated and exuberant, with only the rarest flashes of introspection and self-doubt, haggling with business partners, blustering over politics, and attempting to get such friends as Mark Twain to endorse his latest schemes.Table of ContentsIllustrations Prologue 1. Life in Progress 2. Bethal 3. Religion of Healthy-mindedness 4. Showman Barnum 5. Wonders of God's Universe 6. Of Mermaids and the Man in Miniature 7. Universal Yankee 8. Finer Things 9. Bridgeport and Bankruptcy 10. Pro bono publico 11. New Beginning 12. Crowning Efforts 13. Children's Friend and Jumbo 14. Sun of the Amusement World Epilogue Appendix. Barnum Aprocrypha Notes Selected Bibliography Acknowledgments Index of Persons

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Book SynopsisIn this full-length study of Henry Cowell, the author shows how the maverick composer, writer, teacher, and performer built his career on the intellectual and aesthetic foundations of his parents, community, and teachers-and exemplified the essence of bohemian California. This work focuses on Cowell's formative and most prolific years.Trade ReviewWinner of the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award in the classical music category, 2003. "The author of many important and fascinating musicological works about this radical twentieth-century American composer, Hicks now offers a volume that manages to depict the free artistic atmosphere of northern California in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the lives of Cowell's parents, Cowell's own experiences until the late 1930s, and the ideas and materials of Cowell's music--and to do so much more succinctly than one might think possible. . . . Thoroughly documented and buttressed with quotations and musical examples, this excellent study deserves to be widely read."--Choice

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Book SynopsisA postmodern analysis of the Coen brothers' approach to filmmaking.Trade Review"There is as yet only one book length analysis of any note [about the Coen Brothers] by a film scholar: R. Barton Palrmer's Joel and Ethan Coen (2004). . . . This is a book for those who have already made the acquaintance of the Coens through their films and are now ready to think about their work seriously."--Film International Table of ContentsIntroduction: A brief portrait of the artists; A different meaning for the same old song: Blood Simple; The Coen brothers: Postmodern filmmakers; Uncertainty principle: The Man Who Wasn't There; The exotic everyday: Fargo; The artist, mass culture and the common man: Barton Fink and Raising Arizona; Classic Hollywood redivivus: The Hudsucker Proxy and O Brother, Where Art Thou?; The Coen brothers interviewed; Michel Ciment and Hubert Niogret; Filmography

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Book Synopsis Q: Is he afraid of work? A: No, he can lie down beside it and go to sleep. This volume is an encyclopedia of the many country music performers who made comedy a central part of their careers. Loyal Jones offers an informative biographical sketch of each performer and many entries include a sample of the artist''s humor, a recording history, and amusing anecdotal tidbits. Starting with vaudeville and radio barn dance figures like the Skillet Lickers and the Weaver Brothers and Elviry, Jones moves on to the regulars onHee Hawand theGrand Old Opryand present-day comedians from the Austin Lounge Lizards to Jeff Foxworthy. Jones''s introductory essay discusses such topics as stock comic figures, venues for comedic performance, and benchmark performers. Throughout the volume, he places each performer squarely in the context of the country music community, its performing traditions, and each artist''s place in the larger cultural milieu.Trade Review“If Cratis Williams is the father of Appalachian Studies and Helen Lewis its mother, than I reckon Loyal Jones would have to be considered the midwife of it all. . . . This book reflects not only his disarming sense of humor, but also his meticulous attention to voluminous details, his considerable scholarship, and his substantial wisdom.”--Appalachian Heritage "Southern humor, rural comedy and its practitioners are brilliantly showcased."--The Nashville Musician "A treasure trove of information. . . . Will make a wonderful reference book for years to come."--Bluegrass Unlimited"The importance of the subject emphasized by Jones is unquestionable. Humor has been an indispensable ingredient of country music entertainment and is in fact a major force in its worldwide success. This volume is insightful, informative, and entertaining."--Bill C. Malone, author of Don't Get Above Your Raisin': Country Music and the Southern Working Class"This stimulating book is a significant contribution to several fields. Students of country music, American history, performing arts, minstrel heritage, and the roots of comedy as it related to various subcultures of the American panorama will all want the detailed information only this author can provide. This book is one of a kind."--Ron Thomason, founder of the bluegrass band Dry Branch Fire SquadTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments ix Introduction to Country Music Humor 1 Encyclopedia of Humorists and Comedians 49 Sources 401 Index 409

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Book SynopsisThe first book-length study devoted to Rudolf Friml's multifaceted musical legacyTrade Review"Insightfully restores a neglected star to the Broadway firmament."--Studies in Musical Theatre"Everett has written a thorough scholarly account of a major but now almost forgotten figure in twentieth-century musical theater. The book surveys his life and career, highlights key works, and reveals many ways in which Friml's legacy remains among us even today."--Jeffrey Magee, author of The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz"William Everett's lucid and thorough exploration of the life and music of Rudolf Friml places this important Czech American composer squarely at the forefront of twentieth-century music theater, where he properly belongs. What a delight that this long-overdue volume is also so entertaining and informative. The scholarship is, in a word, sensational. Kudos to Everett for his timely, important, and indispensable addition to our American musical history."--Sara Davis Buechner, concert pianist and recording artist, Piano Music of Rudolf FrimlTable of ContentsPREFACE ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi 1. From Prague to America 1 2. The Emergence of a Broadway Composer 14 3. Envisioning the West: Rose Marie 35 4. A Francophile Musical: The Vagabond King 56 5. The Challenge of Success 73 6. Away from Broadway 84 7. Reputation and Legacy 102 NOTES 107 SELECTED WORKS 117 FOR FURTHER READING 121 SUGGESTED LISTENING 123 INDEX 125

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Book Synopsis Set against the drama of the Great Depression, the conflict of American race relations, and the inquisitions of the House Un-American Activities Committee, Cafe Society tells the personal history of Barney Josephson, proprietor of the legendary interracial New York City night clubs Cafe Society Downtown and Cafe Society Uptown and their successor, The Cookery. Famously known as 'the wrong place for the Right people,' Cafe Society featured the cream of jazz and blues performers--among whom were Billie Holiday, boogie-woogie pianists, Big Joe Turner, Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Big Sid Catlett, and Mary Lou Williams--as well as comedy stars Imogene Coca, Zero Mostel, and Jack Gilford, and also gospel and folk singers. A trailblazer in many ways, Josephson welcomed black and white artists alike to perform for mixed audiences in a venue whose walls were festooned with artistic and satiric murals lampooning what was then called 'high society.' Featuring scores of photogTrade Review"Cafe Society is a valuable document in the long, complex tale of America’s popular culture. Barney Josephson played his part in that tale, and played it with honor. And he certainly had a long run."--The Wall Street Journal "Packed with insights and new facts and anecdotes, and assiduously researched, Cafe Society brings Josephson and his achievements vividly to life, doing its subject, and jazz in general, proud."--AllAboutJazz.com "An epic ode to personal integrity, creative vision and entrepreneurial tenacity, shedding timely light on the germination of the civil-rights movement."--Kirkus Reviews"Josephson was a great raconteur with a love for music, artistic people, and progressive politics. Photographs of the performers, as well as photos of the colorful and cartoonish murals that graced the walls, add to the evocation of a freewheeling ambience in a Depression-era cabaret."--Booklist"The lineup of talent [Josephson] discovered and presented (Billie Holiday, Jack Gilford, Hazel Scott, Lena Horne, Zero Mostel and Josh White, among others) is so astonishingly hot that it makes you want to rush into the street and flag down a time-traveling taxi to take you to either the venue in Greenwich Village or its larger satellite Cafe Society Uptown."--Shelf Awareness“Fascinating story of the founder of New York’s Cafe Society nightclub. . . . Highly recommended.”--Choice"Mr. Josephson’s voice comes through, gentle, passionate, occasionally larger than life."--The New York Times"This wonderful, uplifting book tells the story of Barney Josephson and Cafe Society, the jazz cabaret Josephson set up in Greenwich Village, New York City in 1938. . . . Packed with insights and new facts and anecdotes, and assiduously researched, Cafe Society brings Josephson and his achievements vividly to life, doing its subject, and jazz in general, proud."--AllAboutJazz.com “Well-told story entwines entrepreneurial vision, progressive social action and resonant history with stunning photos.”--American History "A very informative and entertaining read with the bonus of 50 pages of rare photographs. . . . Highly recommended."--Jazz Journal "This highly entertaining and historically informative book will bring a lump to the throat of those who attended the jazz and comedy performances at Cafe Society Uptown and Downtown, and warm appreciation from those who learn about Barney Josephson's contribution to the success of some of the world's greatest jazz entertainers."--Carl Reiner "This beautifully crafted book hypnotizes the reader with the magical notes of a bygone era and gives one the sensation of actually having experienced one of the most extraordinary eras in contemporary history. It is a superb tribute to the artists and musicians whose talents have made the world we live in a brighter place."--Lee Gabler "We're different from other nightclubs. You go to these places, I won't mention names, but the initials are Stork Club and El Morocco. The cigarette girls come around and sell you little doggies, gardenias and other insults. Well, we don't have anything like that. We have a cigarette girl too. She just sells cigarettes. But we have something they don't have. We have another girl following our cigarette girl . . . calling out, 'ashes, ashes.'"--Jack Gilford "Barney Josephson--A creative entrepreneur whose innovative ideas at Cafe Society in the 1930s and 1940s have influenced my life personally and have served as an inspiration to many program ideas on the Newport Jazz Festival since its inception in 1954."--George Wein, Newport Jazz Festival, 1974

