Composers and songwriters Books
Random House USA Inc Bessie Smith
Book SynopsisA beautiful genre-bending tribute to the larger-than-life blues singer Bessie Smith. Scotland’s National Poet blends poetry, prose, fiction, and nonfiction to create an entirely unique biography of the Empress of the Blues.There has never been anyone else like Bessie Smith. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1894 and orphaned by the age of nine, Bessie Smith sang on street corners before becoming a big name in traveling shows. In 1923, she made her first recording for the newly founded Columbia Records. It sold 780,000 copies and catapulted her to fame. Known for her unmatched vocal talent, her timeless and personal blues narratives, her tough persona, and her ability to enrapture audiences with her raw voice, the Empress of the Blues remains a force and an enigma. In this remarkable book, Kay combines history and personal narrative, poetry and prose to create an enthralling account of an extraordinary life, and to capture
£14.41
Random House Publishing Group A Book of Days
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£14.40
DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley) Be More Ariana Grande
£11.69
Hal Leonard Corporation The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Piano Vocal
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£17.81
Hal Leonard Corporation John Coltrane Plays Coltrane Changes
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£17.09
Hal Leonard Corporation The Very Best of Johnny Cash Strum It Guitar
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£15.29
Hal Leonard Corporation Bass Day 98
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£18.00
Hal Leonard Corporation The Bill Evans Trio Volume 1 19591961 Featuring
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£24.22
Hal Leonard Corporation COMPOSER SHOWCASE CAROL KLOSE FANCIFUL WALTZES PF
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£8.40
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Cole Porter
Book SynopsisIn his life and in his music, Cole Porter was the top—the pinnacle of wit and sophistication. From the 1910s through the ‘50s, from Yale pep rallies through the Broadway triumphs of Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate, he delighted audiences with a glittering torrent of song: “I Get a Kick Out of You.” “Night and Day,” “Love for Sale,” and “Just One of Those Things.” The bright surface of these gems—their catchy melodies and ingenious lyrics—made them instant pop hits. Their more subtle qualities and their musical and emotional depth have made them lasting standards, among the greatest glories of the American songbook. In Cole Porter, William McBrien has thoroughly captured the creator of these songs, whose life was one not only of wealth and privilege but also of tragedy, secrecy, and courage. A prodigal young man, Porter found his aesthetic and emotional anchor in a long, loving, i
£15.26
Hal Leonard Europe Limited U2 The Best Of 19801990 Sheet Music for Guitar
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£22.49
Phaidon Press Hindemith Hartmann and Henze
Book SynopsisThe composers who dominated the mainstream development of German music.
£16.47
Phaidon Press Ltd American Pioneers
Book SynopsisA survey of the American composers who invented new musical languages.Trade Review"Smoothly executed. The chapter on Cage may well be the best introduction to his thought and work in English."—Gramophone '...Has a subtle but insistently inquiring approach to biography and details of artistic development. Alan Rich sets out the facts on early-20th-century music with clarity as well as providing a succinct summary of the background of the rise of concert music in the cultured urban classes if the west coast in the 19th century."—Musical Times On the 20th Century Composers Series "As a series, Phaidon's 20th Century Composers has brought remarkable variety and a welter of information, both necessary and delightfully trivial. Intended both for the general reader and for the more enthusiastically musical."—The ScotsmanTable of ContentsPreface/Prelude/Charles Ives/Edgard Varese/Henry Cowell/John Cage/New Sources, New Sounds/Epilogue/Selective List of Works/Further Reading/Selective Discography/Index
£15.22
Phaidon Press Ltd Benjamin Britten
Book SynopsisA portrait of the life and work of Benjamin Britten.
£14.20
Phaidon Press Ltd George Gershwin
Book SynopsisA colourful biography of George Gershwin, arguably the 20th-century's greatest songwriter.
£14.20
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Su Nombre Era Dolores
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£14.39
Dover Publications Inc. Yes
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£22.49
Dover Publications Inc. The Essential Gershwin Sheet Music Collection
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£17.99
Alfred Publishing Co Inc.,U.S. Michael Jackson Instrumental Solos Flute Book and
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£11.64
Alfred Publishing Co Inc.,U.S. Michael Jackson Instrumental Solos Alto Saxophone
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£12.34
DK Be More Taylor Swift
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A straightforward and sensible road map for earnest young women on the road to adulthood. Swifties will swoon for this.” –Publishers Weekly
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Band on the Bus
Book SynopsisThis light-hearted account follows the group on their trip across deserts and mountains, as they undertook an incredible expedition that would be impossible today.
