Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books
Country Music Foundation Press,U.S. The Delmore Brothers Truth Is Stranger Than
Book Synopsis
£15.19
Country Music Foundation Press,U.S. The Life and Times of Patsy Cline
Book Synopsis
£17.99
Bittern Press Change of Key
Book SynopsisMoira Bennett casts her perceptive, wry and amused eye over a childhood and adolescence in South Africa and her years raising sponsorship for the Aldeburgh Festival, the Barbican Centre and the London Symphony Orchestra.In her early fifties, Moira Bennett was widowed with a school-age son and in need of a job. With virtually no previous working experience but full of energy and determination, she found herself working at the Britten-Pears Schoolat Snape, helping to run masterclasses for young professional musicians studying with artists such as Peter Pears, Galina Vishnevskaya, Mstislav Rostropovich, Hugues Cuénod and William Pleeth. Her gift for arts administration - understanding the needs of performers and audiences - was soon to become highly valued at Aldeburgh, as she became the Registrar at the Britten-Pears School and went on to create the post of Development Director in the early days ofcommercial sponsorship of the arts. She was later invited to take on a similar role at the Barbican Centre, supporting a series of international arts festivals, before going on to work with the London Symphony Orchestra.In 2012 the Bittern Press published Moira Bennett's history of the Britten-Pears School, Making Musicians, which Classical Music magazine made one its Books of the Year. Now in her early nineties, Moira Bennett has written an extraordinary autobiography, casting an astute eye over her childhood and adolescence in South Africa, the impact of the Second World War and the Apartheid years on the country, and her second, 'unexpected', life in the arts.
£14.25
Harvard University, Department of Music,U.S. Music of My Future
Book SynopsisSchoenberg's quartets and trio, composed over a nearly forty-year period, occupy a central position among twentieth-century chamber music. This volume, based on papers presented at a conference in honor of David Lewin, collects a wide range of approaches to Schoenberg's pieces.
£18.86
Temple University Press,U.S. Softly With Feeling
Book Synopsis Joe Wilder set the table. His struggles made it easier for me and many others.--From the Foreword by Wynton Marsalis Trumpeter Joe Wilder is distinguished for his achievements in both the jazz and classical worlds. He was a founding member of the Symphony of the New World, where he played first trumpet, and he performed as lead trumpet and soloist with Lionel Hampton, Jimmy Lunceford, Dizzy Gillespie, and Count Basie. Yet Wilder is also known as a pioneer who broke down racial barriers, the first African American to hold a principal chair in a Broadway show orchestra, and one of the first African Americans to join a network studio orchestra. In Softly, with Feeling, Edward Berger tells Wilder''s remarkable story-from his growing up in working-class Philadelphia to becoming one of the first 1,000 black Marines during World War II-with tremendous feeling and extensive reminiscences by Wilder and his colleagues, including renowned PhiladelphTable of ContentsForeword by Wynton Marsalis Preface Acknowledgments 1 The Making of a Musician: Philadelphia (1922–1938) Musical Beginnings Colored Kiddies of the Air: “Little Louis” Meets Pops William T. Tilden Junior High School 2 From Student to Pro (1938–1943) Mastbaum The Harlem Dictators Leaving Home: Les Hite Lionel Hampton 3 Integration of the Armed Forces: The Montford Point Marines (1943–1946) 4 Big Band Odyssey (1946–1950) Hampton Redux Jimmie Lunceford Dizzy Gillespie Lucky Millinder Sam Donahue Herbie Fields 5 New York (1950–1953) Noble Sissle and the Diamond Horseshoe Breaking Barriers on Broadway Wilder on Broadway Manhattan School of Music 6 On the Road Again: Count Basie (1953–1954) 7 Back on Broadway and into the Studios (1954–1957) Silk Stockings and Most Happy Fella The Urban League: Integrating the Music Industry Developing a Style: Recordings in the 1950s From Mainstream to Third Stream 8 On Staff: African American Musicians and the Network Orchestras (1957–1964) Wilder Joins ABC The Studio Life The Urban League: Integrating the Network Orchestras Record Dates: Sideman and Leader “The Sound of Jazz” Benny Goodman: USSR Tour Miss America Pageant Family Life 9 A Dream Realized: Return to Classical Music (1964–1974) African Americans in Symphony Orchestras: The Beginnings of Change The Symphony of the New World The 1969 Human Rights Commission Hearings Earl Madison’s Reflections Other Classical Activities Wilder and Wilder: Joe and Alec 1960s Recordings 10 Freelance (1974–1990) The End of the Staff Orchestras Peter Duchin and the Society Orchestra Phenomenon Return to Broadway 1980s Recordings 11 New Outlets: Jazz Repertory and Jazz Parties (1990–2000) Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Garrison Keillor and A Prairie Home Companion The Jazz Party Phenomenon 12 Passing It On: Teaching, Awards, and Honors (2000–) Juilliard Awards and Honors The Reluctant Leader Recordings in the New Millennium: Evening Star Arbors Records and the Statesmen of Jazz Coda Notes Discography/Solography Index
£26.59
University of Toronto Press R. Murray Schafer
Book SynopsisMurray Schafer is one of Canada’s few composers to have achieved an international reputation. His innovative and often controversial work extends beyond music into the areas of education, literary scholarship, journalism, theatre, and graphics, as well as a new field of his own making—environmental sound research. This comprehensive critical survey of his life and works reveals the unifying pattern within an amazingly productive and varied career.Adams examines Schafer’s extensive writings, which form the intellectual context of his music. Though Schafer is both avant-gardist and self-confessed romantic, his writings solve this apparent paradox and show, as well, the central position of the ‘soundscape’ in his thought. Adam traces the development of Schafer’s music from his early works in a mild neo-classical vein to his experimentation with various modernist procedures—serialism, electronic sound, stereophony, graphic notation
£22.49
University of Texas Press Bird on a Blade
Book SynopsisWith an iconic sound that transcends country, pop, rock, and blues, Rosanne Cash’s voice and vision have captured American life for generations of fans. Over the same time span, internationally acclaimed artist Dan Rizzie has wowed collectors with his evocative paintings, prints, and collages. Now, in a book that is as unique as their artistry, Cash and her longtime friend Rizzie have teamed up to create an extraordinary hybrid. Blending images created by Rizzie with strands of lyrics from a variety of Cash’s songs (including new material from her latest album, She Remembers Everything, as well as her beloved classics), Bird on a Blade is a mosaic designed to inspire the imagination and soothe the heart.Oscillating between periods of growth and times of darkness, Bird on a Blade reflects on life’s mysteries. Powerful lines from songs such as “God Is in the Roses” from the 2006 album Black Cadillac evoke themes of mournTrade ReviewJuxtaposed with tender paintings from artist and friend Dan Rizzie, Cash's lyrics are luminescent nuggets, gleaming with desire, loss, home, and self-empowerment. * Vulture *
£15.19
University of Texas Press Why the Ramones Matter
Book SynopsisThe central experience of the Ramones and their music is of being an outsider, an outcast, a person who’s somehow defective, and the revolt against shame and self-loathing. The fans, argues Donna Gaines, got it right away, from their own experience of alienation at home, at school, on the streets, and from themselves. This sense of estrangement and marginality permeates everything the Ramones still offer us as artists, and as people. Why the Ramones Matter compellingly makes the case that the Ramones gave us everything; they saved rock and roll, modeled DIY ethics, and addressed our deepest collective traumas, from the personal to the historical.Trade ReviewGaines delivers on several fronts. Part sociological exploration, part fangirl gush, Gaines' book offers a multifaceted exploration of the band and their effect. * First of the Month *[A] treatise that is both a weighty and breezy read. * Long Island Weekly *Donna Gaines has taken the lightning-fast songs of the Ramones' oeuvre and welded her own brainy spin on their songs, their personalities, their impact, resulting in something unequivocally fresh and engrossing. Even the biggest fans will find something new to enjoy here. * Razorcake *Why the Ramones Matter…explores the group's legacy through the dual lenses of [Gaines's] doctorate in sociology and her experiences as a lifelong fan. * Please Kill Me *Table of ContentsPreface 1. The Mission 2. Ministry 3. PAF 4. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Acknowledgments Sources
£12.34
University of Texas Press Why Tammy Wynette Matters
Book SynopsisHow Tammy Wynette channeled the conflicts of her life into her music and performance. With hits such as “Stand By Your Man” and “Golden Ring,” Tammy Wynette was an icon of American domesticity and femininity. But there were other sides to the first lady of country. Steacy Easton places the complications of Wynette’s music and her biography in sharp-edged relief, exploring how she made her sometimes-tumultuous life into her work, a transformation that was itself art. Wynette created a persona of high femininity to match the themes she sang about—fawning devotion, redemption in heterosexual romance, the heartbreak of loneliness. Behind the scenes, her life was marked by persistent class anxieties; despite wealth and fame, she kept her beautician’s license. Easton argues that the struggle to meet expectations of southernness, womanhood, and southern womanhood, finds subtle expression in Wynette’s performance of “Apartment #9”—and it’s because of these vocal subtleties that it came to be called the saddest song ever written. Wynette similarly took on elements of camp and political critique in her artistry, demonstrating an underappreciated genius. Why Tammy Wynette Matters reveals a musician who doubled back on herself, her façade of earnestness cracked by a melodrama that weaponized femininity and upended feminist expectations, while scoring twenty number-one hits. Trade Review[An] illuminating debut...Easton paints a riveting portrait of an oft-misunderstood star. Country music fans won’t be disappointed. * Publishers Weekly *Easton’s book incorporates the author’s relationship to Wynette’s music and vocal performances in a critical biography that focuses on the artist’s musical talents...Fans of Wynette and country music will be drawn to this reappraisal. * Library Journal *Why Tammy Wynette Matters ventures beyond the usual narrative of Tammy Wynette as a tragic country star whose numerous marriages and early death have often defined her. In this slim yet rich book of criticism, Steacy Easton considers the singer’s 'ambitious, transparent, and haunted work' in a feminist context, drawing out Wynette’s artistry and paying respect to her impact on country music...What makes Why Tammy Wynette Matters exceptional is that it considers how [Wynette's life] experiences gave her work its power...Easton is 'deeply committed to Wynette as a performer and writer.' They approach their subject with curiosity, generosity, and love. * Chapter 16 *[An] exemplary deep-dive into the life of Tammy Wynette...Country fans will be delighted with this short but incisive and fond remembrance. * Bay Area Reporter *Easton’s arguments are compelling…Reading Easton’s book you start to understand how Wynette may well have used the perceptions of her and her position as an icon of domestic femininity in a quite subversive way, and that she was far less of a victim than she herself often encouraged people to believe...Read this book; it’s unlike anything else you might have read about this artist and it will change your perception of who you think Tammy Wynette was. * Americana UK *[Why Tammy Wynette Matters] weaves the stress of maintaining stereotypical Southern womanhood into the country legend's complex legacy. * The Tennessean *[A] brilliant new book...Why Tammy Wynette Matters is a tour-de-force work of critical genius, and Easton’s book prompts us to listen once again to Wynette and to hear her performances in fresh ways. Their book is revelatory, offering insightful and illuminating readings of the ways that Wynette’s life and work intersect. * No Depression *The book is full of beautiful sentences. . . as Easton waxes poetic about why Wynette matters. . . As Easton explores all the layers to Wynette’s gendered, larger-than-life persona, they allow us to expand the way we interpret and understand the world, and to expand our understanding of queerness itself. * Autostraddle *A slim but thoughtful new book...Easton effectively makes the case that Wynette is underappreciated and worthy of a serious critical reappraisal. * New York Times *One thing is certain: wherever one falls on the Tammy Wynette continuum — fan, casual observer, or someone simply interested in how art gets made and how gender, for better or worse, influences both its creation and perception — is going to be knocked out by Why Tammy Wynette Matters . . . Their endlessly compelling book succeeds in proving its title beyond a doubt. No small feat. * Parton & Pearl *Table of Contents Introduction Domesticity High Femme Armor Soft Politics Pain Melodrama Sex Fame Tradition Reprieve Camp Funeral Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography