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Book SynopsisThis first biography of Jimmy McHugh captures a lively and significant contributor to American songwriting. Creator of favorite tunes such as 'I''m in the Mood for Love' and 'On the Sunny Side of the Street,' McHugh was a one-man history of twentieth-century popular music: in his prolific composing career, he wrote songs for Duke Ellington, Shirley Temple, Bobby Breen, Carmen Miranda, Deanna Durbin, Frank Sinatra, Ethel Waters, Adelaide Hall, and scores of other entertainers, and his last works were turned into smash hits by Pat Boone and Fats Domino. Following McHugh from humble Irish-American beginnings in Boston to eventual success in New York, Europe, and Los Angeles, Alyn Shipton deftly evokes the lively milieus of Tin Pan Alley, the Cotton Club, Broadway, and Hollywood. McHugh crossed the color line frequently, writing revues for both black and white entertainers, and he and his songwriting partner Dorothy Fields were also among the first to create Hollywood musical films. InTrade Review"A brilliantly researched biography that ... details the activities of Tin Pan Alley in its golden age of song-plugging glory. . . . You will be fascinated by this 280-page amalgamation of musical education and entertainment."--MOJO"Highly recommended ."--Choice "An overdue recognition of his tireless song plugger who fashioned enduring hits for Tin Pan Alley and Hollywood.--The Miami Herald"[Shipton] effortlessly weaves in lots of background and research to illustrate McHugh’s gradual rise from a humble Boston-Irish milieu to considerable wealth, which he lost in the Wall Street crash. His mainstream success from then on and eventual emergence as a ‘personality’ in his own right clearly involved a lot of hard graft, but the great songs kept coming on.”--Jazzwize"From Tin Pan Alley to Beverly Hills, this book has vintage dish and vibrant back-stories about one of the giants of the American songbook."--David Friend, editor of creative development, Vanity Fair"It's a great joy to read and learn about the life of marvelous Jimmy McHugh. This book is meticulously researched and spills over with fascinating and important information about a rich and seminal era, much of which has not been previously documented. If you care about the Great American Songbook, you'll love this book!"--Michael Feinstein"A treasure trove of material on Jimmy McHugh and an important contribution to the scholarship on American popular song. Alyn Shipton's book is a well documented portrait of a songwriter very much at the center of the music business, Broadway theater, and Hollywood."--Philip Furia, coauthor of The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America's Great Lyricists"This valuable work includes numerous insights into the slightly mysterious process of pop song-writing and the music business in general. It will appeal to Tin Pan Alley music aficionados, American studies specialists, Hollywood historians, and music fans in general."--Thomas L. Riis, author of Frank Loesser "Jimmy McHugh has written many of the most memorable and enduring melodies in the Great American Songbook. To paraphrase the song: I can't give you anything but love, Jimmy!"--Vic Damone "Jimmy McHugh is the pure, unadulterated hit songman--I am always in awe at the genius of Jimmy McHugh."--Bob Crewe, composer, producer, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee "Jimmy McHugh's collection of songs resonated with an entire generation, and his contribution to Broadway, Hollywood, and popular music as a whole continues to this day. This book is a fascinating study of a prolific hit-maker and a revealing glimpse into the priceless art of songwriting."--Roger Faxon, chairman and CEO, EMI Music PublishingTable of ContentsIntroduction; Acknowledgements; List of illustrations 1 "Home Before Dark" A Boston Childhood 2 "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street" Arriving in New York 3 "Everything Is Hotsy Totsy Now" A sequence of hit songs 4 "I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Baby)" Meeting Dorothy Fields 5: "Livin' In A Great Big Way" Fields and McHugh on Broadway and in Hollywood 6: "Goodbye Blues" The Split from Dorothy Fields 7 "Dimples" A sequence of child stars 8 "My Kind of Country" Movies, Romance and World War Two 9 "A Lovely Way to Spend An Evening" The great years in Beverly Hills 10 "Reach For Tomorrow" Final years in Los Angeles, and a growing legacy Notes and abbreviations; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisOffers a direct interpretation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's oeuvre and lasting mystique, audaciously reformulated for the postmodern age. This book explores themes of constancy, prodigy, freedom, and religion. It offers up bits of his own history, revealing his affinity for the creative geniuses of the eighteenth century.Trade Review"A good read from a highly published and interesting thinker who loves Mozart's music."--Journal of Austrian Studies"A most intriguing alternative, in content and method, to almost all other recent books on Mozart. Highly recommended."--Choice"A journey of fanciful discovery. . . . Opinionated and laden with insights."--Opera News"Philippe Sollers is a mercurial personality and a leading controversial figure on the French literary scene, and his take on Mozart is fresh, lively, witty, and informed. What makes Mysterious Mozart especially interesting is its blend of music criticism, biography, and personal insight."--David Hayman, translator and editor of Philippe Sollers's Writing and the Experience of Limits

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Book Synopsis This in-depth study of Mexican film director Alejandro González Iñárritu explores his role in moving Mexican filmmaking from a traditional nationalist agenda towards a more global focus. Working in the United States and in Mexico, Iñárritu crosses national borders while his movies break the barriers of distribution, production, narration, and style. His features also experiment with transnational identity as characters emigrate and settings change. In studying the international scope of Iñárritu''s influential films Amores Perros, 21 Grams, and Babel, Celestino Deleyto and María del Mar Azcona trace common themes such as human suffering and redemption, chance, and accidental encounters. The authors also analyze the director''s powerful visual style and his consistent use of multiple characters and a fragmented narrative structure. The book concludes with a new interview with Iñ&aTrade Review"An excellent analysis of the director’s style."--PopMatters"An important contribution on the work of one of the most interesting contemporary filmmakers. Through meticulous analysis and attention to detail, style and structure, the authors offer an in-depth analysis of the work of Alejandro González Iñárritu."--Miscelánea: A Journal of English and American Studies"A model of impeccable scholarship and writing. Alejandro González Iñárritu is unquestionably one of the most interesting and important contemporary filmmakers in Latin America, and this study demonstrates a solid and secure understanding of Iñárritu's role in moving Mexican filmmaking toward a more globalized focus."--David William Foster, author of Mexico City and Contemporary Mexican Filmmaking