£20.94
The History Press Ltd And on Guitar...
Book SynopsisLegendary guitarist Jim Cregan reveals his remarkable life story in this explosive autobiography
£25.92
Warner Bros. Publications Inc.,U.S. REM Around the Sun PianoVocalChords
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£16.10
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Sheet Music Art of Irving Berlin 19071971
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£23.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Ghosts and Ballyhoo
Book SynopsisGhosts and Ballyhoo: Memoirs of a Failed L.A. Music Journalist chronicles Thomas Wictor's ten years in the Los Angeles music industry and his quest to free himself from the past. Ostensibly a memoir, Ghosts also asks and possibly answers provocative questions about fate, destiny, and life after death. The book is structured as a collection of anthologies rather than a continuous narrative; the seven anthologies detailing Wictor''s failed career are separated by six interludes with the Collateral Ghost, one of the most brilliant, yet unsuccessful, musicians who ever played former Frank Zappa bassist Scott Thunes. Thomas Wictor's experiences include multiple failures across multiple spectra and an endless series of coincidences that always returned him to the notion that there is a Plan. Losing nearly everything he loved gave the author clarity, enabling him to see patterns of guidance and sustenance visible everywhere once he was no longer blinded by rage and negativity. This clarity
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Unstrung Heroes
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£28.79
Hal Leonard Corporation Bee Gees Anthology
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£24.28
Hal Leonard Corporation The Mamas and the Papas
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£20.39
Hal Leonard Corporation The Guitar Style of Mark Knopfler Guitar
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£22.09
Hal Leonard Corporation Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys
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£27.62
Random House USA Inc The Terror Years
Book SynopsisFrom the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Looming Tower—and “one of the most lucid writers on the subject of Islamic extremism” (The New York Review of Books)—come ten powerful investigative pieces, an essential primer on jihadist movements in the Middle East and the attempts of the West to contain them.In these pages, Lawrence Wright examines al-Qaeda as it experiences a rebellion from within and spins off a growing web of worldwide terror. He shows us the Syrian film industry before the civil war—compliant at the edges but already exuding a barely masked fury. He gives us the heart-wrenching story of American children kidnapped by ISIS—and Atlantic publisher David Bradley’s efforts to secure their release. And he details the roles of key FBI figures John O’Neill and his talented protégé Ali Soufan in fighting terrorism. In a moving epilogue, Wright shares his predictions for the future. Rigorous, clear-eyed, and compassionate, The Terror Years illuminates the complex human players on all sides of a devastating conflict. These essays were first published in The New Yorker.
£15.26
Abrams Commando
Book SynopsisRaised in Queens, where he worked as a plumber while honing his guitar chops, Johnny Ramone eventually became a founding member of The Ramones, one of the most influential rock bands of all time. This is Johnny Ramone's story and the story of The Ramones from start to finish, told in Johnny's own words and on his own terms.
£18.99
Chronicle Books beck
Book SynopsisOver the 15 years, photographer Autumn de Wilde and Beck Hansen's friendship and collaboration have yielded a body of work every bit as playful, and lyrical as his music. This title, created in collaboration with Beck himself collects the photographs, including images documenting the recording of his seminal album "Mutations".
£22.99
Random House USA Inc CENTURY OF WISDOM
Book SynopsisThe subject of the Academy Award–winning documentary The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, Alice Herz-Sommer was the world’s oldest Holocaust survivor when she died on February 23, 2014. A Century of Wisdom is the true story of her life—an inspiring story of resilience and the power of optimism. Before her death at 110, the pianist Alice Herz-Sommer was an eyewitness to the entire last century and the first decade of this one. She had seen it all, surviving the Theresienstadt concentration camp, attending the trial of Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem, and along the way coming into contact with some of the most fascinating historical figures of our time. As a child in Prague, she spent weekends and holidays in the company of Franz Kafka (whom she knew as “Uncle Franz”), and Gustav Mahler, Sigmund Freud, and Rainer Maria Rilke were friendly with her mother. When Alice moved to Israel after the war, Golda Meir attende
£20.00
The University Press of Kentucky I Wonder as I Wander The Life of John Jacob Niles
Book SynopsisThis iconic song has been performed by folk artists ever since and may even have inspired the opening line of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe."In I Wonder as I Wander: The Life of John Jacob Niles, the first full-length biography of Niles, Ron Pen offers a rich portrait of the musician's character and career.