£18.04
University of Texas Press Why Sinead OConnor Matters
Book SynopsisA stirring defense of Sinéad O’Connor’s music and activism, and an indictment of the culture that cancelled her. In 1990, Sinéad O’Connor’s video for “Nothing Compares 2 U” turned her into a superstar. Two years later, an appearance on Saturday Night Live turned her into a scandal. For many people—including, for years, the author—what they knew of O’Connor stopped there. Allyson McCabe believes it’s time to reassess our old judgments about Sinéad O’Connor and to expose the machinery that built her up and knocked her down. Addressing triumph and struggle, sound and story, Why Sinéad O’Connor Matters argues that its subject has been repeatedly manipulated and misunderstood by a culture that is often hostile to women who speak their minds (in O’Connor’s case, by shaving her head, championing rappers, and tearing up a picture of the popTrade ReviewPart biography, part reflection on the meaning of O'Connor's artistry and actions, McCabe traces the achievements and media-generated scandals of O'Connor's career, and how she consistently sought to beat her own path in a culture that condemned women for veering off the course of sanctioned archetypes...What's most powerful is how McCabe draws on her own experience in parallel with O'Connor's. Perhaps this is O'Connor's most powerful asset as an artist: she opens up a space for people to see their struggles, their resistance and their trauma, in hers. * The Irish Times *Absolutely brilliant, heartbreaking, insightful, and personal. -- Margo Price * Literary Hub *Why Sinéad O’Connor Matters reassesses the oft-misunderstood songwriter and activist through a lens that is both historical and personal...Written in clear and provocative language...McCabe’s impassioned defense of O’Connor in the wake of her many controversies is both heartfelt and persuasive...our protagonist emerges from Why Sinéad O’Connor Matters as a conquering hero; having weathered abuse, cruelty, and prejudice, not to mention the usual unreasonable expectations too often placed on female artists, the courageous nonconformist emerges wounded but wiser. Ultimately—and most importantly—she is redeemed. * Aquarium Drunkard *[A] very personal and thought-provoking account of the media’s role in [O'Connor's] stratospheric rise and ultimate implosion…A touching tribute. O’Connor has been the subject of recent and numerous articles, a documentary, and books (including her own), but McCabe’s take is unique in its critical analysis of the media and its attempts to silence and cancel O’Connor. * Library Journal *I've been waiting for a book like McCabe's because...grappling with what happened to O'Connor—at her peak no less—carries important lessons that resonate today. The woman behind that sublime voice was a fierce, complicated, tormented, defiant badass. Yet somehow, she remains an enigma—despite publishing a memoir—because of how quickly and completely she was discarded from the music world for refusing to compromise her beliefs. The industry and world have ostensibly changed, but it's essential to remember and honor those who went before us. * Tertulia *A revealing reappraisal…McCabe skillfully renders the artist’s rise and ahead-of-her-time activism against the sociopolitical landscape of the 1980s and ’90s, persuasively rescuing O’Connor’s reputation from a mainstream media narrative that ‘all too often dismissed [her] as a slow-motion train wreck.’ Fans will be riveted. * Publishers Weekly *A superb showcase of the artist as a musician and a person, [Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters] seeks to discern her persistent drive to make music despite the obstacles in her path and what we can learn from such an unorthodox creative spirit...The heart of this immaculate work lies in how McCabe deftly navigates the turbulent intersection of criticism and compassion. When McCabe talks transparently about her own childhood traumas and how they often mirrored O’Connor’s, her candor is both refreshing and admirable...This book sets a new standard in music criticism. * Treble *[Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters] is about much more than Sinéad O’Connor. The singer becomes a 'window and a mirror into culture,' as McCabe puts it, expanding far beyond SNL, MTV, Bob Dylan, Prince, or any of the well-trod touchstones of O’Connor’s early career. Instead, the story reaches deeper — more about the refractions and the shadows that O’Connor casts on ourselves and on the culture. It asks the reader to consider their own relationship to the forces that once leveraged themselves en masse against O’Connor. It’s a beautiful and compassionate meditation on silence, trauma, healing, and much more. * KCRW *[Sinéad's] urges to "fight the real enemy" have been disregarded, mocked, and vilified for over 30 years – but McCabe's reexamination of O'Connor's treatment is both a tough lesson and a promising step forward. -- Laiken Neumann * Austin Chronicle *Shifting the focus back to music is key to Allyson McCabe’s Why Sinéad O’Connor Matters, published just two months before O’Connor’s death . . . The clarity with which McCabe tells these stories can make space for a more balanced assessment of Sinéad O’Connor’s music. * Spectrum Culture *Released just two months prior to O’Connor’s death, this intimate and moving release from author Allyson McCabe reiterates the lasting impact she left behind. If you’re looking for creative context and thoughtful criticism of the media’s role in O’Connor’s personal and creative well-being, Why Sinéad O’Connor Matters is an essential read. * American Songwriter *Reevaluations of maligned "loud women" are always welcome here, but this dissection of Sinéad O'Connor's artistry, activism, and unfounded industry ostracism hits even harder following the artist's tragic July passing. -- Carys Anderson * Austin Chronicle *When people ask why I enjoy reading music criticism, I tell them the books shine a light upon our collective human psyche. Why Sinead O’Connor Matters by Alyson McCabe does exactly that . . . The heart of this immaculate work lies in the intersection of criticism and compassion crafted by McCabe. * Ancillary Review of Books *Table of Contents Prologue Framing Take 1 The Lion and the Cobra As Seen on MTV Rock-’n’-Roll Cassandra SPINning Sinéad She’ll Talk but You Won’t Listen The Takedown Is She Not Your Girl? This Means War We Do Not Want What She Has Got Wrecking Ball Things Need to Change We Need to Talk about Prince Hurt People Hurt Truthful Witness Acknowledgments Notes
£18.99
University of Texas Press Im Not There
Book SynopsisAn examination of director Todd Haynes and his Bob Dylan biopic. As the first and only Bob Dylan “biopic,” I’m Not There caused a stir when released in 2007. Offering a surreal retelling of moments from Dylan’s life and career, the film is perhaps best known for its distinctive approach to casting, including Cate Blanchett and Marcus Carl Franklin, a Black child actor, as versions of Dylan though none of the characters bear his name. Greenlit by Bob Dylan himself, the film uses Dylan’s music as a score, a triumph for famed queer filmmaker Todd Haynes after encountering issues with copyright in previous projects. Noah Tsika eloquently characterizes all the ways that Dylan and Haynes harmonize in their methods and sensibilities, interpreting the rule-breaking film as a biography that refuses chronology, disdains factual accuracy, flirts with libel, and cannibalizes Western cinema. Fitting the film’s inspiration, creTrade ReviewIn I’m Not There (21st Century Film Essentials), Noah Tsika analyzes Haynes’ audacious 2007 Bob Dylan (sort of) biopic, which the author believes 'is perhaps the least studied' of the director’s films. The text establishes, however, that the film is more than worthy of deep consideration. Tsika even details how the film connects with Haynes’ career-long battles with trademark and copyright issues. All told, this is a truly essential study of a film that seems even bolder now than it did in 2007. * The Film Stage *Table of Contents Prologue: Flaming Quotations Introduction: 21st-Century Bedfellows Pursuing Opacity Violators Won’t Be Cited Mock the Documentary Playing On Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£17.99
University of Texas Press Im Not There
Book SynopsisAn examination of director Todd Haynes and his Bob Dylan biopic.Trade ReviewIn I’m Not There (21st Century Film Essentials), Noah Tsika analyzes Haynes’ audacious 2007 Bob Dylan (sort of) biopic, which the author believes 'is perhaps the least studied' of the director’s films. The text establishes, however, that the film is more than worthy of deep consideration. Tsika even details how the film connects with Haynes’ career-long battles with trademark and copyright issues. All told, this is a truly essential study of a film that seems even bolder now than it did in 2007. * The Film Stage *Table of Contents Prologue: Flaming Quotations Introduction: 21st-Century Bedfellows Pursuing Opacity Violators Won’t Be Cited Mock the Documentary Playing On Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£67.15
Duke University Press Henry Cow
Book SynopsisBenjamin Piekut tells the story of the English experimental rock band Henry Cow and how it linked its improvisational musical aesthetic with a collectivist, progressive politics.Trade Review“What was it all about, to me? Thinking. Henry Cow really thought about the why, the what, the appropriate methods of making music. Their riveting music was the sound of thinking out loud: Henry Cow seemed to be asking, ‘So, what is the significance of these sounds in our heads?’ And they were always witty: just look at the name of the band and the unwearable sock representing ‘the Henry Cow legend.’ I am very glad this book exists. Henry Cow’s history—in all its inevitable turbulence—tells an inspiring story.” -- Robert Wyatt“In this landmark monograph, Benjamin Piekut offers a stunning new theoretical framework for writing the history of ‘adventurous’ music in the late twentieth century, realizing that theory in practice by replicating in his graceful prose the improvised relation to the world he seeks to illuminate. Through his gripping account of the band Henry Cow, he reconstructs the cultural space of what he calls the ‘vernacular avant-garde,’ where musicians learn from records rather than in institutions, live uncertainty, cross genres, improvise responses to novel situations, work with and against record companies, and embrace avant-gardism without negation. It is rare to finish a monumental monograph with a gasp. A must-read intervention and instant classic!” -- Tamara Levitz, Professor of Musicology and Comparative Literature, University of California Los Angeles"Henry Cow: The World Is A Problem provides an exhaustive account of an incomparable group pushing music to its limits, on a linear mission to change civilization and its culture forever." * Jazzwise *"A fascinating and pacey read, stitched together painstakingly from over 90 original interviews and both public and private texts including Hodgkinson's extensive diaries. The combination of narrative background, musical analysis and critical insight should open the door for a new generation of listeners." -- Phil England * The Wire *"Exhaustive and illuminating." -- Kurt Gottschalk * New York City Jazz Record *"Mixing a highly readable musicological analysis with fascinating details about the band's often-turbulent existence, Piekut's book is a fitting tribute to Henry Cow's importance and legacy in a notable but marginalised movement of 20th century music." -- Sid Smith * Prog Magazine *"This biography is many things but its main strength is as a chronicle of the band’s extraordinary history which spanned barely a decade, meticulously researched from a vast array of sources, not just from the music papers of the times but via interviews with the musicians, plus access to private musicians’ notes, diaries and minutes from the band’s many documented meetings. . . . A remarkable project: compelling, unique and requiring considerable powers of concentration and assiduousness—somewhat like the band themselves." -- Phil Howitt * Facelift *"It's hard to think of another group that did as much as Henry Cow to distance themselves from the usual Dionysian image and activities of your typical rock band. . . . All things considered, it doesn't sound like it was much fun at all. But this book is." -- Daniel Spicer * Jazzwise *"Why would this book appeal to anyone had never heard of Henry Cow? Well, I think that anyone that is interested in the development of British underground or counter-cultural music through the late sixties and seventies will find this book fascinating. As will anyone that is interested in the working out of a musical response to prevailing sociopolitical circumstances. And, as much as anything, it provides universal insights into a group of people and managing complex relationships where, at times, it seems that what would help most would be a psychological understanding of intergroup processes." -- Phil Stringer * Free Jazz Collective *"Piekut engages in continuous reflection as he narrates. In this sense, the book is also a sort of ethnography, with Henry Cow as an object of study serving to elucidate a range of matters both historical (music and art as cultural practices) and theoretical (larger issues of politics, musicology, and sociality). The research is impeccably thorough—not just by measure of the requisite bibliography but also the extensive, rigorous interviews with the people involved in the Henry Cow project. This original research on its own is a real treasure." -- Stathis Gourgouris * Los Angeles Review of Books *"Piekut's richly nuanced account of [Henry Cow] is, as far as I am aware, an unprecedently detailed case study of the life of a rock group" -- Chris Atton * Popular Music *"Piekut's book is one of the best dissections of a group I have ever read. It is lengthy, well-written, explores the musical and social milieu in depth, and is an excellent primer for listening to the music. Just don't do it at the same time. Each process: reading about and listening to Henry Cow deserve your full undivided attention." -- Robert Iannapollo * Association for Recorded Sound Collection *Table of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgments xi Introduction. Feral Experimentalism 1 1. You Can't Play This Music at Cambridge | 1968–73 29 2. Faust and the Virgins | 1973 76 3. Contentment Is Hopeless, Unrest Is Progress | 1974 119 4. Death to the Individual: Slapp Happy | 1974–75 157 5. Europa | 1975–76 199 6. The Roads Leading to Rome | 1976–77 242 7. No Joy Anymore | London 1977 293 8. Henry Cow Always Had to Be Henry Cow | 1978 345 Afterword. The Vernacular Avant-Garde 387 Notes 409 Bibliography 455 Index 479
£92.70
Duke University Press Henry Cow
Book SynopsisBenjamin Piekut tells the story of the English experimental rock band Henry Cow and how it linked its improvisational musical aesthetic with a collectivist, progressive politics.Trade Review“What was it all about, to me? Thinking. Henry Cow really thought about the why, the what, the appropriate methods of making music. Their riveting music was the sound of thinking out loud: Henry Cow seemed to be asking, ‘So, what is the significance of these sounds in our heads?’ And they were always witty: just look at the name of the band and the unwearable sock representing ‘the Henry Cow legend.’ I am very glad this book exists. Henry Cow’s history—in all its inevitable turbulence—tells an inspiring story.” -- Robert Wyatt“In this landmark monograph, Benjamin Piekut offers a stunning new theoretical framework for writing the history of ‘adventurous’ music in the late twentieth century, realizing that theory in practice by replicating in his graceful prose the improvised relation to the world he seeks to illuminate. Through his gripping account of the band Henry Cow, he reconstructs the cultural space of what he calls the ‘vernacular avant-garde,’ where musicians learn from records rather than in institutions, live uncertainty, cross genres, improvise responses to novel situations, work with and against record companies, and embrace avant-gardism without negation. It is rare to finish a monumental monograph with a gasp. A must-read intervention and instant classic!” -- Tamara Levitz, Professor of Musicology and Comparative Literature, University of California Los Angeles"Henry Cow: The World Is A Problem provides an exhaustive account of an incomparable group pushing music to its limits, on a linear mission to change civilization and its culture forever." * Jazzwise *"A fascinating and pacey read, stitched together painstakingly from over 90 original interviews and both public and private texts including Hodgkinson's extensive diaries. The combination of narrative background, musical analysis and critical insight should open the door for a new generation of listeners." -- Phil England * The Wire *"Exhaustive and illuminating." -- Kurt Gottschalk * New York City Jazz Record *"Mixing a highly readable musicological analysis with fascinating details about the band's often-turbulent existence, Piekut's book is a fitting tribute to Henry Cow's importance and legacy in a notable but marginalised movement of 20th century music." -- Sid Smith * Prog Magazine *"This biography is many things but its main strength is as a chronicle of the band’s extraordinary history which spanned barely a decade, meticulously researched from a vast array of sources, not just from the music papers of the times but via interviews with the musicians, plus access to private musicians’ notes, diaries and minutes from the band’s many documented meetings. . . . A remarkable project: compelling, unique and requiring considerable powers of concentration and assiduousness—somewhat like the band themselves." -- Phil Howitt * Facelift *"It's hard to think of another group that did as much as Henry Cow to distance themselves from the usual Dionysian image and activities of your typical rock band. . . . All things considered, it doesn't sound like it was much fun at all. But this book is." -- Daniel Spicer * Jazzwise *"Why would this book appeal to anyone had never heard of Henry Cow? Well, I think that anyone that is interested in the development of British underground or counter-cultural music through the late sixties and seventies will find this book fascinating. As will anyone that is interested in the working out of a musical response to prevailing sociopolitical circumstances. And, as much as anything, it provides universal insights into a group of people and managing complex relationships where, at times, it seems that what would help most would be a psychological understanding of intergroup processes." -- Phil Stringer * Free Jazz Collective *"Piekut engages in continuous reflection as he narrates. In this sense, the book is also a sort of ethnography, with Henry Cow as an object of study serving to elucidate a range of matters both historical (music and art as cultural practices) and theoretical (larger issues of politics, musicology, and sociality). The research is impeccably thorough—not just by measure of the requisite bibliography but also the extensive, rigorous interviews with the people involved in the Henry Cow project. This original research on its own is a real treasure." -- Stathis Gourgouris * Los Angeles Review of Books *"Piekut's richly nuanced account of [Henry Cow] is, as far as I am aware, an unprecedently detailed case study of the life of a rock group" -- Chris Atton * Popular Music *"Piekut's book is one of the best dissections of a group I have ever read. It is lengthy, well-written, explores the musical and social milieu in depth, and is an excellent primer for listening to the music. Just don't do it at the same time. Each process: reading about and listening to Henry Cow deserve your full undivided attention." -- Robert Iannapollo * Association for Recorded Sound Collection *Table of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgments xi Introduction. Feral Experimentalism 1 1. You Can't Play This Music at Cambridge | 1968–73 29 2. Faust and the Virgins | 1973 76 3. Contentment Is Hopeless, Unrest Is Progress | 1974 119 4. Death to the Individual: Slapp Happy | 1974–75 157 5. Europa | 1975–76 199 6. The Roads Leading to Rome | 1976–77 242 7. No Joy Anymore | London 1977 293 8. Henry Cow Always Had to Be Henry Cow | 1978 345 Afterword. The Vernacular Avant-Garde 387 Notes 409 Bibliography 455 Index 479
£22.79
Duke University Press Universal Tonality
Book SynopsisJazz critic and historian Cisco Bradley tells the story of the life and music of bassist and composer William Parker, who for fifty years has been a monumental figure in free jazz.Trade Review“Writing elegantly about the music as well as William Parker's work as an activist and organizer, Cisco Bradley gives a full sense of Parker's centrality to the development and maintenance of the free jazz scene in New York as well as his efforts in presenting the music across the globe. Universal Tonality is a book worthy of its object.” -- Fred Moten, author of * Black and Blur *“We have precious few monographic works on creative musicians, fewer still on living ones, and none quite like Cisco Bradley's fascinating biography of bassist, bandleader, organizer, and composer William Parker. Bradley situates Parker as part of a historical legacy, skillfully illuminating Parker's career—including his crucial term with Cecil Taylor—as well as the entire underground scene, including the groundbreaking Sound Unity Festival, the enduring Vision Festival, and manifold developments in the New York creative music community. An essential entry in the critical culture reading list.” -- John Corbett, author of * Vinyl Freak: Love Letters to a Dying Medium *"Each of [Parker's] own major projects, including the quartet, Raining On The Moon, Little Huey, and In Order To Survive, is discussed and analyzed in depth; his family history and personal life are documented in detail; and ultimately as full a portrait as possible of William Parker, artist and human being, is painted. Essential reading." -- Phil Freeman * Stereogum *"Cisco Bradley endeavors to pull the diverse parts of the artist's life together in this first ever biography of Parker. It is a monumental task, and like the dozens of biographies of Louis Armstrong that have been published, it is a good start." -- Mark Corroto * All About Jazz *"This is long overdue respect and praise for one of the finest and hardest working musicians of the post-war era. William Parker is a national treasure, as this book is a testament to his perseverance." -- Tim Niland * Music and More *"Bradley's work, currently only in English, really deserves to be translated into multiple languages." (translated from Italian) -- Giuseppe Segala * All About Jazz *"As with the best of jazz biographies, there are excellent descriptions of the music to be found on the key albums of Parker’s various groups. And these vivid words send the curious listener scurrying off to hear the music. . . . The biography is an excellent introduction to William Parker’s music and to his role in the free jazz community in New York and the USA." -- Tony Dudley-Evans * London Jazz News *"A timely and dynamic picture of the great artist’s travels, to date. Bradley’s book charts a past that also provides many clues and