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Book Synopsis Through film composer Henry Mancini, mere background music in movies became part of pop culture--an expression of sophistication and wit with a modern sense of cool and a lasting lyricism that has not dated. The first comprehensive study of Mancini''s music, Henry Mancini: Reinventing Film Music describes how the composer served as a bridge between the Big Band period of World War II and the impatient eclecticism of the Baby Boomer generation, between the grand formal orchestral film scores of the past and a modern American minimalist approach. Mancini''s sound seemed to capture the bright, confident, welcoming voice of the middle class''s new efficient life: interested in pop songs and jazz, in movie and television, in outreach politics but also conventional stay-at-home comforts. As John Caps shows, Mancini easily combined it all in his music. Mancini wielded influence in Hollywood and around the world with his iconic scores: dynamic jazz for theTrade Review"Accessible and engaging, this fresh view of Mancini's oeuvre and influence will delight and inform fans of film and popular music."--Turner Classic Movies"Caps' assiduously research study of Mancini's life and career ... is detailed and insightful. . . . It will be enjoyed both by film buffs and music lovers."--Allaboutjazz.com "Will satisfy musically experienced readers as well as laypeople. It deserves a place in every film and popular music collection."--Library Journal "A stimulating chronicle of the life and works of film and television composer Henry Mancini. Consistently thorough and detailed, this book contains a considerable wealth of information and insight into this extremely popular composer."--James Wierzbicki, author of Film Music: A History and Elliott Carter "A well-researched study of a musical career. . . Film by film, the book reveals how Mancini negotiated and compromised to become the computer of many a moviemaker's dreams."--Booklist "An important book, and, in many ways, a crucial one, too, it's chief value resting in Caps' articulate championing of one of the most singular compositional talents to emerge from Hollywood's film factory."--Classical Music"In this lively, syncopated survey of Mancini's movie music, Caps offers a comprehensive critique of the composer's film/TV scores and hit albums."--Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisThe first complete study of the protean filmmakerTrade Review "A thoughtful, scholarly study of one of America’s most underrated filmmakers."--Leonard Maltin"Annette Insdorf's incisive and sympathetic book grants Kaufman the place in the pantheon he deserves."--Roger Ebert A sympathetic, in-depth, and entirely jargon-free look at Kaufman’s work."--DGA Quarterly"It could take only a great scholar of film to understand and appreciate the work of one of our great quintessential American filmmakers, and Annette Insdorf, in her masterly and captivating study of Philip Kaufman, does just that. This book is insightful, perceptive, and confident, and like Kaufman's films, it repays the reader's attention generously and with great compassion and humanity."--Ken Burns"A study so closely tuned to his work and so neatly supplemented with his own insights from interviews and e-mails that it reads like a biography of an oeuvre."--The New Yorker online "A shrewd and very readable study."--Filmmaker "With commitment and enthusiasm, Annette Insdorf excels at thematic and formal discussions in this enlightening introduction to the films of Philip Kaufman. The book will become the authoritative word on Kaufman's films, a must for all scholars and fans of his work."--Edward Baron Turk, author of Hollywood Diva: A Biography of Jeanette MacDonald "Philip Kaufman is a shrewd and very readable study. It seeks not only to locate Kaufman's distinct visual style and philosophical bent across his body of work, but also to elevate Kaufman to a unique niche in American and world cinema: as a Euro-style auteur living in the U.S. in the age of commercial cinema, whose work across genres resists easy categorization but nonetheless resonates for its freshness of perception about the human condition and the codes of behavior that both restrict and liberate us."--Filmmaker Magazine

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Book SynopsisBeyond Blackberry Vines and Winter Fruit - the life and works of an important woman composerTrade Review"Recommended."--Choice"Marga Richter has long been a highly respected contributor to classical repertoire, and this volume is significant as the first focused examination of her life and oeuvre. It will be valued by musicians and nonmusicians alike who are interested in contemporary classical music."--Ellen K. Grolman, author of Joan Tower: The Comprehensive Bio-Bibliography

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Book SynopsisCorrects much of the misinformation and myth about one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century.Trade Review"Impressive detail, a notable addition to the extensive Music in American Life Series."--Booklist"A well-researched and rapidly consumed book."--AllAboutJazz.com"As comprehensive and appreciative as any of the past Parker literature."--The Santa Fe New Mexican"This is a wonderful, loving, yet unsparing look at Bird's life. Haddix's research is stunning."--Kim Parker"I couldn't put this book down! This is a must read! A very important book. Congratulations to Chuck Haddix for bringing more clarity to the life of Charlie Parker."--Bobby Watson, Director of Jazz Studies, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance"Finally, a biography that includes a detailed account of Bird's formative years. One feels that Haddix's research may open new discussions about this flawed genius, and the wonderfully detailed aspects of Parker's early life present a hitherto unknown aspect of a tragically short but immensely influential existence. Almost sixty years since Parker's death, this book is surprisingly the first comprehensive account of the life of one of the last century's foremost and yet enigmatic musicians. Essential reading for any jazz musician."--Llew Walker, creator of www.birdlives.co.uk"Balancing historical research and anecdotal information, Haddix artfully crafts a rich context for understanding the musical genius—-and enigma—that was Bird. . . . the book's pacing, numerous quotes from other musicians, and references to legal practices of the time make it hard to put down. Highly recommended."--Choice"A detailed and well-proportioned linear narrative. Assiduous about assigning dates, where possible, to previously vague areas of chronology."--Jazzwise "Clearly the most complete account of the saxophonist's early life and career. What emerges from Bird is a much more human tale that we have not heard before."--Popmatters.com "Bird makes extensive use of primary-source material, much of it hitherto unknown. . . . It sets forth the known facts of Parker's brief life in a way that is unusually thorough for so concise a book."--Commentary "A straightforward, no-frills chronicle of the alto saxophonist. Thanks to diligent research, it pieces together the disparate fragments of Parker's turbulent private life into a persuasive, coherent and convincing narrative."--Record Collector Magazine "A studiously researched overview of the man, it underscores how Parker's life was as concise as his influence was infinite."--Los Angeles Magazine

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Book SynopsisExplores the emotional tenor of Terence Davies' work by focusing on four paradoxes within the director's oeuvre: films that are autobiographical yet fictional; melancholy yet elating; conservative in tone and theme yet radically constructed; and obsessed with the passing of time yet frozen in time and space.Trade Review"A significant contribution to the field. Koresky is able to both chart the development of Davies' cinema, while convincingly conveying the coherence and continuity of both theme and style at the heart of this very singular auteur." --Duncan Petrie, author of Creativity and Constraint in the British Film Industry"Britain's finest living director finally gets the analytic overview and close reading that he deserves. . . . Koresky is especially perceptive. Recommended."--Choice"Michael Koresky's study of Davies is above all attuned to the contradictions that define his life and inform his work, namely 'beauty and ugliness, the real and the artificial, progression and tradition, motion and stasis.' Koresky unpacks the paradoxes intrinsic to Davies's project with clarity and rigor, dividing his aesthetic among the fiction of autobiography (refraction of personal memories for poetic effect), the elation of melancholy (sensually pleasing depictions of excruciating events), the radical traditional (classical themes embedded in avant-garde constructions), and the suspension of forward motion."--Film Comment"Koresky. . . . regards Terence Davies’s work as 'one of the richest, most idiosyncratic, and arrestingly experimental bodies of work put out by a narrative filmmaker,' and his monograph in the University of Illinois Contemporary Film Directors series is both informative and insightful."--Sight and Sound