£39.15
University of Minnesota Press Midnight at the Barrelhouse
Book SynopsisIn this first biography of Johnny Otis, George Lipsitz tells the largely unknown story of a towering figure in the history of African American music and culture who was, by his own description, “black by persuasion.” This chronicle of a life rich in both incident and inspiration also explores the complicated nature of race relations in twentieth-century America.Trade Review"Johnny Otis—he’s the coolest! A true pioneer of the music I love." —Aaron Neville"We are lucky to have Johnny Otis, as the world is short on smart, soulful, funny, gifted, walk-the-walk folk. Bless his heart." —Joan Baez"Johnny Otis is one of the most important figures in the history of R&B and rock and roll. Through mentoring and showcasing so many brilliant stars in his legendary live revues and incredible bands; his contributions as writer, player, and producer of so many seminal recordings; and his decades of hosting his beloved West Coast radio show, his legacy as professor emeritus of R&B will remain forever intact." —Bonnie RaittTable of ContentsContentsIntroduction: There’s a Riot Goin’ On1. Central Avenue Breakdown2. Double Crossing Blues3. Willie and the Hand Jive4. Listen to the Lambs5. All Night Long6. Play Misty for Me7. The Watts Breakaway8. Midnight at the BarrelhouseAcknowledgmentsNotesIndex
£15.19
MP - University Of Minnesota Press Chasing the Light The Cloud Cult Story
Book SynopsisTrade Review "Listening to Cloud Cult continues to inspire me: the band has set a tone for the kind of art I wish to create. They’re a carbon-neutral band in a carbon-saturated world, and a heart-centered band in a heartbroken world. I love them dearly and I’m intensely grateful that Cloud Cult exists." —Josh Radnor, actor and filmmaker "As a long-time fan of Cloud Cult, I enjoyed this book and am grateful to know the band's emotional story. I have always respected their music and lyrics, and I now understand my connection to Cloud Cult's art and agenda. Their story breaks my heart but also deeply inspires me. We are all connected to the world through pain and love." —MC Sean "Slug" Daley, Atmosphere"Chasing the Light captures the essence of Cloud Cult." —Duluth News-Tribune "Geared not just for music fans, but for readers who are interested in Eastern spirituality and those who have grieved the death of someone close to them." —Rochester Post-BulletinTable of ContentsContentsForewordMark WheatIntroductionSeedsFrom Tragedy, ArtFans WritePsychological and Philosophical SojournsFans WriteThe Message Established: Love and LightFans WriteYour Show Starts NowAcknowledgmentsIndex
£15.04
Hoover Institution Press,U.S. Helena Paderewska
Book SynopsisIn her memoirs, Helena Paderewska, wife of the celebrated pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski, tells a story that represents a rare example of a woman's documenting the world of international politics during the Great War and its immediate aftermath.
£24.65
Wesleyan University Press MUSICAGE Cage Muses on Words Art Music
Book SynopsisThe Saturday Review said of him: €œCage possesses one of the rarest qualities of the true creator- that of an original mind- and whether that originality pleases, irritates, amuses or outrages is irrelevant.€ €œHe refuses to sermonize ...
£20.85
AMSCO Music Bob Dylan Together Through Life Piano Vocal and
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£13.89
Hal Leonard Europe Limited Charlie Parker for Piano For All C Instruments
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£13.25
Quest Books,U.S. Beethoven the Spiritual Path
Book SynopsisDetails the musical, psychological, and metaphysical secrets in twenty-seven of Beethoven's greatest works.