contextual narratives that tell us much about where Parker may be heading." -- Lee Rice Epstein * Free Jazz Collective *"Parker’s art and family history get explored at length in Cisco Bradley’s illuminating new critical study Universal Tonality, the first William Parker book that William Parker didn’t have to write himself. Parker appreciates the attention—he called it the story of how he rose 'from rags to enlightenment. Note that I didn’t say riches'—but still encourages musicians to tell their own stories, and not just because critics can be slow to catch up." -- Alan Scherstuhl * New York Times *"Excellent and overdue. . . ." -- Angus Batey * The Quietus *"The book, while essentially a biography, explains aspects of his musical vision that are exemplified by these recordings. There is an emphasis on vocals and lyrics, and the book goes in some depth with regard to Parker’s interest in poetry and literature, and his love of music from other cultures as well. . . . An important takeaway from Universal Tonality is Parker’s belief that music is in and of itself a revolutionary act, a rebellion against the hatred which he sees as inherent in the current organization of the world." -- Todd Manning * Rock and Roll Globe *"Cisco Bradley's insightful, detailed and beautifully illustrated biography is a labour of love. . . . Universal Tonality made me realise that, much as I've always loved his music, I hadn't begun to appreciate William Parker's achievement." -- Andy Hamilton * The Wire *"Bradley's book is a full-on biography, both personal and musical, that never gets lost in academic jargon. . . . The book succeeds in its sheer storytelling of a life, through interviews with Parker and his fellow musicians, who consistently connect Parker's music to his life and to the politics of community. One comes away from Bradley's book quite humbled by a journey that seems never to have compromised on creativity or its possibility to bring more justice to the world. The musician that emerges from Universal Tonality is also a poet and a political activist- or maybe it's clearer to say that we come to see Parker as having erased the lines separating those different roles." -- Will Layman * Popmatters *"An instant classic of jazz biography, Universal Tonality is a genuinely inspirational read, testament to the transformative power of art." -- Stewart Smith * Tribune *"If an antidote to apathy consists of work and proselytizing, then bassist/composer/bandleader, activist and organizer William Parker embodies that antidote. Cisco Bradley has achieved much in simply documenting the extent of his subject’s activities, but he also highlights the spiritual and social dimensions of Parker’s work, all of which is set within music at the free / demanding end of the spectrum, as opposed to the aural balm that jazz in the 21st century often seems to be." -- Nic Jones * Jazz Journal *"With sources that include Parker himself, poetry and excerpts from his journals, and insights from friends and peers, Cisco Bradley explains how the artist has maintained his focus. In the process, he discusses free/avant-garde jazz perceptively, helping to clear away hyperbole and misunderstanding." -- Mike Shanley * Jazz Times *"The publication of Universal Tonality . . . is both long overdue and richly appreciated. . . . Anyone interested in the state of the free improvising scene needs to read this book." -- Robert Bush * New York City Jazz Record *"Parker is one of the foremost practitioners of what is arguably the greatest Black-led American artistic tradition, i.e. jazz, and Universal Tonality casts him in the full light his work deserves." -- Patrick James Dunagan * Rain Taxi *"This meticulously researched, affectionate biography analyzes Parker’s impact as a musician, a composer, and a political revolutionary. An important work that will appeal to jazz historians, scholars of Black history, and music lovers." -- Lisa Henry * Library Journal *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction. "Flowers Grow in My Room": Realizing a Vision 1 I. Origins 1. Enslavement and Resistance: From West Africa to the Carolinas to Harlem 15 2. Struggle, Beauty, and Survival: Childhood in the South Bronx 41 3. Consciousness: Art, Politics, and Self in the Mind of a Young Man 61 II. Early Work 4. The Loft Scene: Art, Community, and Self-Determination 93 5. "Music That Will Give People Hope": Centering Dance Music with Patricia Nicholson 124 6. "Music Is Supposed to Change People": Working with Cecil Taylor 148 III. Toward the Universal 7. "It Is the Job of the Artist to Incite Political Revolution": In Order to Survive 173 8. Into the Tone World: Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra 194 9. Toward a Universal Sound: William Parker Quartet and Raining on the Moon 216 10. Honoring the Elders: Tribute Projects and Other Bands 239 11. All People Need Truth to Survive: Recent Work and Legacy 261 Appendix: William Parker Discography 279 Notes 291 Bibliography 359 Index 385
£80.75
Duke University Press Universal Tonality
Book SynopsisJazz critic and historian Cisco Bradley tells the story of the life and music of bassist and composer William Parker, who for fifty years has been a monumental figure in free jazz.Trade Review“Writing elegantly about the music as well as William Parker's work as an activist and organizer, Cisco Bradley gives a full sense of Parker's centrality to the development and maintenance of the free jazz scene in New York as well as his efforts in presenting the music across the globe. Universal Tonality is a book worthy of its object.” -- Fred Moten, author of * Black and Blur *“We have precious few monographic works on creative musicians, fewer still on living ones, and none quite like Cisco Bradley's fascinating biography of bassist, bandleader, organizer, and composer William Parker. Bradley situates Parker as part of a historical legacy, skillfully illuminating Parker's career—including his crucial term with Cecil Taylor—as well as the entire underground scene, including the groundbreaking Sound Unity Festival, the enduring Vision Festival, and manifold developments in the New York creative music community. An essential entry in the critical culture reading list.” -- John Corbett, author of * Vinyl Freak: Love Letters to a Dying Medium *"Each of [Parker's] own major projects, including the quartet, Raining On The Moon, Little Huey, and In Order To Survive, is discussed and analyzed in depth; his family history and personal life are documented in detail; and ultimately as full a portrait as possible of William Parker, artist and human being, is painted. Essential reading." -- Phil Freeman * Stereogum *"Cisco Bradley endeavors to pull the diverse parts of the artist's life together in this first ever biography of Parker. It is a monumental task, and like the dozens of biographies of Louis Armstrong that have been published, it is a good start." -- Mark Corroto * All About Jazz *"This is long overdue respect and praise for one of the finest and hardest working musicians of the post-war era. William Parker is a national treasure, as this book is a testament to his perseverance." -- Tim Niland * Music and More *"Bradley's work, currently only in English, really deserves to be translated into multiple languages." (translated from Italian) -- Giuseppe Segala * All About Jazz *"As with the best of jazz biographies, there are excellent descriptions of the music to be found on the key albums of Parker’s various groups. And these vivid words send the curious listener scurrying off to hear the music. . . . The biography is an excellent introduction to William Parker’s music and to his role in the free jazz community in New York and the USA." -- Tony Dudley-Evans * London Jazz News *"A timely and dynamic picture of the great artist’s travels, to date. Bradley’s book charts a past that also provides many clues and contextual narratives that tell us much about where Parker may be heading." -- Lee Rice Epstein * Free Jazz Collective *"Parker’s art and family history get explored at length in Cisco Bradley’s illuminating new critical study Universal Tonality, the first William Parker book that William Parker didn’t have to write himself. Parker appreciates the attention—he called it the story of how he rose 'from rags to enlightenment. Note that I didn’t say riches'—but still encourages musicians to tell their own stories, and not just because critics can be slow to catch up." -- Alan Scherstuhl * New York Times *"Excellent and overdue. . . ." -- Angus Batey * The Quietus *"The book, while essentially a biography, explains aspects of his musical vision that are exemplified by these recordings. There is an emphasis on vocals and lyrics, and the book goes in some depth with regard to Parker’s interest in poetry and literature, and his love of music from other cultures as well. . . . An important takeaway from Universal Tonality is Parker’s belief that music is in and of itself a revolutionary act, a rebellion against the hatred which he sees as inherent in the current organization of the world." -- Todd Manning * Rock and Roll Globe *"Cisco Bradley's insightful, detailed and beautifully illustrated biography is a labour of love. . . . Universal Tonality made me realise that, much as I've always loved his music, I hadn't begun to appreciate William Parker's achievement." -- Andy Hamilton * The Wire *"Bradley's book is a full-on biography, both personal and musical, that never gets lost in academic jargon. . . . The book succeeds in its sheer storytelling of a life, through interviews with Parker and his fellow musicians, who consistently connect Parker's music to his life and to the politics of community. One comes away from Bradley's book quite humbled by a journey that seems never to have compromised on creativity or its possibility to bring more justice to the world. The musician that emerges from Universal Tonality is also a poet and a political activist- or maybe it's clearer to say that we come to see Parker as having erased the lines separating those different roles." -- Will Layman * Popmatters *"An instant classic of jazz biography, Universal Tonality is a genuinely inspirational read, testament to the transformative power of art." -- Stewart Smith * Tribune *"If an antidote to apathy consists of work and proselytizing, then bassist/composer/bandleader, activist and organizer William Parker embodies that antidote. Cisco Bradley has achieved much in simply documenting the extent of his subject’s activities, but he also highlights the spiritual and social dimensions of Parker’s work, all of which is set within music at the free / demanding end of the spectrum, as opposed to the aural balm that jazz in the 21st century often seems to be." -- Nic Jones * Jazz Journal *"With sources that include Parker himself, poetry and excerpts from his journals, and insights from friends and peers, Cisco Bradley explains how the artist has maintained his focus. In the process, he discusses free/avant-garde jazz perceptively, helping to clear away hyperbole and misunderstanding." -- Mike Shanley * Jazz Times *"The publication of Universal Tonality . . . is both long overdue and richly appreciated. . . . Anyone interested in the state of the free improvising scene needs to read this book." -- Robert Bush * New York City Jazz Record *"Parker is one of the foremost practitioners of what is arguably the greatest Black-led American artistic tradition, i.e. jazz, and Universal Tonality casts him in the full light his work deserves." -- Patrick James Dunagan * Rain Taxi *"This meticulously researched, affectionate biography analyzes Parker’s impact as a musician, a composer, and a political revolutionary. An important work that will appeal to jazz historians, scholars of Black history, and music lovers." -- Lisa Henry * Library Journal *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction. "Flowers Grow in My Room": Realizing a Vision 1 I. Origins 1. Enslavement and Resistance: From West Africa to the Carolinas to Harlem 15 2. Struggle, Beauty, and Survival: Childhood in the South Bronx 41 3. Consciousness: Art, Politics, and Self in the Mind of a Young Man 61 II. Early Work 4. The Loft Scene: Art, Community, and Self-Determination 93 5. "Music That Will Give People Hope": Centering Dance Music with Patricia Nicholson 124 6. "Music Is Supposed to Change People": Working with Cecil Taylor 148 III. Toward the Universal 7. "It Is the Job of the Artist to Incite Political Revolution": In Order to Survive 173 8. Into the Tone World: Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra 194 9. Toward a Universal Sound: William Parker Quartet and Raining on the Moon 216 10. Honoring the Elders: Tribute Projects and Other Bands 239 11. All People Need Truth to Survive: Recent Work and Legacy 261 Appendix: William Parker Discography 279 Notes 291 Bibliography 359 Index 385