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Book SynopsisOne of the twentieth century's most important musical thinkers, James Tenney did pioneering work in multiple fields, including computer music, tuning theory, and algorithmic and computer-assisted composition. From Scratch arranges, edits, and revises Tenney's hard-to-find writings into one indispensable collection. Selections focus on his fundamental concernswhat the ear hearsand include thoughts and ideas on perception and form, tuning systems and especially just intonation, information theory, theories of harmonic space, and stochastic (chance) procedures of composition.Trade Review"This collection of essays propels Tenney studies into the next critical stage, making publicly accessible the writings of one of the most compelling musical thinkers in the American contemporary music scene. In their well-selected diversity, these writings are a marvelous expression of the breadth of Tenney's aesthetic and theoretical thinking; surely this book will serve as an essential cornerstone to scholars for decades to come."--David W. Patterson, contributing editor of John Cage: Music, Philosophy, and Intention, 1933–1950"If you want to encounter one of the major thinkers of twentieth century music, James Tenney's writing is worth getting to know, and if you're at all interested in the history of music technology and its development, his writing is essential."--Sound Bytes Magazine"This new book is without doubt a landmark publication for those involved in Tenney scholarship,. . . . This collection of writings provides a superbly revealing insight into Tenney's work, and the couching of prominent texts alongside much less well-known ones helps to enrich the understanding of him and his work." --Tempo "A testament to avant-garde musical thought from the 1960s until the advent of postmodernism in the 1980s, and it also raises questions that are in many regards perennial. Recommended."--Choice"The intellectual and creative path chronicled here is inspiring, particularly as Tenney's questions about the experience of music-making remain deeply relevant today."--Computer Music Journal"Enables us to hear anew Tenney's deep musical resonances, and offers us the gift of Tenney's insights about music."--Notes"Tenney's writings provide an invaluable model for artists interested in connecting aesthetics to scientific understandings of human perception and the material world."--Chris Brown, composer and co-director of the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beyer was a surprising question mark that demanded an answer. A lovely book."--Kyle Gann, author of Robert Ashley "In this much needed study Amy C. Beal, a professor at the University of California, seeks to redress. . . erasure while acknowledging the difficulties of trying to shed new light upon 'the enduring mystery of this prolific yet elusive composer.'"--The Wire "A wonderful introduction to the work of a sadly forgotten composer."--Soundbytes"Amy Beal writes, 'Johanna Beyer's work combines the confidence of an original thinker and the calculations of an analytical mind.' The same could be said of Beyer's biographer, whose amazing detective skills have enabled a troubled and fascinating artist and woman to be rediscovered. In her efforts to act as Henry Cowell's advocate, Beyer neglected to find one for herself. Beal explains why and simultaneously allows us to appreciate the musical rewards in bringing someone in from the cold margins of conventional history."--Judith Tick, author of Ruth Crawford Seeger: A Composer's Search for American Music"Despite not having written music until age forty-three, Johanna Beyer quickly became a composer of elegant and innovative contrapuntal, percussion, and even . . . electronic works. Given that she was almost totally forgotten for decades after her death, it is a musicological miracle that Amy Beal has been able to compile a record of her life as detailed and touchingly intimate as this one. I'm so thrilled to see this book come out--Beyer was a surprising question mark that demanded an answer. A lovely book."--Kyle Gann, author of Robert Ashley"Beal's groundbreaking study reveals that Johanna Beyer was a key figure in the modernist circle around Henry Cowell and an accomplished composer in her own right during a pivotal moment in American music. Johanna Beyer is an intelligently written and thoroughly engaging biography of this fascinating figure in modern music."--Gayle Sherwood Magee, author of Charles Ives Reconsidered

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Macleod adroitly documents both Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler's tremendous musical accomplishments and zest for life. It seems the fire that burned around her as a girl became the woman's fire within."--Journal of Illinois History "Macleod's biography offers a valuable contribution to a limited collection of literature on female musicians performing in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The author's work not only gives meaning to a heretofore famous pianist's achievements but also provides a volume exploring the dichotomy of the "new woman" striving to have a family and a career."--Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society "The book is written in an informative, descriptive style and is not too academically dry or needlessly wordy. . . . For this reason, this book is very instructive to students in learning about nineteenth-century ways, attitudes, and lifestyles, as well as the prominence and musical stardom of an American Jewish woman."--The American Jewish Archives Journal"Will fill a void in the literature on this remarkable pianist. The author has done an excellent job."--Judy Tsou, coeditor of Cecilia Reclaimed: Feminist Perspectives on Gender and Music"An eloquently drawn portrait of Bloomfield-Zeisler, this volume examines the artist’s life as she strove to balance her fame and touring with the expectation that she be the 'ideal' mother and wife. With wonderful and imaginative attention to detail, Macleod brings the era to life, artfully weaving together a variety of disparate themes, from societal attitudes toward female artists, the blossoming of classical music in the United States, and anti-Semitism at home and abroad, to the cultural growth of Chicago, and even the vagaries of railroad travel in America at the time. This impressive work marks an important contribution to the often neglected study of women's role in music history."--Larry Ward, College of DuPage

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Book SynopsisComposer, performer, instrument builder, teacher, and writer Gordon Mumma has left an indelible mark on the American contemporary music scene. A prolific composer and innovative French horn player, Mumma is recognized for integrating advanced electronic processes into musical structures, an approach he has termed ''Cybersonics.'' Musicologist Michelle Fillion curates a collection of Mumma''s writings, presenting revised versions of his classic pieces as well as many unpublished works from every stage of his storied career. Here, through words and astonishing photos, is Mumma''s chronicle of seminal events in the musical world of the twentieth century: his cofounding the Cooperative Studio for Electronic Music; his role in organizing the historic ONCE Festivals of Contemporary Music; performances with the Sonic Arts Union; and working alongside John Cage and David Tudor as a composer-musician with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. In addition, Mumma describes his collaborations witTrade Review"What counts here is the spirit of it, the inventiveness springing from an independence of imagination as well as the willingness and financial necessity to work outside the given conditions of the time. Mumma shows us how that spirit is in fact crucial and, always, of essential value."--Christian Wolff, from the foreword"An excellent and engaging book that can take its readers to a dizzying array of places, real and metaphoric. It is an admirable introduction to the mind and spirit of Gordon Mumma as well as a vivid and loving remembrance of an amazing time in the history of music."--ARSC Journal"The firsthand histories flowing from this book are precious, provided by one of the unsung heroes of the American electronic music scene, Gordon Mumma... A valuable resource."--Neural"Mumma's energetic perspectives on so many topics--as a scholar, inventor, technician, performer, composer, photographer, historian, and documentarian--richly enhance our perspective on this period of rapid change and fruitful innovation. A beautiful and much-anticipated achievement."--Amy C. Beal, author of Johanna Beyer and Carla Bley"Widely known as a multi-talented composer/performer and inventor of handmade circuits and various forms of electronic wizardry that revolutionized live electronic music, Mumma is far more than the prototypical American 'maverick.' His fierce dedication to his own artistic vision has always been coupled to a voracious interest in the work of the pathbreaking composers, performers, dancers, architects, and visual artists who inhabit his music world and with whom he has often collaborated. This elegantly edited and annotated book is thus not only an invaluable overview of Mumma's extraordinary creative output and ideas, but also an intimate insider’s telling of the history of experimental music during the last half century."--David W. Bernstein, editor of The San Francisco Tape Music Center: 1960s Counterculture and the Avant-Garde"A treasure trove of primary source material on American, and to a lesser extent Latin-American, music, especially of the experimental kind. The reader is repeatedly struck by the genuineness of Mumma's writing; whether in passages from his diary or accounts of now-significant events, he writes with the authority of one who was actually there."--Bob Gilmore, editor of Ben Johnston's "Maximum Clarity" and Other Writings on Music"A very wonderful collection of essays, with its first-person witnessing of a scene that was critical for the development of the music technology we have today, and I highly recommend it."--Soundbytes"A wonderful resource for music and the arts, the book can be read as narrative or used as reference. Highly recommended."--Choice "As all great books about music lead you to do, I couldn't help but reach up to my CD shelves, where various Mumma discs releases on lables like New World and Tzadik are housed."--Gramophone "Part memoir of a remarkable life at the center of 20th and 21st century American experimental music, and partly a collection of Mumma's thoughtful, provocative, and influential essays, the book introduces this pioneer to a new generation of sonic explorers"--Electronic Musician "A contemporary history of a particularly fertile and disruptive time in the advanced arts. . . . Mumma's book bears articulate witness to how this flexible discipline played itself out in concrete situations over the decades."--Avant Music News

