MSCI

It's been a few years since I've read any 'Beatle' books. (I had my fanatical Beatle phase in high school in the 80's.) But, something about this book drew me, so I bought it.

I think it's great at filling in some holes in the Beatle mythology. Brian's talents are very fully explained. His weaknesses are, too. Therefore, for the first time, he comes across as a more complete person.

He was obviously ahead of his time in terms of the music business. His artists loved him and respected him, but they didn't fear him.

It's interesting that after all this time, there's still conflict about his demise--did he or didn't he kill himself. It reminds me a bit of the Michael Hutchence accidental/suicide death.

I like the style of the book--the oral history with additional explanation. It leaves the history to the people who were there.

I agree with the earlier reviewer's incredulous comments about the cover of this book. If the publisher wanted to make browsers think twice about a purchase, they've done it.

But despite the cheesy cover, I went ahead with my purchase & was not disappointed. One would think that just about every aspect of the Beatles has been absolutely covered and trampled to death. Then along comes Debbie Geller with this gem - the Brian Epstein angle has been an untapped vein up until this point. It's not so much a traditional book about her subject as it is an oral history. Geller's coup is to get Paul McCartney - among many other voices - to comment at length on Epstein's role with the group.

The book's main themes and premises, of which a strong case is made by all the book's participants:

1. There would be no Beatles without Epstein. During the very early sixties when they were no more than a crude band distinguished only by their Hamburg experience, Epstein's belief in 'his boys' was indefatigable. He created a new image for them, and sold that image - after much rejection - to London.

2. Epstein created rock and roll management and promotion as we know it today; it simply did not exist before he came along, & it is around today mainly in the guise that he created.

3. Epstein was a terribly complex and conflicted man. No one participating in this project makes the case that he was 'nice' or easy to get along with. In fact, he comes across as a holy terror at times. Jewish in a non-Jewish world, openly gay prior to any societal openness on that front, a manic-depressive (some posit) before a clinical diagnosis for such an afflication existed, addicted to various uppers and downers.

This was a terribly complex, troubled - but enormously gifted - man. To think that he fit all he did into 32 short years. Amazing.

Thank you Debbie Geller for honoring this blazing comet named Brian Espstein, who willed the Beatles into this world.

Ok - so the cover is so heinous that one wonders whether anyone is actually breathing at St Martin's Press. Despite that, this is a subtle and nuanced celebration of the life of a truly unsung hero - and a celebration it is, despite the temptation to characterize Epstein's life as a sordid tragedy, victim of the era etcetera etcetera. A truly original man, with his own share of demons, but also with the incredible vision to recognise in the Beatles that which the rest of us now take for granted - and this when they were nobodies, and he was the only one to recognise the genius.

What Debbie Geller conveys so beautifully is that transition from a normal life to a life lived in the strange swirl of celebrity. And by "curating" the book, rather than writing it (ie, leaving it in the words of the people she and Wall interviewed for the documentary), Geller allows the protagists to remember Epstein - it makes for an impressionistic protrait of him: complex, contradictory, filled with incredible life.

Mr Kohler presents two hundred and fifty covers (from his large collection) which he rightly thinks show the best of album design in the early years of the LP. He features eight artist/designers who created some of the most distinctive work in cover art. Two of them are my favorites, David Stone Martin who gave Norman Granz's Clef label some beautiful cover illustrations (twenty are shown) and Reid Miles who created the east coast look to Blue Note Records. Unfortunately only four of his covers are shown but you can see dozens more in the two books by Graham Marsh , 'The Cover Art of Blue Note Records'. The other six designers range from the unique illustrations of RCA's Jim Flora to the work of Swiss born designer Erik Nitsche and his semi abstract work for Decca. Record companies are also featured and you can see the beginnings of the Capitol Records house style, I think they were the only major company to produce consistently well designed covers with excellent photography and typography.