£22.79
Duke University Press Old Town Road A Song by Lil Nas X with Billy Ray
Book SynopsisChris Molanphy considers Lil Nas X’s debut single “Old Town Road” as pop artifact, chart phenomenon, and cultural watershed that channeled decades of Americana into a pop moment.Trade Review“I never fully understood, appreciated, or contextualized popular music until I read Chris Molanphy.” -- Jesse Eisenberg“Chris Molanphy provides a (typical for him) master class in understanding ‘Old Town Road’ as well as the interaction between race, the charts, and country music. A fascinating, rigorous, and joyful book.” -- Emily J. Lordi, author of * The Meaning of Soul: Black Music and Resilience since the 1960s *"More than just an analysis of 'Old Town Road.' This book has wide appeal for music and pop culture fans." (Starred Review) -- Rebekah J. Buchanan * Library Journal *"Molanphy's astute analysis shows readers the full cultural 360 in tracking the success and controversy of the song, the artist, and the evolution of online platforms like TikTok and YouTube to democratize the distribution and awareness of music. He also discusses the role that Lil Nas X's queerness has played in his success and post-"Old Town Road" career to date. Molanphy's book is a masterful and entertaining piece of cultural studies that, at 152 pages, takes exactly the time it needs to tell its story." -- Elizabeth DeNoma * Shelf Awareness *Table of ContentsIntroduction. BONAFIDE ’til I Can’t No More: “Old Town Road” as the Endpoint of a Century of Genre and Chat Evolution 1 1. WIDE-EYED ’til I Can’t No More: The Maker of “Old Town Road” and the Elements of Its Creation 7 2. HIED ’til I Can’t No More: A Brief History of Country and Race 17 3. FLY ’til I Can’t No More: The Collision and Cross-Pollination of Rap and Country 29 4. REIFIED ’til I Can’t No More: What a No. 1 Hit Meant as the Hot 100 Evolved 41 5. DIVIDE ’til I Can’t No More: Genre Charts, Data, and Identity 51 6. WORLD WIDE ’til I Can’t No More: How Technology and Internet Culture Built “Old Town Road” 69 7. BESTRIDE ’til I Can’t No More: How Lil Nas X Dominated 2019 87 Epilogue. PRIDE ’til I Can’t No More: How Lil Nas X Became a Multihit Wonder 121 Acknowledgments 127 Bibliography 129 Index 133
£63.00
Duke University Press Old Town Road A Song by Lil Nas X with Billy Ray
Book SynopsisIn Old Town Road, Chris Molanphy considers Lil Nas X's debut single as pop artifact, chart phenomenon, and cultural watershed. Old Town Road was more than a massive hit, with the most weeks at No. 1 in Billboard Hot 100 history. It is also a prism through which to track the evolution of popular music consumption and the ways race influences how the music industry categorizes songs and artists. By both lionizing and satirizing genre tropes-it's a country song built from an alternative rock sample, a hip-hop song in which nobody raps, a comical song that transcends novelty, and a queer anthem-Lil Nas X troubles the very idea of genre. Ultimately, Molanphy shows how Old Town Road channeled decades of Americana to point the way toward our cultural future.Trade Review“I never fully understood, appreciated, or contextualized popular music until I read Chris Molanphy.” -- Jesse Eisenberg“Chris Molanphy provides a (typical for him) master class in understanding ‘Old Town Road’ as well as the interaction between race, the charts, and country music. A fascinating, rigorous, and joyful book.” -- Emily J. Lordi, author of * The Meaning of Soul: Black Music and Resilience since the 1960s *"More than just an analysis of 'Old Town Road.' This book has wide appeal for music and pop culture fans." (Starred Review) -- Rebekah J. Buchanan * Library Journal *"Molanphy's astute analysis shows readers the full cultural 360 in tracking the success and controversy of the song, the artist, and the evolution of online platforms like TikTok and YouTube to democratize the distribution and awareness of music. He also discusses the role that Lil Nas X's queerness has played in his success and post-"Old Town Road" career to date. Molanphy's book is a masterful and entertaining piece of cultural studies that, at 152 pages, takes exactly the time it needs to tell its story." -- Elizabeth DeNoma * Shelf Awareness *Table of ContentsIntroduction. BONAFIDE ’til I Can’t No More: “Old Town Road” as the Endpoint of a Century of Genre and Chat Evolution 1 1. WIDE-EYED ’til I Can’t No More: The Maker of “Old Town Road” and the Elements of Its Creation 7 2. HIED ’til I Can’t No More: A Brief History of Country and Race 17 3. FLY ’til I Can’t No More: The Collision and Cross-Pollination of Rap and Country 29 4. REIFIED ’til I Can’t No More: What a No. 1 Hit Meant as the Hot 100 Evolved 41 5. DIVIDE ’til I Can’t No More: Genre Charts, Data, and Identity 51 6. WORLD WIDE ’til I Can’t No More: How Technology and Internet Culture Built “Old Town Road” 69 7. BESTRIDE ’til I Can’t No More: How Lil Nas X Dominated 2019 87 Epilogue. PRIDE ’til I Can’t No More: How Lil Nas X Became a Multihit Wonder 121 Acknowledgments 127 Bibliography 129 Index 133
£15.19
University Press of Mississippi Black Diva of the Thirties
Book SynopsisWhile undergoing routine surgery to remove a benign tumor, Ruby Elzy died. She was only thirty-five. Had she lived, she would have been one of the first black artists to appear in grand opera.Although now in the shadows, she was a shining star in her day. She entertained Eleanor Roosevelt in the White House. She was Paul Robeson''s leading lady in the movie version of The Emperor Jones. She co-starred in Birth of the Blues opposite Bing Crosby and Mary Martin. She sang at Harlem''s Apollo Theater and in the Hollywood Bowl. Her remarkable soprano voice was known to millions over the radio. She was personally chosen by George Gershwin to create one of the leading roles in his masterpiece, that of Serena in the original production of Porgy and Bess. Her signature song was the vocally demanding My Man''s Gone Now.From obscurity she had risen to great heights. Ruby Pearl Elzy (1908-1943) was born in abject poverty in Pontotoc, Mississippi. Her father abandoned the family when she was five,
£22.46
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi Im Just Dead Im Not Gone
Book Synopsis
£18.86
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi Charley Patton Voice of the Mississippi Delta
Book Synopsis
£77.35
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi Cant Stand Still Taylor Gordon and the Harlem Renaissance
Book SynopsisBorn in 1893, Emmanuel Taylor Gordon (1893-1971) became an internationally famous singer in the 1920s at the height of the Harlem Renaissance. Despite his fame, Taylor Gordon has been all but forgotten. Michael Johnson illuminates Gordon's personal history and his cultural importance to the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance.
£26.06
University Press of Mississippi Adrian Rollini
Book SynopsisAdrian Rollini, an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, played the bass saxophone, piano, vibraphone, and an array of other instruments. This book draws on oral history, vintage articles, and family archives to trace Rollini's life, from his family's arrival in the US to his development and career as a musician, to his retirement and death.
£77.35
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi Sweet Bitter Blues Washington DCs Homemade Blues
Book SynopsisDepicts the life and times of harmonica player Phil Wiggins and the unique, vibrant music scene around him. Featuring Wiggins's story, but including information on many musicians, the volume presents an incomparable documentary of the African American blues scene in Washington, DC, from 1975 to the present.
£19.96
University Press of Mississippi Crossing Bar Lines
Book SynopsisIn Crossing Bar Lines: The Politics and Practices of Black Musical Space James Gordon Williams reframes the nature and purpose of jazz improvisation to illuminate the cultural work being done by five creative musicians between 2005 and 2019. The political thought of five African American improvisers--trumpeters Terence Blanchard and Ambrose Akinmusire, drummers Billy Higgins and Terri Lyne Carrington, and pianist Andrew Hill--is documented through insightful, multilayered case studies that make explicit how these musicians articulate their positionality in broader society. Informed by Black feminist thought, these case studies unite around the theory of Black musical space that comes from the lived experiences of African Americans as they improvise through daily life. The central argument builds upon the idea of space-making and the geographic imagination in Black Geographies theory. Williams considers how these musicians interface with contemporary social movements like Black Live
£26.10
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi The Jazz Masters Setting the Record Straight
Book SynopsisFeatures twenty-one conversations with musicians who have had at least fifty years of professional experience. Appealing to casual fans and jazz aficionados alike, these interviews have been carefully, but minimally edited by Peter Zimmerman for sense and clarity, without changing any of the musicians' actual words.
£81.75
University Press of Mississippi Playing Jazz in Socialist Vietnam
Book SynopsisQuyn Vn Minh is one of the most preeminent jazz musicians in Vietnam. Considered a pioneer in the country, Minh is often publicly recognised as the ‘godfather of Vietnamese jazz’. This book tells the story of the music as it intertwined with Minh's own narrative.
£81.75
University Press of Mississippi Playing Jazz in Socialist Vietnam
Book SynopsisQuyn Vn Minh is one of the most preeminent jazz musicians in Vietnam. Considered a pioneer in the country, Minh is often publicly recognised as the ‘godfather of Vietnamese jazz’. This book tells the story of the music as it intertwined with Minh's own narrative.
£26.06
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi The Real Ambassadors Dave and Iola Brubeck and
Book SynopsisTells the story of Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, and Iola Brubeck and the stand they took against segregation by writing and performing a jazz musical titled The Real Ambassadors. First conceived in 1956, the musical's journey to the stage tracks extraordinary twists and turns across the backdrop of the civil rights movement.
£19.96
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi Funkiest Man Alive Rufus Thomas and Memphis Soul
Book SynopsisRufus Thomas may not be a household name, but he is widely regarded as the patriarch of Memphis R&B, and his music influenced three generations. Matthew Ruddick reveals the amazing life and career of Thomas, and examines the social fabric of the city of Memphis, analyzing the factors behind the array of talent that appeared in the late 1950s.
£26.55
University Press of Mississippi All I Want Is Loving You
Book SynopsisFocuses on the white, female artists of the 1950s, a time that predated the chart-topping girl groups of the early 1960s. These popular performers, many of whom graduated out of the big bands of the 1940s, impacted popular music in a huge way.Trade ReviewAuthors have long neglected the fabulous females of the fifties, but Steve Bergsman makes up for that neglect with this fascinating, fact-filled book. All I Want Is Loving You fills a major gap in pop music history and Bergsman is the author who should fill it." - Peter Benjaminson, author of The Story of Motown, Mary Wells: The Tumultuous Life of Motown's First Superstar
£78.29
University Press of Mississippi William Levi Dawson
Book SynopsisWilliam Levi Dawson (1899-1990) overcame adversity and Jim Crow racism to become a composer, choral arranger, conductor, and professor of music. Mark Hugh Malone tells the fascinating tale of Dawson’s early life, quest for education, rise to success at the Tuskegee Institute, achievement of notoriety as a composer, and retirement years.