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewTimothy White Award for Musical Biography, ASCAP Foundation and Virgil Thomson Foundation, 2016 "Mr. Rimler tells an important story, and he presents musical analysis of Arlen’s compositional style in nonacademic terms, so that all readers can grasp how inventive Arlen really was."--Wall Street Journal"An endearing yet clear-eyed assessment of Harold Arlen. . . . For lovers of the Great American Songbook and for anyone who ever dreamed beyond the confines of practicality."--Library Journal "Highly readable, this could easily count as the perfect biography, well-researched but never overladen with detail, the always modest Arlen’s ‘bittersweet life’, in critic John Lahr’s words, elegantly conveyed.”--Peter Vacher, Jazzwise"To the point, simple to grasp, and an engaging read. I was fully drawn to Arlen the man and Arlen the songwriter and by the end sad to relinquish his acquaintance."--Stephen Banfield, author of Jerome Kern"There is still room for a short, stylish book aimed at general audiences, and Walter Rimler's The Man That Got Away: The Life and Songs of Harold Arlen fills that bill as well as it could possibly be filled. The author . . . offers pithy and readable accounts of Arlen's personal and professional lives. If you want to know what Harold Arlen was all about, you'll find it here."--Terry Teachout,The Weekly Standard"Required reading for those interested in American song. Recommended."--Choice"Rimler's study ensures that Arlen's story and his contributions to music will not be forgotten."--Publishers Weekly"Reading Mr. Rimler's sympathetic but unflinching account of Arlen's travails gives one an enhanced admiration for his productivity and the grit and determination that enabled him to produce such jewels amid such turmoil."--Washington Times “Fascinating. . . . Rimler provides countless pieces of information not previously known. . . . Rimler's work remains refreshingly unacademic and is a real pleasure to read."--ARSC Journal "The title of Walter Rimler's study of songwriter Harold Arlen's life and work says it all! Yet, despite Arlen's elusiveness as a man and an artist, Rimler does a fine job of conveying an appreciation for and the context of the composer's memorable musical output. In meticulously researched, cool, readable prose, the author admirably recreates the historical milieu of Arlen's world, placing the composer in the context of the 20th century Broadway and Hollywood songwriting traditions."--Fanfare "Walter Rimler's biography is not only chock-full of information, but with intimate, carefully researched, and heretofore unknown details, making it one of the most entertaining and readable portraits of the wizard Arlen--one of songdom's greatest composers--that has ever been written. This book does a remarkable thing--it allows words to describe music."--Martin Charnin, Tony Award–winning creator and director of Annie "Refreshingly down to earth. The Man That Got Away does what no other single volume has done: it combines a succinct account of Arlen's life with a nontechnical but useful description of his idiosyncratic songwriting style."--Larry Hamberlin, coauthor of Tin Pan Opera: Operatic Novelty Songs in the Ragtime Era

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Let's celebrate the many dimensions of Agnès Varda as one of the greatest artists working today. Conway succeeds in capturing her curiosity, ingenuity, wit, and new storytelling to confirm her status as the indefatigable pioneer of European cinema."--Hans Ulrich Obrist"Kelley Conway builds upon a vast array of archival research to forge this insightful study of Agnès Varda's distinct approach to filmmaking. Conway concentrates on Varda's experimental production strategies and Varda's engagement with her audience across a truly amazing career."--Richard Neupert, author of A History of the French New Wave Cinema, second edition"Drawing on privileged access to the filmmaker's archives, Kelley Conway expands our understanding of Agnès Varda in several new and eye-opening ways. Offering welcome insight into Varda’s working methods, revisiting the production, distribution and reception of the filmmaker's classics from La Pointe Courte and Cléo de 5 à 7 to Les Plages d'Agnès and her recent multi-media installations, Conway illuminates the astonishingly varied, yet coherent, life-long creative output of one of the key figures in world cinema."--Ginette Vincendeau, coeditor of The French New Wave: Critical Landmarks"A breakthrough text on Varda's trajectory from photography and film to video, digital media, and installation projects. Conway's pages on the reception of Cleo from 5 to 7 are stunning. Her take on The Gleaners and I, The Widows of Noirmoutier , and The Beaches of Agnès is astute." --Steven Ungar, coauthor of Popular Front Paris and the Poetics of Culture"Conway writes in an easy, conversational manner, conveying a good deal of information and numerous insights… Varda remains one of the least-examined figures of the French New Wave, so this book is especially welcome. Highly recommended."--Choice"The meticulous archival research, and the author's personal connection to her subject combine to make Agnès Varda an engaging, helpful read for scholars, students, and laypersons alike."--French Review"An excellent, in-depth study of the major works of the pioneering French New Wave auteur Agnes Varda, who not only preceded and helped to found the movement, but also became one of its most outstanding figures. . . . Agnes Varda is an outstanding work, not to mention a labor of love, and this love is evident in the scholarly care and expertise tendered to understanding Varda's working process and her life's work."--Film Matters

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Book SynopsisProdigy. Iconoclast. Genius. Exile. Orson Welles remains one of the most discussed figures in cinematic history. In the centenary year of Welles's birth, James Naremore presents a revised third edition of this incomparable study, including a new section on the unfinished film The Other Side of the Wind. Naremore analyzes the political and psychological implications of the films, Welles's idiosyncratic style, and the biographical details--both playful and vexing--that impacted each work. Itself a historic film study, The Magic World of Orson Welles unlocks the soaring art and quixotic methods of a master.Trade Review"The most perceptive study of Welles's art.--Andrew Sarris "Naremore's book, with its wealth of background and close commentary, is certainly the best study of Welles."--Tag Gallagher, Film Comment"Naremore is not simply pandering to the movie buff's passion for unconsidered and inconsiderable trifles, but revealing that it's possible to go on where most Wellesian researchers have stopped."--Sight and Sound"It may, along with a small handful of other books, help to change the standards of scholarship and critical sophistication we apply to writing on film. It is patient, intelligent, scrupulously researched, and yet it is never solemn. Absolutely compelling on the more technical aspects of Welles's films."--Michael Wood, Washington Post"Naremore's book, with its wealth of background and close commentary, is certainly the best study of Welles."--Tag Gallagher, Film Comment"The most perceptive study of Welles's art."--Andrew Sarris"The Magic of Orson Welles remains one of the important works that notes the frisson the world experienced with him."--afterimage