Though all these covers are interesting to look at I don't think too many work as complete design units, that is image and text complement each other, mostly they are images with text added later. One cover that I like is on page eighty-one, it shows a file-card box and the albums title, 'Guide to Jazz' is typed on a card which is resting against the box, the tabs of the other cards have musical instruments on them, a simple creative idea that works. Strangely the designer is unknown.

I doubt you will see as good a coverage of the early years of the LP as this (well produced) book but have a look at two books that concentrate on jazz covers from the fifties and sixties, 'Jazzical Moods' by Naoki Mukoda and 'Jazz West Coast' by William Claxton and Hitoshi Namekata. Both books have dozens of examples of creativity on paper twelve inches square, somehow CD covers just can't compete with that.

Being a music lover, I've never been partial to one type of music only--I have a passion for everything from rock to classical, pop to country, even from jazz to techno. Something in all of these styles intrigues me. And how intriguing is this incredible book by Eric Kohler. I never thought I'd "get into" a book dedicated solely to album covers from 1940-1960, but I was wrong. The music lover in me kicked in, and I found myself fascinated with the glorious color photos, the revealing and well-researched text, and with the artists themselves. This album cover artistry really has diminished with the advent of the much-smaller compact disc (which is a truly disappointing fact), but Mr. Kohler's book rapturously captures the vividness of the times, the artists, the moods, and the music of those two decades. It took me back to the time when I myself used to stare at the covers of my records for hours while playing them over and over again - this classic book uncovers that wonderful feeling inside you once more. And to top it all off, Mr. Tony Bennett himself writes an introduction that's both classy and sentimental. This is a great book for any music lover with a coffee table -- and an open mind towards how art has influenced music (and vice versa) in so many ways.

As a graphic designer, I get so flustered when I see the same old CD covers now: a photo of the artist or band, and their name scribbled on top, or a really un-inspired text treatment, most likely using some wretched Photoshop tool like, alien skin or eye candy- blech! Perhaps modern day CD's skimp on the design work of the covers because they are so much smaller now. But back in the days of LP's and 45's art was generously splashed on covers. Full-colored, stylized and oh, so hip! Each one fit to be framed and displayed. "In the Groove: Vintage Record Graphics, 1940-1960" effectively chronicles the history of this long, lost art-form in a picture-book style. I say picture-book, because of the lack of background information on many of the pieces, in fact there are quite a few pieces that are listed as "unknown designer", how unfortunate! Some poor old designer dedicated his or her life to creating some stunning art to attract music lovers' eyes to this or that particular record, and now they're the "unknown designer". Eric Kohler did his best grouping together styles of record graphics, so seeing the evolution of style was very nicely mapped-out. Nice quality paper, nice printing... would've been nicer in hardback. Still, this is one of my favorite books!

The artwork is worth the money. There's a full color piece on almost every other page. Monika is an extraordinarily gifted painter. She also has much insight in to the legend that is Hendrix. (Hard Cover Edition)

This book made me laugh, cry, and tell everyone all of the things that I learned 'bout Jimi. I wish I could get in touch with Monika and thank her. Thank You Monika, -Love Cherie.

This is a interesting book that uses some very good paintings to help illustrate Jimi's message and beliefs

I have purchased a number of Irish fiddle materials over the last four years. I have played guitar for over 30 years and thought that I would try Irish fiddle. Of all the books and materials I have purchased, this is simply the best. The tunes are challenging, yet playable, (if you put some time in} even for a beginner. Mr. Cranitch's playing on the accompanying cassette is excellent, and the cassette makes for good listening on it's own. I would assume that an intermediate to accomplished violinist who wants to play Irish fiddle would find this book less challenging, but I am confident that he or she would enjoy it. For someone with no knowledge of the violin, it will be very challenging, and maybe discouraging. But, once you have the ability to play in tune in first position, and are comfortable and relaxed with your bowing, this is the book to buy.