£73.80
Cornell University Press Creative Union
Book SynopsisWhy did the Stalin era, a period characterized by bureaucratic control and the reign of Socialist Realism in the arts, witness such an extraordinary upsurge of musical creativity and the prominence of musicians in the cultural elite? This is one of the questions that Kiril Tomoff seeks to answer in Creative Union, the first book about any of the professional unions that dominated Soviet cultural life at the time. Drawing on hitherto untapped archives, he shows how the Union of Soviet Composers established control over the music profession and negotiated the relationship between composers and the Communist Party leadership. Central to Tomoff''s argument is the institutional authority and prestige that the musical profession accrued and deployed within Soviet society, enabling musicians to withstand the postwar disciplinary campaigns that were so crippling in other artistic and literary spheres.Most accounts of Soviet musical life focus on famous individuals or the campaTrade ReviewTomoff deftly challenges the mythology of the martyred Soviet artist. His thoroughly researched study explores not only the institutional structures and bureaucratic processes of the Composers' Union but also the personal and professional networks within it that protected members and preserved artistic values. Tomoff ably balances high politics and personal relationships to show how Soviet composers successfully negotiated shifting ideological terrain.... This study provides a much-needed corrective to the traditional interpretation of Stalinist musical life and makes an important contribution to Russian cultural and political history. It will fascinate all those interested in the complex relationship between music, society, and the wielders of political power. * Russian Review *Impressive.... Tomoff has given us both detail and a broad new way of thinking about the mechanisms of Soviet ideological control. It undermines many of the broad, standardized approaches to Soviet culture and provides a nuanced appreciation of the opportunities and constraints that shaped Soviet music during the years when Stalin was alive. It is a text that should be read by anyone interested in the cultural dynamics of the Soviet Union. * European History Quarterly *Tomoff's book is precisely the kind that historians of Soviet musical culture most need right now: a repository of solid documented facts, interpreted with a light touch that strives only to outline general observations from the evidence he presents.... It is invaluable to have such a wealth of concrete detail at one's fingertips at long last. * Music and Letters *Tomoff's most significant achievement is to have taken full advantage of newly opened archives: the argument in each of his ten chapters is backed up by exhaustive documentation from previously unpublished sources.... [A] considerable contribution to the field of Soviet cultural history.... Musicologists and historians have much cause to be grateful to the author for the assiduous way in which he has compiled the detailed case study presented here. * The Journal of Modern History *This excellent book fills an important void in the diverse and growing body of literature on Stalinist culture.... Based on diligent, exhaustive archival research in Moscow, this study also develops a sophisticated conceptual apparatus.... Remarkably well researched, with every minute detail of the composers' everyday life and work duly clarified and placed in its proper context.... An excellent and innovative book that explains many intricate facts related to the functioning of Stalinist culture. It will be read widely by historians of the Soviet Union and historians of music. * Ab Imperio *A level-headed yet provocative examination of the creation, structure, and workings of the Composers' Union in the USSR at the end of the Stalin period. Tomoff provides the most detailed discussion thus far of the official organization that allowed Soviet composers and musicologists to practice their trades, and the sobriety with which he evaluates his rich archival materials is much appreciated.... A valuable contribution to our understanding of musical production in the USSR; it will undoubtedly help foster productive debate about the politics and practices of the Composers' Union and Soviet music in general. * The American Historical Review *A fascinating read. * American Journal of Sociology *One of the finest books written on Soviet music life. This work will be of interest not only to specialists on Soviet musical life but also to those who want to gain an insight into the relationship between artists and organs of state and into how an elite was created and perpetuated during the Stalin period. Creative Union is therefore a book that successfully challenges long-held preconceptions about Soviet musical life in the period 1939-1953. * Slavic Review *Kiril Tomoff's Creative Union represents a milestone in the literature on the musical life of the Stalin-era Soviet Union by addressing for the first time the need for a comprehensive study of the Soviet Composers' Union. An excellent and most welcome study of an institution that stood as one of the cornerstones of Soviet musical life. Many a scholar will benefit from Tomoff's excellent work, particularly those interested in broad issues of music and politics, as well as those concerned with more specific issues of Stalinist culture and the enormous impact of World War II on Soviet cultural life. * Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association *Tomoff's detailed interpretation moves brilliantly beyond the heroic narrative and disaggregates the idea of a unified 'state' to tell the story of Soviet music production in a much broader and complicated context. In analyzing the evolving relationship between artistic production and political power in the USSR, Tomoff provides a fresh and convincing account of the intricate workings of the post-war Stalinist system. * Social History *
£27.54
University of Minnesota Press Gold Experience: Following Prince in the ’90s
Book SynopsisThroughout the 1990s, Prince feuded with his record label, Warner Bros., over his rights as an independent recording artist—and made some of the most brilliant music of his career. During that time, Jim Walsh covered Prince for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and wrote about him passionately, thoughtfully, exhaustively. Here, in real time, is that coverage: a clip-by-clip look back at Prince in the ‘90s. Walsh’s newly unearthed interviews, essays, columns, and reviews make Gold Experience an essential slice of history for fans, scholars, and latecomers to the Minneapolis-born musical genius Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958–April 21, 2016).Join Walsh at the 1994 NBA All-Star game after party and release bash for the single “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.” Accompany him to the after-hours clubs Erotic City, Glam Slam, and, of course, Paisley Park. Meet Prince’s wife and bandmate Mayte (and while you’re at it, take in the wedding and reception). Enjoy a two-hour sit-down interview with Prince. Explore Prince’s veganism, talk to fans in line for a Target Center show, preview the “Jam of the Year” concert and check in at the after party. The passions and influences, from Mozart to funk godfather Larry Graham; the gigs and the Paisley Park garage sale; Walsh’s open letter to the artist and his reflections on religion and spirituality. This is Prince as few have seen him, reported as only Jim Walsh can: a portrait of the artist from a dizzying array of angles, captured in living color for all time. Trade Review"Jim Walsh was front and center for one of the most prolific and controversial eras in Prince’s career, and Gold Experience offers an intimate, real-time account of this critical chapter in the evolution of a generation's greatest musician."—Alan Light, music journalist and author of Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain"A revealing look at Prince and his relentless quest for self-realization and truth during his most fascinating and misunderstood era."—Kevin Cole, Chief Content Officer, Host of the Afternoon Show KEXP"During a controversial era of Prince’s career that left most in the industry cynically scratching their heads and rolling their eyes, Jim Walsh kept a steady hand and a wide-open heart, covering the purple beat with passion, curiosity, and something sorely lacking in most newspaper reports: love. Walsh’s words don’t just sing and dance, they do the splits. It’s easy to envision Prince himself cracking a smile and leaping up to sing along."—Andrea Swensson, host at 89.3 The Current and author of Got to Be Something Here: The Origins of Minneapolis Sound"There was a time when Prince asked Jim, ‘Why are you my only friend in the media?’ You can feel his answer in this collection: Here is the most important artist in Minnesota's history, regularly playing in the middle of the night for 300 people or less, and here's the only reporter open hearted enough—everybody else was referring to TAFKAP as ‘Symbolina’ or worse—to serve as the Boswell of Paisley Park."—Steve Marsh, senior writer, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine"[Gold Experience] is wonderful reading for Prince fans and for those who like solid non-fiction writing and who appreciate the music scene."—Looking for a Good Book"Walsh showcases Prince as a complex musician and individual. As with Prince’s music, this title commands multiple readings and analysis."—Library Journal"Vividly capturing the hope and heartbreak of this waning musical epoch, Walsh’s Gold Experience paints a poignant portrait of the artist formerly known as Prince."—Star Tribune"Gold Experience is full of fascinating details about life with Prince (or, rather, the Artist Then-Formerly Known as Prince) in the '90s."—The Current"Walsh covers the Artist (sometimes known only as a symbol) with a music critic’s expertise and a fan’s unbridled enthusiasm."—Crave Online"Gold Experience is presented in a real-time fashion, bringing the reader back to the ‘90s."—Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
£14.24
University of Minnesota Press The Dylan Tapes: Friends, Players, and Lovers
Book SynopsisThe raw material and interviews behind Anthony Scaduto’s iconic biography of Bob Dylan draw an intimate and multifaceted portrait of the singer-songwriter who defined his era When Anthony Scaduto’s Bob Dylan: An Intimate Biography was first published in 1971, the Nobel Prize–winning songwriter, at thirty, had already released some of the most iconic albums of the 1960s, including Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde. Scaduto’s book was one of the first to take an investigative journalist’s approach to its subject and set the standard for rock music biography. The Dylan Tapes, compiled from thirty-six hours of interviews, is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Scaduto’s landmark book—and a close-up encounter with pivotal figures in Dylan’s life. These reel-to-reel tapes, found in a box in Scaduto’s basement, are a never-bootlegged trove of archival material about Dylan, drawn from conversations with those closest to him during the early years of his career.In the era of ten-second takes, these interviews offer uncommon depth and immediacy as we listen to friends and lovers recall the Dylan they knew as he created his professional persona and perfected his craft—from folk music, protest songs, and electric rock through the traumatic impact of a motorcycle crash to his later, more self-reflecting songwriting. Echo Helstrom, Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country,” is here, as are Suze Rotolo, who graced the cover of the Freewheelin’ album, and Joan Baez, remembering her relationship “to Bobby.” We hear from Mike Porco, who gave Dylan his first gig in New York City; Sid and Bob Gleason, who introduced him to his hero Woody Guthrie; folk artists from Greenwich Village, like Phil Ochs and Ramblin’ Jack Eliot; John Hammond Sr., who gave him his first record contract; plus a host of musicians, activists, folk historians, and archivists—and, of course, Dylan himself.From these reflections and frank conversations, many published here for the first time, a complex, finely observed picture emerges of one of the best known yet most enigmatic musicians of our time.Trade Review "Tony Scaduto was my teacher. As a young reporter I was awed by his ability to find new angles others had missed. To enlighten and move within the confines of the newspaper style. Later, I saw how he applied obsessive concern with accuracy, meticulous research, and the revelatory probings of a brief interview to fashion what remains the definitive biography. (And Dylan's favorite.) Anyone interested in journalism should read the book and the tapes together to get an insight into the methods of a master."—Heywood Gould "Anthony Scaduto’s seminal biography on Dylan was the first one I read. I’ll never forget coming across the line, ‘He created a new identity every step of the way in order to create identity.’ For me it was a eureka moment, this idea of Dylan creating and recreating identity, and of identity itself as something mutable and ever-changing, that would lead to the concept for my film biography, I’m Not There."—Todd Haynes "Scaduto’s Bob Dylan is considered one of the best biographies of the iconic singer/songwriter. These insightful interviews are like pieces to a puzzle that the author ably wove together. For Dylan fans, it’s like revisiting an old friend."—Kirkus Reviews "The Dylan Tapes is a behind-the-scenes view of one of modern music’s true legends- and of one of the first long-form pieces of music journalism. "—Foreword "The life and music of the now 80-year-old Bob Dylan has been analyzed, dissected, dug into, debated, argued about and postulated on perhaps more than any other musical artist. But what The Dylan Tapes has that most of them don’t are the raw and then-relatively recent thoughts and memories of those where there, and early on in the journey."—Houston Press "This how-the-sausage-is-made collection has some illuminating comments from Joan Baez, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and the elusive bard himself that will intrigue Dylanologists."—StarTribune "Written in a Q&A format, the book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Scaduto's landmark book, as well as close-up encounters with a couple dozen key figures in Dylan's life."—Minnesota Alumni "The raw material and interviews behind Anthony Scaduto’s iconic biography of Bob Dylan draw an intimate and multifaceted portrait of the singer-songwriter who defined his era. "—KTNF AM Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction: Anthony Scaduto’s Basement Tapes -- Stephanie TrudeauGirl from the North Country -- Echo Helstrom, Martha HelstromFree Wheelin’ Dinkytown -- Gretel Hoffman, David Whitaker, Spider John KoernerBlowin’ in the Wind -- Mike Porco, Dave Van Ronk, Terri ThalHey, Hey Woody Guthrie -- Sid and Bob GleasonMr. Tambourine Man -- The Clancy Brothers (Pat and Tom Clancy), Phil Ochs, Ramblin’ Jack ElliottBoots of Spanish Leather -- Suze Rotolo, Carla Rotolo, Peter KarmenPositively 4th Street -- Miki Isaakson, John Hammond, Sr.Bringing It All Back Home -- Carolyn Hester, Eric Von Schmidt and Barry KornfeldLike a Rolling Stone -- Izzy Young, Carl OgelsbyVisions of Johanna -- Joan BaezAnother Side of Bob Dylan -- Bob DylanAfterword: New Morning -- Stephanie TrudeauAcknowledgments