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Dr. Snyder is a good storyteller. Her words flow easily across the page and assure the reader that a rewarding journey lies ahead. . . . Snyder is to be congratulated for her biography of "this grand old man," and her efforts demand the immediate attention of readers."--The American Organist"The definitive biography of Burleigh, unlikely to be superseded in the near future."--Thomas Riis, author of Just before Jazz: Black Musical Theater in New York, 1890–1915"In prose that is both accessible and detailed, Snyder has written a biography that will appeal not just to musicologists and Burleigh specialists, but also to anyone wanting to learn more about the contributions of this historically significant musician, mentor, and activist."--Notes"The definitive biography of Burleigh. . . . worth reading for anyone interested in the cultural life of African American communities in the “Promised Land” after the Civil War. . . . a worthy addition to any library, personal or institutional, that collects information about black music and important figures in African American history."--Black Grooves"In addition to a detailed account of Burleigh's relationships with his contemporaries, his complex marital life, and his successful performing career, Snyder provides valuable musicological analysis of Burleigh's compositions and arrangements. Highly recommended."--Choice"Jean E. Snyder's brilliant encyclopedic evaluation of the life and legacy of Harry Thacker Burleigh reveals an intriguing lode of personal and professional detail about the iconic singer whose seminal influence in American compositional history is appreciated today by precious few."--George I. Shirley, Grammy Award winner and Director of the Vocal Arts Division, University of Michigan"By incorporating the unique perspective offered by members of Harry T. Burleigh's family, Jean Snyder makes a valuable and much-needed contribution to the literature on one of the greatest African-American musical figures of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Moreover, Snyder's work is timely since it coincides with the Burleigh sesquicentennial celebration."--Samuel A. Floyd, Jr., author of The Power of Black Music: Interpreting Its History from Africa to the United States

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Book SynopsisBalancing sophisticated melodies and irresistible rhythms with lyrics by turns cynical and passionate, Cole Porter sent American song soaring on gossamer wings. Timeless works like 'I Get a Kick Out of You' and 'At Long Last Love' made him an essential figure in the soundtrack of a century and earned him adoration from generations of music lovers. In A Cole Porter Companion, a parade of performers and scholars offers essays on little-known aspects of the master tunesmith''s life and art. Here are Porter''s days as a Yale wunderkind and his nights as the exemplar of louche living; the triumph of Kiss Me Kate and shocking failure of You Never Know; and his spinning rhythmic genius and a turkey dinner into 'You''re the Top' while cultural and economic forces take 'Ev''ry Time We Say Goodbye' in unforeseen directions. Other entries explore notes on ongoing Porter scholarship and delve into his formative works, performing career, and long-overlooked contributions to Trade ReviewCertificate of Merit for Best Discography, Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), 2017 "Recommended."--Choice"As part of the 'Music in American Life' series, this book is an essential introduction and study of the music of one of the greatest American composers of the twentieth century." --The Journal of American Culture"Is there a need for a book like this, a compendium of essays by scholars and experts in musicology, music history and sundry ancillary specialties? The answer is an emphatic yes… To return to Irving Berlin, 'ya don’t need any larning' to appreciate this most sophisticated and well educated of American songwriters, but the huge amount of detail and analysis packed into this book enhances that appreciation."--The Washington Times"A Cole Porter Companion is an important addition to scholarship on American musical theatre and popular music. . . . This is a good introduction to scholarly examinations of the work of one of the most beloved American composers."--Indiana Magazine if History"Though centered on one person and his undeniable talents, the compilation explores many different avenues and subtopics, keeping the subject fresh and enjoyable throughout."--Notes"A Cole Porter Companion is simply an indispensable, unadulterated joy of a book--required reading for anyone who loves music, lyrics, the theater, and of course the inimitable Cole Porter--from the non-music-reading fan to the most sophisticated and scholarly musicologist. A landmark volume, bridging the gap between academe and the general listener with a bubbly élan worthy of the master himself."--Maury Yeston"Anything goes?--not in the ruthless world of Tin Pan Alley. Of all the great American Songbook composers, Cole Porter is perhaps the hardest to fit into Broadway's 'Golden Age.' This fine guide suggests how best to do it."--Tim Carter, author of Oklahoma! The Making of an American Musical

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Book SynopsisWith his trademark mandolin style and unequaled tenor harmonies, Curly Seckler has carved out a seventy-seven-year career in bluegrass and country music. His foundational work in Flatt and Scruggs''s Foggy Mountain Boys secured him a place in bluegrass history, while his role in The Nashville Grass made him an essential part of the music''s triumphant 1970s revival. Written in close collaboration with Mr. Seckler and those who know him, Foggy Mountain Troubadour is the first full-length biography of an American original. Penny Parsons follows a journey from North Carolina schoolhouses to the Grand Ole Opry stage and the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, from boarding houses to radio studios and traveling five to a car on two-lane roads to make the next show. Throughout, she captures the warm humor, hard choices, and vivid details of a brilliant artist''s life as he criss-crosses a nation and a century making music.Trade ReviewCertificate of Merit for Best Historical Research in Recorded Country Music, Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards (ARSC), 2017 Named Bluegrass Print/Media Person of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), 2016 "A front row seat to bluegrass history."--Charlotte News & Observer "What emerges from Parsons' narrative is a fascinating life of a performer who deserves to be well known to all scholars and fans of bluegrass music."--ARSC Journal"Those who are interested in the history of bluegrass and old country music must by and read this wonderful book."--Bluegrass Today"Let us shower Penny Parsons and Curly Seckler with roses for their wonderful collaboration on Foggy Mountain Troubadour . Curly Seckler is one of the most beloved and revered of all the first generation country and bluegrass music pioneers. Ms. Parsons not only illuminates Mr. Seckler's storied life but also reports rarified accounts that offer us insight into the humanity that underscored the people, songs, live performances, recordings, and travels surrounding what is now considered to be one of the most mythical bands ever to play: Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and the Foggy Mountain Boys. Penny Parsons is not only an authentic biographer, she is also a first-rate musical detective."--Marty Stuart"Anyone who has followed the life and career of Curly Seckler will have a hard time putting this book down. . . . [Penny Parsons] has done an amazing and masterful job in documenting the life of one of the great sidemen in Bluegrass."--Country Sales Newsletter"A must read for anyone who would like a window into the world of the American South, the rise of our country music and its early stars, and especially to gain an appreciation for an American musical treasure--Curly Seckler."--Randall Franks, Southern Style"Foggy Mountain Troubadour offers a fascinating look at a long and storied life in music. Bluegrass is one of America's defining art forms, and Parsons uses spirited prose and anecdotes drawn from her adept research to illustrate how Seckler witnessed and helped shape it from the beginning."--Greensboro News & Record"Penny Parsons's well-mined research and articulate journalistic style reveal never-before-documented history that should be of interest to all fans of country and bluegrass music's golden era. Written with Mr. Seckler's full cooperation, this educational and entertaining biography explores the compelling journey of a legendary musical statesman. Along the way, he endured both triumph and tragedy with determination, unshakable faith, kindness, generosity, and humor. This book truly does justice to his amazing legacy."--Eddie Stubbs, WSM Grand Ole Opry announcer "This carefully researched and richly detailed account of Seckler's life and career provides a new perspective on the work of his primary employers--Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. Parsons's labor of love has produced a good read and an invaluable reference."--Jay Orr, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Cristi Puiu is, undoubtedly, the most important filmmaker in contemporary Romanian cinema. His masterpieces have made their mark not only in the national film industry, but also in the European film culture. Monica Filimon's book, the first comprehensive analysis of all of Puiu's works until now, provides a thorough overview of the inner mechanisms of a complex and influential cinema-maker."--Doru Pop, author of Romanian New Wave Cinema: An Introduction"An original and highly competent investigation."--Dina Iordanova, University of St. Andrews"Monica Filimon's concise and helpful study of the director's oeuvre, background, and aesthetics is such a welcome publication. . . . Apart from her highly readable and well-argued accounts of Puiu's films . . . Filimon offers a convincing account of the director's evolution."--Cineaste"Monica Filimon offers an enlightening and engaging portrait of the larger-than-life personality that forms a core part of the New Romanian Cinema." --Studies in European Cinema

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A readable and insightful analysis of a vital contemporary filmmaker . . . Highly recommended."--Choice "A decisive account of Anderson's movies, alive to their obvious charms, undaunted by their limits, and dedicated to activating their hidden potentials. This slim volume is both a sure introduction to Anderson's cinema and an authoritative reframing of the critical consensus. Anderson is the cinematic collector par excellence, and in this beautifully written study, Kornhaber plunges into the causes and consequences of that obsession in new and trenchant ways."--J. D. Connor, author of The Studios after the Studios: Neoclassical Hollywood, 1970–2010