I have this fiddle book and it is very thorough. Matt is an excellent fiddle teacher. There is a CD and a cassette that goes with it, sold separately, usually at music stores. The CD is recommend so you can just hit the track button and replay a tune you're practicing rather than rewinding the tape cassette. Highly recommended for learning Irish fiddle.

I understand there is a CD or audio cassette with this book. Is it available through you?

Martha Bishop waltmart@mindspring.com

Jazz, America's music, is an improvisational art. In Bittersweet Blues Marsalis and Vigeland do a lot do educate the reader just how this works. Not just on the bandstand but also on the road and in the life of jazz' leading spokesman. The book helps you see how musicians must comminucate, must hold each other with respect, must listen with an ear for creativity and must withhold judgement.

The book alternates between Vigeland's discussion of the events in life of Marsalis' Septet and Wynton's discussions of what it means to be a jazz musician. This interplay is what gives the book it's beautiful tone and variety. In a sense, you see the two authors improvising around each other's styles. What amazed me the most was the pace of Marsalis' life and the breadth of his associations. I enjoyed learning more about the creative process behind some of my favorite music as well.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in road stories, jazz or how artists create the ir art.

You can't just say those words without putting music to the most famous road anthem by Willie Nelson. That's what this book is about: life on the road with jazz musicians.

Co-author Carl Vigeland was invited to travel the country and Europe with jazz superstar Wynton Marsalis and his band.

This is about the music of jazz, the blues and the road. Vigeland and Marsalis make numerous references to the book's title "Jazz In The Bittersweet Blues of Life. Vigeland covers personal observations of life with its rigors of the road, the overwhelming passion to produce quality performances. You don't get too much of the personal life of Marsalis, he shares little about his two older boys living in New York.

Brother Branford splits for a rock band
We also get very little info on tenor saxophone Branford Marsalis along with member Kenny Kirkland who left the band in the early 80's to play with rock superstar Sting. Branford also did a short stint as band leader for Jay Leno's "Tonight Show." In the book, we DON'T' get a clear understanding about the departure of his brother Branford and member Kenny Kirkland. Little is known here about Branford's departure, only mentioned here is "that others have thought that it may have been hurtful to have your brother leave for a rock musician." This book doesn't discuss that a rift was occurring and the finality was the departure. But I believe now, all is well with the brothers.

Marsalis, on the other hand, shares keen insight into the world of jazz, his composition style, and rhythm including his relationship with the trumpet. It is phenomenal how much is involved with the trumpet. About the trumpet, he says "you can never force the trumpet, you got to baby it, treat it gently, coax it. It's always there when you need a high note, or something very loud. If you don't handle up on it, it won't respect you"

He teaches us about playing the songs and how the members produce an evening's show. We learn about his amiable personality and he exudes the passion to please his audience. He says, "when you are playing concerts every night is Saturday night. You have to give the people who come to hear your music the feeling of a weekend, not the feeling that you are punching a clock." He keeps his composure, he is gentle, caring to children and seems to be a wonderful teacher and mentor to the young with his many workshops. On the road, Marsalis is humble, even ironing his own shirts and suits.

Observations from the Jazz man
Just from this book alone, we get the impression that Wynton Marsalis is cool and collected, caring of young children, family man and friend. His insights into life are fascinating. Of people who hang out at bars, discos, etc., he says are the unhappiest and lonliest blankety blanks in the whole world. He says, "If you want to be happy, go inside. Inside yourself, inside the people you love, inside your art. Inside seems much lonlier than outside, don't be fooled, you go far enough, it's always warm and good."

"Music is vibration and the proper vibration heals"
Marsalis says music comes into your body, and of Louie Armstrong, Coltrane, Beethoven, their music not only made people feel good, it healed.

But most of all, Wynton gives us an idea how he works, how he composes; it's incredible. This is a wonderful lesson into the mind of a genius jazz player. It may be no surprise that he is also an accredited author with his books by "Marsalis on Music" and "Sweet Swing Blues on the Road." Wonderful read....MzRizz

Picked up Marsalis + Vigeland's work and just couldn't put it down! From descriptions of events, to understanding the personal struggles of band members, Jazz in the bittersweet blues of life fully expresses the goings on of the Wynton Marsalis Septet. Above all, I found Marsalis's commentaries on life, love, and music striking chords within my soul, and left me pleading for more.