£23.39
University of Minnesota Press Lemon Jail: On the Road with the Replacements
Book SynopsisA tour diary of life on the road with one of Minnesota’s greatest bands—with nearly 100 never-before-seen photographs “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus” is Bill Sullivan’s motto, which will come as no surprise to anyone who opens Lemon Jail. A raucous tour diary of rock ’n’ roll in the 1980s, Sullivan’s book puts us in the van with the Replacements in the early years. Barreling down the highway to the next show through quiet nights and hightailing it out of scandalized college towns, Sullivan—the young and reckless roadie—is in the middle of the joy and chaos, trying to get the band on stage and the crowd off it and knowing when to jump in and cover Alice Cooper. Lemon Jail shows what it’s like to keep the band on the road and the wheels on the van—and when to just close your eyes and hit the gas. That first van, dubbed the Lemon Jail by Bill, takes the now legendary Replacements from a south Minneapolis basement to dive bars and iconic rock clubs to college parties and eventually an international stage. It’s not a straight shot or a smooth ride, and there’s never a dull moment, whether Bob Stinson is setting a record for the quickest ejection from CBGB in NYC or hiding White Castle sliders around a hotel room or whether Paul Westerberg is sneaking gear out of a hostile venue or saving Bill’s life at a brothel in New Jersey. With growing fame (and new vans) come tours with REM and X (what happens when the audience isn’t allowed to stand?), Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and the Violent Femmes (against their will), and Saturday Night Live, where the band’s televised antics earn the edict You’ll never play on NBC again. Fast forward: You’ll never play Washington, D.C., again. Or Moorhead.Hiding in fans’ backyards while the police search the streets and pelted with canned goods at a Kent State food drive, the Replacements hit rough patches along with sweet spots, and Lemon Jail reveals the grit and glory both onstage and off, all told in the irrepressible, full-throttle style that makes Bill Sullivan an irresistible guide on this once-in-a-lifetime road trip with a band on the make.Trade Review"As a guy who has had the privilege of being regaled by Billy's rock ’n’ roll tales for years, I can attest to the authenticity of his stories. They may not all be accurate, but they are all true, which is more important. He is a real link to our punk rock legends of lore. Any fan of the Replacements or any of the ’80s left-of-dial bands will greatly appreciate this book."—Conor Oberst"Reading Lemon Jail makes me think back to when Spoon would play Bill’s club in the early 2000s: he’d lay the welcome mat out for us from the moment we got to town, and we’d always drive off with an extra case of Tecate and a bit of weed. No one else in the touring world gave us that kinda treatment. This book is tour story after tour story from one of the most genuine originals in the game. Bill Sullivan is the spirit of rock and roll road life."—Britt Daniel"For fans who love the Replacements, this book is your only opportunity to go back in time and be a fly on the van wall. Bill Sullivan’s clever sarcasm, humble anti-rock star attitude, and complete access allow him to tell the band’s behind-the-scenes story perfectly."—Janet Weiss"Bill Sullivan captures the spirit and chaos of the earliest and best years of the band accurately due to the fact that he lived it right alongside us. A true kindred spirit, a fifth member if you will, who from the git-go, got what we were about to the point where it would not have been the same journey without him. Billy had our backs and represented much-needed comic relief on many occasions. Lemon Jail should come with a warning: ‘Don't Try This At Home.’ It's a quick read and, in my opinion, the most successful book to capture the essence of our destructive, drunken outcast brigade in all its successes and foibles. Bill’s ever-present comic sense, woven throughout the book, paints authentically the circus world that it was. I laughed aloud many times!"—Chris Mars"As every obsessive fan knows, there's been one essential voice missing from the recent wave of biographies, oral histories, and documentaries celebrating the storied and notorious legacy of the Replacements. This, then, is seriously great news, 'Mats droolers: Bill Sullivan has finally broken his omerta, and though no book could possibly contain Sullivan's legendary and seemingly bottomless trove of yarns—or quite capture his unparalleled ability to tell a story in person—Lemon Jail is a riotous, channel-surfing rip through his rubber-legged years with the band, and will more than tide us over until somebody gives the man the full-fledged biography his life deserves."—Brad Zellar, author of House of Coates"Bill Sullivan was right there alongside the band, right in the thick of it, discussing specific shows, tours, and a million anecdotes. In addition to his words, Sullivan snapped hundreds of Polaroids which are sprinkled throughout the book."—Daggerzine"Although brief in size, the book gives us another view of the turbulent madness that was the beloved ‘Mats. Tales of road-induced boredom, which with The Replacements always led to property destruction and dizzying hangovers, are of course recounted; but beyond the goofs lived people who for a brief moment created essential, meaningful art—which is why we continue to read about it, to try and recapture those moments."—The Big Takeover"Lemon Jail is a must-read for any Replacements’ fans; it’s deeply personal and a fun ride."—NeuFutur"Lemon Jail is at its best in moments that perfectly convey the state of pre-internet underground music in America, where house parties, college radio, and photocopied fanzines could propel a small hometown band into legend."—Pitchfork"Old tour passes, disk camera photographs, notes and scraps of paper with art from drummer-turned-artist Chris Mars are just a few of the things Sullivan collected on the road. The book is filled with these physical memories, which provide context and insight to the premier “college rock” band of the 1980s."—Columbia Missourian"Sullivan’s entertaining book, published by University of Minnesota Press, is a glorified tour diary full of sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll, more drugs, and a story about Replacements guitarist Bob Stinson defecating in an ice bucket and sending it down a hotel’s dumbwaiter."—Boston GlobeTable of ContentsContents Get Out of the Basement Into the Lemon Jail Love It to Death
£13.29
Wilfrid Laurier University Press Eagle Minds: Selected Correspondence of Istvan Anhalt and George Rochberg (1961-2005)
Book SynopsisEagle Minds - a selection from the correspondence between the Canadian composer and scholar Istvan Anhalt and his American counterpart George Rochberg - is a splendid chronicle and a penetrating analysis of the swerving socio-cultural movements of a volatile half-century as observed by two highly gifted individuals. Beginning in 1961 and spanning forty-four years, their conversation embraces not only music but other forms of contemporary art, as well as politics, philosophy, religion, and mysticism. The letters chronicle the deepening of their friendship over the years, and the openness, honesty, and genuine warmth between them provide the reader with an intimate look at their personalities. A fascinating intellectual tension emerges between the two men as they record their individual responses to musical modernism, to changing political and social realities, and to their Jewish heritage and sense of place, one as a son of Ukrainian immigrants to the United States, the other as a refugee from war-torn Hungary. Allowing us a privileged glimpse into the private lives and thoughts of these fascinating men, Eagle Minds is a valuable tool for scholars interested in North American composers in the late twentieth century and essential reading for anyone interested in the cultural and social history of that era.
£30.56
University of North Texas Press,U.S. One Long Tune: The Life and Music of Lenny Breau
Book SynopsisChet Atkins called Lenny Breau (1941-1984) ""the greatest guitarist who ever walked the face of the earth."" Breau's astonishing virtuosity influenced countless performers, but unfortunately it came at the expense of his personal relationships. Ron Forbes-Roberts analyzes Breau and his recordings to reveal an enormously gifted man and the inner workings of his music.Trade Review"Forbes-Roberts walks the line between adulation and research, music nerd and general interest reporter, with aplomb, and most importantly delivers a very readable account of a personality most readers should find endearing (if heart-breaking)." - Boston Phoenix "[A] thorough and fascinating biography, which includes a discography and analysis of Breau's recordings." - Toronto Globe and Mail "Forbes-Roberts does a credible job of depicting the variables that fostered Breau's total devotion to his instrument and subsequent descent into heroin addiction. Where Forbes-Roberts does his best work, though, is in his technical explanations of Breau's unique guitar system and his comprehensive critical analyses of the artist's recording sessions." - All About Jazz"
£19.96
University of North Texas Press,U.S. One Man's Music: The Life and Times of Texas
Book SynopsisTexas singer/songwriter Vince Bell's story begins in the 1970s. Following the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, Bell and his contemporaries Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, and Lucinda Williams were on the rise. In December of 1982, Bell was on his way home from the studio (where he and hired guns Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Johnson had just recorded three of Bell's songs) when a drunk driver broadsided him at 65 mph. Thrown over 60 feet from his car, Bell suffered multiple lacerations to his liver, embedded glass, broken ribs, a mangled right forearm, and a severe traumatic brain injury. Not only was his debut album waylaid for a dozen years, life as he'd known it would never be the same. In detailing his recovery from the accident and his round-about climb back on stage, Bell shines a light in those dark corners of the music business that, for the lone musician whose success is measured not by the Top 40 but by nightly victories, usually fall outside of the spotlight. Bell's prose is not unlike his lyrics: spare, beautiful, evocative, and often sneak-up-on-you funny. His chronicle of his own life and near death on the road reveals what it means to live for one's art.
£13.46
University of North Texas Press,U.S. Last Stop, Carnegie Hall: New York Philharmonic
Book SynopsisWilliam Vacchiano (1912–2005) was principal trumpet with the New York Philharmonic from 1942 to 1973, and taught at Juilliard, the Manhattan School of Music, the Mannes College of Music, Queens College, and Columbia Teachers College. While at the Philharmonic, Vacchiano performed under the batons of Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, Dimitri Mitropoulos, and Leonard Bernstein and played in the world premieres of almost 200 pieces by such composers as Vaughan Williams, Copland, and Barber. Vacchiano was important not only for his performances, but also for his teaching.His students have held the principal chairs of many major orchestras and areprominent teachers themselves, and they have enriched non-classical music as well. Two of his better known students are Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis. Last Stop, Carnegie Hall features an overview of the life of this very private artist, based on several personal interviews conducted by Brian A. Shook and Vacchiano's notes for his own unpublished memoir. Shook also interviewed many of his students and colleagues and includes a chapter containing their recollections. Other important topics include analyses of Vacchiano's pedagogical methods and his interpretations of important trumpet pieces, his 'rules of orchestral performance,' and his equipment. A discography, a bibliography of Vacchiano's own works, and lists of his students and the conductors and players with whom he performed round out this richly illustrated examination of one of the most influential trumpet players and teachersof the twentieth century.