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Book Synopsis From cradle to great, the comprehensive real story of Bill MonroeThe Father of Bluegrass Music, Bill Monroe was a major star of the Grand Ole Opry for over fifty years; a member of the Country Music, Songwriters, and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame; and a legendary figure in American music. This authoritative biography sets out to examine his life in careful detail--to move beyond hearsay and sensationalism to explain how and why he accomplished so much.Former Blue Grass Boy and longtime music journalist Tom Ewing draws on hundreds of interviews, his personal relationship with Monroe, and an immense personal archive of materials to separate the truth from longstanding myth. Ewing tells the story of the Monroe family''s musical household and Bill''s early career in the Monroe Brothers duo. He brings to life Monroe''s 1940s heyday with the Classic Bluegrass Band, the renewed fervor for his music sparked by the folk revival of the 1960s, and his declining fortunes in tTrade Review"Insightful . . . [Bill Monroe: The Life and Music of the Blue Grass Man] presents bluegrass history as it happened, as well as a fresh look at 'this extraordinary individual.'" --Wall Street Journal "A fair, objective, and entertaining chronicle."--Publishers Weekly "A detailed, decade-by-decade, almost moment-by-moment chronicle of the Father of Bluegrass. Because of its thoroughness, it will be the standard biography."--No DepressionTable of ContentsCoverTitleCopyrightContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPrologueChapter One. 1892–1919Chapter Two. 1920–1929Chapter Three. 1930–1939Chapter Four. 1940–1949Chapter Five. 1950–1959Chapter Six. 1960–1969Chapter Seven. 1970–1979Chapter Eight. 1980–1989Chapter Nine. 1990–1996EpilogueAppendix: Blue Grass BoysNotesSelected BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisLana and Lilly Wachowski have redefined the technically and topically possible while joyfully defying audience expectations. Visionary films like The Matrix trilogy and Cloud Atlas have made them the world''s most influential transgender media producers, and their coming out retroactively put trans* aesthetics at the very center of popular American culture. Cáel M. Keegan views the Wachowskis'' films as an approach to trans* experience that maps a transgender journey and the promise we might learn 'to sense beyond the limits of the given world.' Keegan reveals how the filmmakers take up the relationship between identity and coding (be it computers or genes), inheritance and belonging, and how transgender becoming connects to a utopian vision of a post-racial order. Along the way, he theorizes a trans* aesthetic that explores the plasticity of cinema to create new social worlds, new temporalities, and new sensory inputs and outputs. Film comes to disrupt, rearranTrade Review"His attention to the sensorial and material--traced vividly through his method of close reading--are necessary approaches for scholars working to account for how race and gender intersect within trans* cinema." --Transgender Studies Quarterly"An admirable, focused study of the Wachowski sisters, best known for their postmillennial science fiction films, especially The Matrix franchise....makes a case for considering their work alongside the canon of new queer cinema, despite their exclusion from that corpus at the time of its formation. Highly recommended." --Choice"This book is a revelation! Leaving behind the more pedestrian methods of examining cinematic narratives of transgender lives, Cael Keegan goes one huge step beyond. With this book on Lana and Lilly Wachowski, we have in our hands the first book to consider the transgender content of the Wachowskis' massively influential cinematic practice. The trans* cinema of the Wachowskis is, according to Keegan, not just disruptive and wildly imaginative, although it is definitely that, it also represents an expansion of the popular imagination and a very different sense of life in and beyond the matrix. Keegan gives a masterful account of the Wachowskis' world and drops his readers down the rabbit hole of a trans* altered reality. Bon voyage."--Jack Halberstam, author of Gaga Feminism: Sex, Gender, and the End of Normal"Keegan approaches trans* in the Wachowskis' cinema not in terms of literal, figurative representation but rather as a lens through which new forms and narratives may be evinced. Trans* thus becomes at once an ideological critique, method, and sensory experience." --Film Quarterly"A beautifully poetic--detailed and elaborate, yet at the same time cohesive and linear--work of trans* inquiry and critique. At its heart, Keegan offers a 'loving' and critical technology of sensing, a somatechnical disposition with which one may be immersed in the Wachowskis' offer to sense differently, through the trajectories of gender and cinema." --Somatechnics"This captivating book does more than argue persuasively for the centrality of the Wachowskis' oeuvre in the recent history of cinema: it demonstrates how their embodied transgender experience is a central component of their aesthetic vision, and how transgender experience has become paradigmatic of visual semiotic practices in the increasingly ubiquitous digital media environment. Keegan offers lucid close readings of the entire Wachowski filmography, while also mapping generative points of overlap and intersection between cinema studies and trans studies. It makes a significant contribution to both fields."--Susan Stryker, founding coeditor, Transgender Studies Quarterly

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Challenging, probing, illuminating, Jonathan Rosenbaum's work is a beacon for other cinephiles. His new collection shows him engaging with an exhilaratingly wide range of films and filmmakers throughout the world and causing us to think about them in fresh ways."--Joseph McBride, author of How Did Lubitsch Do It?"Like a well-composed musical score, Rosenbaum’s magnificent Portraits and Polemics erupts with fresh, incisive, and dynamic sketches of essential cineastes and their works, interlacing tales, energetic rhythmic effects, and vibrant poetic matches: bold, impassioned, cadenced, dialectical, always surprising."--Tami Williams, coeditor of Global Cinema Networks "An excellent collection. Highly recommended." --Choice"Rosenbaum has passed a lifetime of cinephilia to me. A few scribbles in the margins I return." --Cineaste

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Rarely are sequels better than the originals, but Blues Before Sunrise 2 is a happy exception. Cushing delivers another truly significant contribution to the blues literature."--Edward Komara, editor of Encyclopedia of the Blues "In this entertaining and informative collection of interviews, [Cushing] showcases many facets of the Chicago blues scene." --No Depression"By asking insightful questions and letting the artists speak for themselves, Cushing manages to bring to life the excitement of by-gone eras, and shines a light on the impact of obscure artists as well as known legends across several musical genres . . . Highly recommended!" --Blues Blast Magazine

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Journalists discovered Lucrecia Martel with her last film, but scholars like Gerd Gemünden were already paying attention to her extraordinary body of work. Now, Gemünden analyzes the complexities of the Martel universe with a combination of cinematic precision and historical knowledge, unpacking her references and delineating her acute specificity of place. A welcome volume and likely an instant classic."--B. Ruby Rich, editor, Film Quarterly "In a superb and richly documented in-depth reading of Lucrecia Martel's filmic oeuvre, Gerd Gemünden places her firmly within the context of Argentina's vibrant New Cinema of the last twenty years, while also making a convincing case for her to be considered a leading filmmaker of our time."—Jens Andermann, author of New Argentine Cinema