This is a nice resource for Tull fans -- most of whom probably already have it, but mine just arrived yesterday.

Anyway, for anyone who doesn't already know it, this volume collects all of the lyrics from Tull's and Ian Anderson's official releases from _This Was_ in 1968 to _Roots to Branches_ in 1995.

The first twenty or thirty pages consist of Ian Anderson himself providing a retrospective/commentary on the various releases, and on the stages of Tull's long and varied career. These are culled from a couple of talks with Anderson and they're clearly transcriptions of oral interviews, with all the limitations thereby implied. (For example, the word "tempo" is consistently transcribed as "temper".) They're pretty informative, though, and at any rate I like the transcriptions since I enjoy listening to Anderson talk.

The lyrics themselves will be most useful for those albums/CDs with which the words aren't already included in the liner notes, but there are also a handful of helpful footnotes scattered throughout. (Nothing interpretive; just stuff like the actual name of the "Winged Isle" and the significance of "Beltane," items probably already familiar to longtime Tull fans but perhaps not to the band's newer audience.)

There are also a dozen-odd pages of photos, some of which had never been published before this. (There's a list at the back of the book telling who's in them and when they were taken. Incidentally, one allegedly from "1974" -- Anderson on a motorcycle -- appears to be misdated; it looks to be from a decade later. I assume "1974" is a typo for "1984".)

Some customers may also want to know that Anderson donates all his royalties from the sales of this book to a fund for the preservation of wild cats. I'm delighted to have contributed to such a cause and I'd have bought the book sooner if I'd known.

Chiunque avesse intenzione di scoprire qualcosa di veramente entusiasmante dovrebbe acquistare questo libro in cui sono raccolte tutte le emozioni e le sensazioni scritte da chi mi fa emozionare ogni volta che ascolto le sue parole. Ian Anderson, geniale nei suoi testi come nella sua musica, vi porta in un mondo fantastico con argomentazioni varie e mai noiosamente ripetitive. La musica dei Jethro Tull deve essere ascoltata ma anche...letta!E vi assicuro che per chi come me riesce anche a suonarla l'emozione più bella è quella di addentrarsi in ogni sua sfaccettatura. Vi consiglio di acquistare questo libro che è cultura...non solo musicale. Io devo ancora acquistarlo perchè in Italia non si trova!!!Ma non mancherò di accaparrarmene una copia quanto prima,a costo di farla arrivare dall'America. Per i Jethro Tull...questo ed altro! W la musica (quella buona) e W chi ti infonde lo spirito per volerla suonare, fino in fondo.

For anybody bothering around with the lyrics one does not understand or possibly even misunderstand, this book is essential. Now I have wider access to the meaning of the texts sung by Tull.

I'v been a Brahms' music fan for a long time and i have read three different biographies, without having the opportunity of get closer to his thoughts before i buy this great book. Now I know how Brahms' mind worked, how (really) was his relationship with his friends and how were his feelings and thoughts during the periods he composed that wonderful music.

I'm not an english born speaker, so i had some difficulties in understand the meaning of some sentences, more exactly, some modisms, wich are very frecuent in Brahms' speech.

In spite of this, I recommend this book because it's just wonderful.

The virtues of this book are several: about 800 previously untranslated letters of Brahms, masterfully translated and carefully and judiciously annotated, based on research entirely from source materials which, among other things, give the lie to the unsavory myths of Brahms childhood, proving beyond doubt that he came from a hard-working, well-meaning family who lived in a good neighborhood, and provided him with a good education and normal childhood. The author's research confines to the rubbish heap the silly Freudian theories, never based on any evidence, for his reasons for not marrying. This compendium of letters and their absorbingly written annotation is a gold mine for amateurs and professionals interested in a truthful picture of Brahms.