£21.21
University of North Texas Press,U.S. All Over the Map: True Heroes of Texas Music
Book SynopsisA lavishly illustrated collection of forty-two profiles of Texas music pioneers, most underrated or overlooked, All Over the Map: True Heroes of Texas Music covers the musical landscape of a most musical state. The first edition was published in 2005 to wide acclaim. This second edition includes updated information, a bonus section of six behind-the-scenes heroes, and fifteen new portraits of Lefty Frizzell, Janis Joplin, and others, spanning such diverse styles as blues, country, hip-hop, conjunto, gospel, rock, and jazz.D.J. Stout and Pentagram designed the reborn edition, with photographer Scott Newton providing portraits. Michael Corcoran has been writing about Texas music for more than thirty years, for the Dallas Morning News and Austin American Statesman, as well as in such publications as Texas Monthly and Spin. These pieces are based on his personal interviews with their subjects as well as in-depth research. Expertly written with flair, the book is a musical waltz across Texas.Trade ReviewA compelling summary of the breadth and depth of Texas music and a fascinating survey of stories and personalities."" - Robert Hardy, author of A Deeper Blue: The Life and Music of Townes Van Zandt ""Corcoran is masterful at incorporating personal narrative into reportage in a way that is both engaging and informative."" - Cathy Brigham, co-editor of Handbook of Texas Music""Corcoran's book is the work of a rock and roll detective . . ."" - Peter Stothard, The Times of London""All Over the Map is indispensable for anyone interested in Texas music or Texas history."" - Eddie Wilson, founder of the Armadillo World Headquarters""All Over the Map tells the story of Texas music that needed to be told, as broad and deep, dark and quirky as the state itself. These are the compelling stories of the artists and individuals who created a musical cultural that defies the usual stereotypes."" - Terry Lickona, producer, Austin City Limits""[Corcoran] profiles 42 Texas acts from, well, all over the state: Janis Joplin and Gatemouth Brown in East Texas, Geto Boys and DJ Screw in Houston, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Butthole Surfers (from 1986) and Calvin Russell in Austin. It's sharp, informative stuff from a guy who well and truly loves this state."" - Austin American-Statesman
£16.96
University of North Texas Press,U.S. A Life in Music from the Soviet Union to Canada:
Book SynopsisThe musical career of Alexander Tumanov extends from Stalinist and Soviet Russia through contemporary Canada, and as such provides an inspiring portrait of one person's devotion to his art under trying circumstances. Tumanov was a founding member of Moscow's Madrigal Ensemble of early music, which introduced Renaissance and Baroque music to the Soviet Union. The Ensemble enjoyed tremendous popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, despite occasional official disapproval by the Soviet bureaucracy. At times the compositions of the group's founder, Andrei Volkonsky, were banned. Volkonsky eventually emigrated to escape the oppressive conditions, followed soon after, in 1974, by Tumanov, and the Madrigal Ensemble continued in a changed form under new leaders. The story of the author's subsequent life and career in Canada provides a poignant point of contrast with his Soviet period — at the musical, academic, and political levels. This book is a valuable resource for those interested in the history of music and intellectual life in Russia, Ukraine, and the Soviet Union in the twentieth century and is the first published book on the Madrigal Ensemble.
£27.96
University of North Texas Press,U.S. Beneath Missouri Skies: Pat Metheny in Kansas
Book SynopsisThe New Yorker recently referred to Pat Metheny as 'possibly the most influential jazz guitarist of the past five decades.' A native of Lee's Summit, Missouri, just southeast of Kansas City, Metheny started playing in pizza parlors at age fourteen. By the time he graduated from high school he was the first-call guitarist for Kansas City jazz clubs, private clubs, and jazz festivals. Now 66, he attributes his early success to the local musical environment he was brought up in and the players and teachers who nurtured his talent and welcomed him into the jazz community. Metheny's twenty Grammys in ten categories speak to his versatility and popularity. Despite five decades of interviews, none have conveyed in detail his stories about his teenage years. Beneath Missouri Skies also reveals important details about jazz in Kansas City during the sixties and early seventies, often overlooked in histories of Kansas City jazz. Yet this time of cultural change was characterized by an outstanding level of musicianship. Author Carolyn Glenn Brewer shows how his keen sense of ensemble had its genesis in his school band under the guidance of a beloved band director. Drawn from news accounts, archival material, interviews, and remembrances, to which the author had unique access, Beneath Missouri Skies portrays a place and time from which Metheny still draws inspiration and strength.Trade ReviewBrewer presents a very detailed yet balanced view of Metheny's musical growth, and the KC area musicians that were part of that development. That approach gives the reader an insight into the overall KC jazz scene at the time." - Terry Perkins, reviewer for Downbeat magazine
£21.21
University of North Texas Press,U.S. For the Sake of the Song: Essays on Townes Van
Book SynopsisAfter he died, Townes Van Zandt found the success that he sabotaged throughout his short life despite the release of sixteen brilliant albums. Since his death, numerous albums both by and in honor of him have been released and many critical articles published, in addition to several books (including Robert Hardy’s A Deeper Blue by UNT Press).For the Sake of the Song collects ten essays on Townes Van Zandt from a variety of approaches. Contributors examine his legacy; his use of the minor key; his reception in the Austin music scene; and an exploration of his relationship with Richard Dobson, with whom he toured as part of the Hemmer Ridge Mountain Boys. An introduction by editors Ann Norton Holbrook and Dan Beller- McKenna provides an overview of Van Zandt’s literary excellence and philosophical wisdom, rare among even the best songwriters.Trade ReviewA tour de force that mirrors Townes’s life and art in spanning the ‘high, low, and in between." - Jason Mellard, author of Progressive Country
£23.96
University of North Texas Press,U.S. Rimsky-Korsakov's Harmonic Theory: Practical
Book SynopsisRimsky-Korsakov’s Harmonic Theory is the first comprehensive study of his concept of harmony that also traces the history of tonal relationships. Larisa P. Jackson describes and examines Rimsky-Korsakov’s distinctive harmonic theory using his Practical Manual of Harmony as a basis, and places it in historical context of nineteenth-century music theory. She explores in great detail a concept of tonal relationships, fundamental to Rimsky-Korsakov’s view of harmony, and relates this to ideas by German theorists of the period and the Russian theoretical tradition.Jackson examines the concept of modulation and of the relationship of keys and presents a model of his tonal space/map extrapolated from his harmonic system. She identifies specific treatises that help to trace ties between German theoretical ideas and Rimsky-Korsakov’s work.Trade Review“This is a significant and interesting piece of research—it makes a noteworthy contribution to the history of music theory and to that of Russian music.”—Richard Taruskin, author of The Oxford History of Western Music and On Russian Music
£23.96
University of North Texas Press,U.S. Soul Serenade Volume 17: King Curtis and His
Book SynopsisAlthough in 2000 he became the first sideman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, “King Curtis” Ousley never lived to accept his award. Tragically, he was murdered outside his New York City home in 1971. At that moment, thirty-seven-year-old King Curtis was widely regarded as the greatest R & B saxophone player of all time. He also may have been the most prolific, having recorded with well over two hundred artists during an eighteen-year span. Soul Serenade is the definitive biography of one of the most influential musicians of the 50s, 60s, and early 70s. Timothy R. Hoover chronicles King Curtis’s meteoric rise from a humble Texas farm to the recording studios of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and New York City as well as to some of the world’s greatest music stages, including the Apollo Theatre, Fillmore West, and Montreux Jazz Festival. Curtis’s “chicken-scratch” solos on the Coasters’ Yakety Yak changed the role of the saxophone in rock & roll forever. His band opened for the Beatles at their famous Shea Stadium concert in 1965. He also backed his “little sister” and close friend Aretha Franklin on nearly all of her tours and Atlantic Records productions from 1967 until his death. Soul Serenade is the result of more than twenty years of interviews and research. It is the most comprehensive exploration of Curtis’s complex personality: his contagious sense of humor and endearing southern elegance as well as his love for gambling and his sometimes aggressive temperament. Hoover explores Curtis’s vibrant relationships and music-making with the likes of Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke, Isaac Hayes, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Sam Moore, Donny Hathaway, and Duane Allman, among many others.
£23.96
University of North Texas Press,U.S. Beneath Missouri Skies: Pat Metheny in Kansas
Book SynopsisSelected as one of the Best Jazz Books of the Year (2021) by The New York City Jazz Record The New Yorker recently referred to Pat Metheny as “possibly the most influential jazz guitarist of the past five decades.” A native of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, just southeast of Kansas City, Metheny started playing in pizza parlors at age fourteen. By the time he graduated from high school he was the first-call guitarist for Kansas City jazz clubs, private clubs, and jazz festivals. Now 66, he attributes his early success to the local musical environment he was brought up in and the players and teachers who nurtured his talent and welcomed him into the jazz community.Metheny's twenty Grammys in ten categories speak to his versatility and popularity. Despite five decades of interviews, none have conveyed in detail his stories about his teenage years. Beneath Missouri Skies also reveals important details about jazz in Kansas City during the sixties and early seventies, often overlooked in histories of Kansas City jazz. Yet this time of cultural change was characterized by an outstanding level of musicianship.Author Carolyn Glenn Brewer shows how his keen sense of ensemble had its genesis in his school band under the guidance of a beloved band director. Drawn from news accounts, archival material, interviews, and remembrances, to which the author had unique access, Beneath Missouri Skies portrays a place and time from which Metheny still draws inspiration and strength.
£16.96
University of North Texas Press,U.S. Cedar: The Life and Music of Cedar Walton
Book SynopsisGrammy Award–winning pianist, bandleader, and composer Cedar Walton (1934–2013) is a major figure in jazz, associated with a variety of styles from bebop to funk and famous for composing several standards. Born and raised in Dallas, Walton studied music in Denver, where he jammed with musicians such as Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. In 1955, Walton moved to New York, immediately gaining recognition from notable musicians and nightclub proprietors. When Walton returned to the U.S. after serving abroad in the Army, he joined Benny Golson and Art Farmer’s Jazztet. Later, he became both pianist and arranger for Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Next, he worked as part of Prestige Records’s house rhythm section, recording with numerous greats and releasing his own albums. One hallmark of Walton’s impact is his numerous long-term collaborations with giants such as trombonist Curtis Fuller and drummer Billy Higgins. By the end of his career, Walton’s discography, as both band member and bandleader, included many dozens of vaunted recordings with some of the most notable jazz musicians of the 1960s through the first decade of the twenty-first century. Ben Markley conducted more than seventy-five interviews with friends and family members, musicians who played with or were otherwise influenced by Walton, and industry figures such as club owners. Musicians interviewed include such stars as Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, and Ron Carter. Walton’s wife Martha shared her extensive archives of photos, ephemera such as fliers and tour itineraries, and letters.
£27.96