£12.30
Rizzoli Bruce Springsteen
Book SynopsisAn unprecedented look at a very young Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, from the group’s creation and early New Jersey days to their meteoric rise and seminal Born in the USA tour, in photographs almost all not previously published. David Gahr (1922–2008) was tapped by Columbia Records designer John Berg to shoot cover art for Bruce Springsteen’s second album, The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle. Gahr’s earliest photographs of the musician showcase a youthful Springsteen, not even aged twenty-three, in Asbury Park, New Jersey, on the eve of a career breakthrough. Gahr befriended the rising star, and over a span of approximately ten years he photographed Springsteen, both on- and offstage. Rare captures include Springsteen recording music, performing at the cramped venue Bottom Line weeks before the release of his seminal 1975 album Born to Run, and playing to legions of fans during hTrade ReviewNow comes a new compendium of images, Bruce Springsteen: From Asbury Park, To Born To Run, To Born In The USA featuring the work of long-time music photographer David Gahr and includes more than 150 images, spanning the formative years 1973 to 1986 of the Springsteen opus.In more than 25 photographic sessions, Gahr documented live performances and recording sessions, taking portrait studies and candid shots of Springsteen and his band as he worked to find the right mix and substance for what he calls his “music of transcendence.” In those early years, Springsteen slowly brought on band members Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez, Gary Tallent, David Sancious, Max Weinberg, Stevie Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren and Patti Scialfa. Some would come and go, and some would ultimately form that “heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-quaking, booty-shaking, Viagra-taking, love-making, legendary,” E Street Band. ~ Smithsonian"An unprecedented look at a very young Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, from the group's creation and early New Jersey days to their meteoric rise and seminal Born in the USA tour, in mostly never-before-seen photographs." — Publishers Weekly
£28.45
Berklee Press Publications Learning to Listen The Jazz Journey of Gary
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£27.05
Chicago Review Press Patti Smith on Patti Smith
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Here is Patti Smith: wise-cracking and meditative; funny and profound; flippant, provocative and wise. What a treat it is to read these interviews, lovingly and expertly curated by Aidan Levy. Fans and scholars alike will drink deep from this collection, which covers every aspect of Patti Smith's artistic life: from her days as an aspiring poet in the early 1970s to the years of alt rock stardom, and from her resurgence as a musician and author in the late 1980s and 1990s to her post-millennial incarnation as a highly respected memoirist, cultural commentator and political activist . . . More now than ever, we would do well to attend to Patti Smith, both on the page and on the record: this collection gives us the artist in full." Philip Shaw, author of Patti Smith's Horses"The interviews housed in this book evoke the beautiful arc of Smith's career. From groundbreaking punk pioneer to latter-day disruptor, Levy highlights the importance of her voice not only in performance but also in prose. A comprehensive reference for those wanting to experience Smith on the page if they can't see her on the stage." Eric Wendell, author of Patti Smith: America's Punk Rock Rhapsodist" Revealing and poignant moments abound . . .[a] readily devoured addition to the superb Musicians in Their Own Words series. Singer, artist, and writer Smith is an ideal subject." Booklist"Patti Smith tore through the music world like a dervish in the '70s, quoting Rimbaud, Jagger, and Whitman with equal verve, blowing up gender stereotypes and notions of class while making music that fused high and low culture. She was word obsessed, and Aidan Levy is up to the task of curating those words, via interviews spanning her days as a young, fierce poet, to the serene, post-punk memoirist of today." Susan Whitall, author of Joni on Joni and Fever: Little Willie John's Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul"Aidan Levy has done us all a big favor by brilliantly contextualizing five decades' worth of Patti Smith's outrageous, hilarious, and consistently surprising interviews. Here is a Smith who practically hijacks the interview so she can turn it into a performance, a talk-poem, a shamanic possession, an improvisation as breathtaking as one of Charlie Parker's best. Patti Smith on Patti Smith proves Smith's tough-talking madcap shtick is as good as her Horses ." Daniel Kane, author of Do You Have a Band? Poetry and Punk Rock in New York City"VERDICT. An illuminating compilation and study of an American artistic treasure. This study is both a finely wrought biographical snapshot and an opportunity to sit in on conversations with one of the sharpest and most provocative minds of our time." Library Journal
£25.60
Zephyr Press Dylan on Dylan
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£24.26
Chicago Review Press Joni on Joni
Book SynopsisTrade Review"In a moment of great public interest in Joni Mitchell, one voice has been mostly absentMitchell's own. Joni on Joni rectifies that, and offers a great songwriter in dialogue with pop music critics, cable access hosts, and, best of all, her prismatic self." -- RJ Smith, author of American Witness: The Art and Life of Robert Frank and The One: The Life and Music of James Brown"Generations of young women -- and men -- found out who they were through Joni Mitchell's naked lyricism, singular tunings, and her willingness to resist boundaries. Here, editor Susan Whitall shows us who the ever-evolving songwriter is through myriad interviews with some of the world's smartest critics, and her own scene-setting/contextualizing introductions to each chapter.... For anyone who's loved Blue, Mingus, Court and Spark , The Hissing of Summer Lawns , or Turbulent Indigo , Joni on Joni is a journey worth taking." -- Holly Gleason, editor, Woman Walk the Line: How the Women of Country Changed My Life"This fascinating portrait of an artist is highly recommended for Mitchell's fans and readers interested in the creative process." -- Library Journal"Susan Whitall is a veteran music writer and brings a deep well of understanding in her introductions to each of the 27 interviews. For Joni fans, a must-read." -- Sarah Murdoch, Toronto Star
£24.26