Unfortunately, Jan Swafford did not have a chance to read this book before writing his own "biograohy" of Brahms. If he had, he would have been privy to a wealth of information, much of which has not been available to non-german speakers. Avins' commentary on the letters of Brahms and many of his correspondents is clear and well researched.

the book every George Jones fan has been waiting for finally arrived in 1996. I Lived To Tell It All was a best-seller, hitting the Top-20 and Top-10 on many book charts both local and national. The book was designed to be a classic simply because the subject matter, George, was so reluctant to talk about his life in any serious, detailed conversations probably feeling that his life story wasn't interesting. anytime the topic came up, George would characteristically brush off the topic with phrases like "people don't want to hear about my life!" or "i don't want to bore the fans with my life-story". All his fans had were piles of negative news articles and rumors from other books and articles, nothing legitimate until this book! MCA also released a major hit album of the same name in 1996 to help promote awareness of the book. The CD was a #26 smash. In reality, the book helped promote the CD...but that's another story. This book was technically "written" by Tom Carter based and built on stories and opinions from George himself. A lot of people were interviewed for material and true stories about George. These book "sessions" as i call them came along in 1995 amidst George's reunion tour with Tammy. A lot of George's opinions on country music post 1990 is dealt with in the later chapters since each chapter deals with George's career chronologically: The beginnings are in the early chapters, the middle years are in the middle chapters, and the recent goings on are in the last chapters. His complaint is that country radio, in the wake of Garth Brooks having huge success on the Pop Album chart, decided that anyone who couldn't put up huge numbers weren't going to get airplay. George cites that country radio's lack of airplay of his singles prevents the mass audience of hearing him and as a result they won't go out and buy his albums as much as they would someone with radio support. It's a valid argument because if the public at large remains unaware that an artist has a new CD out, chances are they won't be out looking for it and potentially buy it...and without those SALES coming in, country radio won't play that artist...see how everything goes hand-in-hand? you can't have one without the other. The Porter Waggoner story is hilarious as are the escapades with Buck Owens and how George reacted to being in the "opening act" category. Another favorite story involves Johnny PayCheck and a certain trip on a tour bus where PayCheck and George get into an argument. PayCheck yells that he's gonna whip George's you know what! George agrees to step outside the bus at the next stop and they'd fight it out...PayCheck leaps out of the bus getting ready to duke it out with George...who instructs the bus driver to take off...leaving PayCheck stranded in the middle of nowhere! Later, they went back for him, thanks to George being talked into it! I howled with laughter at that story! other stories like that are in this book, all did in a style that suggests that George isn't proud of his actions in the past but since he can't change it he oughta at least laugh about it since that's about all that anyone in his situation could possibly do. In another controversial section, George admits that he still drinks a beer or two...but nothing "hard" like Vodka or Whiskey. Alcoholism is a disease, first and foremost. Like any curable disease, it's bound to relapse over a period of time. His 1999 SUV accident was a result of that relapse. This book, however, was written in 1996 at a time when MANY honestly felt that George had nothing MAJOR to live through and as a result his 'story' was near complete...nobody saw that 1999 accident coming!! This review is based on the original hard-cover edition.

George Jones HAS lived to tell it all. If you think you know him
think again if you havn't read this book yet. This book takes you
from the time he was a boy in Texas up till just before he had the terrible car accident. He has had one incredible life,A life that most would have never survived. This is the best Country Music Biography that I have read,and I give George 5 stars.He is the BEST.

Obviously, God has His hand on George Jones. Maybe George should've waited a few more years to write this book so that he could've included yet another astonishing chapter--his survival of the horrendous car accident he was in, in March of '99. This man is truly blessed with a magnificent voice and many second chances. I thank God that He has allowed George to remain with us these many years and bring us so much happiness. When you read this book, you'll know exactly what I mean when you see what all George has been through in his 68 years.