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Friedman's passion for Spielberg films is contagious. Reading Citizen Spielberg makes you want to revisit old favorites like Jurassic Park (1993) and less familiar gems like Empire of the Sun (1987), both to appreciate Spielberg's artistry and assess Friedman's arguments. " --Australasian Journal of American Studies"Essential . . . Perhaps Friedman's greatest achievement is deciphering--in remarkably entertaining fashion--why every Spielberg film is vital to understanding his entire career." --The Film Stage"Citizen Spielberg is an indispensable study of outstanding scholarship and criticism about Steven Spielberg's life, work, and place in American film and cultural history. Friedman writes with commitment and conviction, opening new channels of understanding into Spielberg, his films, and his times."--Sam B. Girgus, author of Clint Eastwood's America"Friedman claims to have penned the first comprehensive analysis of [Spielberg's] films, and he may well be right."--Library Journal"Friedman's treatment is an exhaustive and necessary catalog."--American Interest"There is [a lack of] an exhaustive overview of the components of Spielberg's corpus, the issues which animate his most significant works, the roots of his immense popularity amongst audiences, and the influence his vast spectrum of imaginative products exerts on the public consciousness. Friedman fills that void with a systematic analysis of the various genres in which the director has worked and concludes that Spielberg's films present a sustained artistic vision combined with a technical flair matched by few other filmmakers, and makes a compelling case for Spielberg to be considered as a major film artist."--Screening the Past"Citizen Spielberg does a service to a monstrously influential director and an oeuvre whose investigations of emotion -- especially constrained masculine emotions -- have received insufficient book-length study."--Bloomsbury Review"Friedman seeks a more nuanced approach to Spielberg's cinematic output as director; taking readers through an analysis of his films and responding to the critical assessments of others, Friedman asserts that 'Spielberg is a far more complex, sophisticated, and wry filmmaker than most mainstream critics and academic scholars appreciate.’”--Shofar "Encourage your brightest students to investigate Citizen Speilberg. It's the sort of book that by eschewing jargon but employing serious critical analysis could have a profound effect."--Splice"There is [a lack of] an exhaustive overview of the components of Spielberg's corpus, the issues which animate his most significant works, the roots of his immense popularity amongst audiences, and the influence his vast spectrum of imaginative products exerts on the public consciousness. Friedman fills that void with a systematic analysis of the various genres in which the director has worked and concludes that Spielberg's films present a sustained artistic vision combined with a technical flair matched by few other filmmakers, and makes a compelling case for Spielberg to be considered as a major film artist." * Screening the Past *"Citizen Spielberg does a service to a monstrously influential director and an oeuvre whose investigations of emotion--especially constrained masculine emotions--have received insufficient book-length study." * Bloomsbury Review *"Friedman seeks a more nuanced approach to Spielberg's cinematic output as director; taking readers through an analysis of his films and responding to the critical assessments of others, Friedman asserts that 'Spielberg is a far more complex, sophisticated, and wry filmmaker than most mainstream critics and academic scholars appreciate.’” * Shofar *"Encourage your brightest students to investigate Citizen Speilberg. It's the sort of book that by eschewing jargon but employing serious critical analysis could have a profound effect." * Splice *"Friedman's treatment is an exhaustive and necessary catalog." * American Interest *Table of ContentsPreface ixAcknowledgments xxiii1 The Fantasy and Science Fiction Films 12 The Action/Adventure Melodramas 653 The Monster Movies 1174 The War Films 1735 The Social Problem/Ethnic Minority Films 2436 Imagining the Holocaust 311Filmography 341Works Cited 351Index 369

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Book SynopsisThese previously unpublished lectures by Elliott Carter date to the summer of 1967, when the acclaimed composer taught at the Contemporary Music Workshop held by the University of Minnesota. Leading an introductory course on orchestra repertoire, Carter gave nine hours of lectures covering principal topics like how to live with the musical present and whether the symphony orchestra was a relic of the past or a possible active force for new music. But Carter''s observations and prompts by audience questions broadened the discussion into areas ranging from electronic music to analyses of works by other artists and himself. Laura Emmery presents the complete text from each session alongside introductions, commentary, and annotated examples that provide valuable context for readers. Expansive and essential, Elliott Carter Speaks opens up the artist''s teaching and introspection to new contemporary perspectives on his thought and art.Please note that the order and arrangemeTrade Review"An exciting new contribution to Carter scholarship that documents one of the most important voices in concert music of the modern era. Audiences of contemporary music, musicians, and scholars of this era will find a rich new vein of material that reveals how Carter perceived his role in the musical history and culture of his time--along with a broad collection of analyses of compositions from Debussy and Bartók to Nono, Varèse, and Penderecki."--Douglas Rust, University of Southern Mississippi

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Book SynopsisFilms like Shoplifters and After the Storm have made Kore-eda Hirokazu one of the most acclaimed auteurs working today. Critics often see Kore-eda as a director steeped in the Japanese tradition defined by Yasujiro Ozu. Marc Yamada, however, views Kore-eda’s work in relation to the same socioeconomic concerns explored by other contemporary international filmmakers. Yamada reveals that a type of excess, not the minimalism associated with traditional aesthetics, defines Kore-eda’s trademark humanism. This excess manifests in small moments when a desire for human connection exceeds the logic of the institutions and policies formed by the neoliberal values that have shaped modern-day Japan. As Yamada shows, Kore-eda captures the shared spaces formed by bodies that move, perform, and assemble in ways that express the humanistic impulse at the core of the filmmaker’s expanding worldwide appeal.Trade Review“Marc Yamada reveals how Kore-eda’s films connect to global audiences through their focus on figures like children suffering from neglect and families surviving at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. Yamada provides new approaches towards understanding Kore-eda’s work in terms of a broader critique of neoliberalism.”--Mitsuyo Wada-Marciano, author of Nippon Modern: Japanese Cinema of the 1920s and 1930s"A close read of the works of one of the world’s most deeply human writer-directors. The section studying 2018’s Shoplifters is especially strong. But his entire corpus is shown to be well worth analyzing. " --Film StageTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Shared Spaces of Filmmaking Beyond Ozu and Loach: Kore-eda Hirokazu in Japanese and World Cinema Nonorganized Labor and Shared Spaces of Collaboration in Kore-eda’s Early Documentaries Grifter Families and Networks of Exchange in Shoplifters Reimagining Masculine Bodies in Hana; Like Father, Like Son; and The Third Murder Body Moving: The Dynamics of Placemaking in Our Little Sister, Still Walking, and After the Storm Private and Public Bodies of Memory in After Life, The Truth, and Distance Interviews with Kore-eda Hirokazu Filmography Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“This insightful book restores filmmaker Su Friedrich’s key role in American experimental cinema, along with the New York feminist and lesbian cultural and activist contexts that shaped it. Friedrich’s associative style, personal content, and precision editing remind us that formalism has politics and politics has form. This comprehensive account challenges existing histories of American experimental film.”--Patricia White, author of Women’s Cinema, World Cinema: Projecting Contemporary FeminismsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments A Politics of the Personal in Experimental Filmmaking Auteurism Expanded Scratching and Cutting Counter Memories The Politics of Being Lesbian Digital Embodiments An Interview with Su Friedrich Filmography Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn this collection of musical portraits, jazz pianist and radio host Marian McPartland pays tribute to such beloved and legendary figures as Benny Goodman, Bill Evans, Joe Morello, Paul Desmond, Alec Wilder, Mary Lou Williams, and others. McPartland’s reminiscences and anecdotes about these jazz greats are informed by her encyclopedic knowledge of their music, making this richly detailed collection an important addition to the literature of jazz.In a preface to this edition, McPartland extends her commentary to include details of her long-running National Public Radio show “Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz” and memories of her late husband, famed Chicago trumpeter Jimmy McPartland.Trade Review“Marian McPartland has always been one of my favorite pianists, and this book shows that she is every bit as good a writer as she is a musician.”--Dave Brubeck“She has done her studying from the inside: as one of the few working jazz musicians to write about the music with any frequency, she offers a perspective on the men and women who play jazz for a living that seldom finds its way into print.”--New York Times“Marian McPartland is as wittily incisive a writer-memoirist as she is a pianist and radio sage. The new postscripts enhance a jazz classic--portraits of an era, from the other side of the footlights.”--Gary Giddins, author of Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams“I wonder if Marian McPartland fully realizes what an elegant prose stylist she is. But then, it’s only natural that her choices with language should be no less sensitive or discriminating than those she makes at the keyboard. In the truest sense these word portraits are McPartland compositions and remain among my most treasured music reading. What a joy to have an expanded and updated edition.”--Richard M. Sudhalter, author of Stardust Melody: The Life and Music of Hoagy Carmichael

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