If you're starting to learn playing jazz, this is *not* the book. There are plenty of others like Amadie's and Ferrara's that are more immediately helpful in this regard.

With that out of the way: "Improvising Jazz" is an excellent source of unique perspective, advice, and experience from a noted jazz educator, Jerry Coker. Coker focuses not only on how to play but, on another level, how to learn and how to develop further. You will want this book in your collection to gain further depth and pespective on the subject.

There is advice on how to approach your first jam session, developing the ear, combining intellect with spontaneity. The later chapters on analysis of melody and functional harmony, first written in 1964, were probably the one of the first systematic attempts to "organize" jazz theory. You definitely get the sense that this is a major source material for reference books such as "Modern Jazz Piano" by Brian Waite.

I had the first edition of this book when I was learning to play jazz piano in the early 1960s. It's a classic that every jazz musician should own, even if it has been superseded by more comprehensive works. It's a little short on piano voicings, and the language is definitely aimed at beginners. But it's a fun read for musicians at any level.

And in the back of the book ...

To avoid paying royalties, Coker prints scores of standard tunes with only the chord changes -- no titles or melodies. It's great fun figuring out what the tunes are. Some of them still have me stumped ...

I started improvising Jazz back in the early 70's. Back then every serious player I knew owned a copy of Jerry Coker's "Patterns for Jazz". Somehow, I missed owning a copy of "Improvising Jazz" until just a week ago. This book, published in 1964, is awesome. It's packed with insight and applicable techniques regarding improvisation that are as fresh today as they were nearly 40 years ago.

If you already own Pattern's for Jazz, this book is totally different. "Patterns" is a 99% music whereas "Improvising" is 90% discussion and application with the music used to illustrate the discussion.

My favorite passage is an excerpt the author takes from Richmond Browne on what makes a solo interesting to various listeners. Find this on page 15!

It's a small book to be sure. However, this just means that it can be read over and over and physically kept in your case. Think of it as a "Strunk & White" for jazz.

If you're into discovering strange records this is definitely a book to read. The book is separated into chapters. Some are dedicated to musicians and others are to individual record collectors, which are amusing. It gives them the chance to talk about the kooky records they've discovered. There's a nice chapter dedicated to Yma Sumac, which taught me things I didn't know. Apparently she had a concert in 1987, too bad I was only four. She sums up her career rather nicely and expresses the problem she had at her comeback. "I can't sing with just two musicians!"

This is the definitive book on thrift store music finds. Of course, because of its publication it's become increasingly difficult to make good thrift scores since it's opened up the field to many more collectors. But at least we've still got ebay! If the Velvet Underground can lay claim to launching 1000 bands, then the "Incredibly Strange Music" series is responsible for launching thousands of record collections.

After their popular "Incredibly Strange Films" book, the Re/Search team shifts their focus to music, specifically to fringe genres represented primarily by forgotten vinyl releases of the past. Interviewing assorted individuals, both music lovers and cult stars alike, V.Vale and Andrea Juno explore their record collections and gather anecdotes about beloved artists, treasured finds, and favorite album covers. In the first volume, Ivy and Lux of The Cramps recall their discovery of rockabilly and garage rock through thrift store scavenging, and members of the Phantom Surfers discuss surf and hot rod music, monster party albums, and Beatles knockoffs. Brian and Stuart of San Francisco's Amok Books talk about lounge and exotica music (Les Baxter, Arthur Lymann, Korla Pandit), and the founders of Norton Records detail the strange careers of Hasil Adkins and Esquerita. There's also chats with Eartha Kitt, exotica legend Martin Denny, and Jean Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley on their work both together and solo. Throughout the pages are hundreds of B&W photos and images of classic retro album covers. A companion CD was released featuring selections from some of the records covered. These books are an excellent read for those drawn to the bizarre, the shameless, and the ridiculous in music history. These are the unsung artists who never get mentioned in traditional music guides. Definitely recommended.