Wednesday, December 21, 2022
B.B. King • Live & Well
Biography
Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock-and-Roll's Legendary Neighborhood
In the late sixties and early seventies, an impromptu collection
of musicians colonized a eucalyptus-scented canyon deep in the Hollywood
Hills of Los Angeles and melded folk, rock, and savvy American pop into
a sound that conquered the world as thoroughly as the songs of the
Beatles and the Rolling Stones had before them. Thirty years later, the
music made in Laurel Canyon continues to pour from radios, iPods, and
concert stages around the world. During the canyon's golden era, the
musicians who lived and worked there scored dozens of landmark hits,
from "California Dreamin'" to "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" to "It's Too
Late," selling tens of millions of records and resetting the thermostat
of pop culture.
In Laurel Canyon,
veteran journalist Michael Walker tells the inside story of this
unprecedented gathering of some of the baby boomer's leading musical
lights―including Joni Mitchell; Jim Morrison; Crosby, Stills, and Nash;
John Mayall; the Mamas and the Papas; Carole King; the Eagles; and Frank
Zappa, to name just a few―who turned Los Angeles into the music capital
of the world and forever changed the way popular music is recorded,
marketed, and consumed.
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Workout: The Music of Hank Mobley
Among the great American modern jazz saxophonists, Hank Mobley has been the most unjustly neglected - the truly forgotten man. Yet he played and recorderd prolifically with the greatest legends of his era such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gilespie, Lee Morgan, Johnny Griffin and Art Blakey, helping to create some of their finest work. His best recordings are classics, characterized by an instantly identifiable sound and style, and constant musical inventiveness. But his loner personality made him his own worst enemy, many of his records remained unissued in his lifetime, and he died forgotten and destitute. Now, at last, most of his recorded legacy is available on CD and he is increasingly recognized as one of the major figures of modern jazz. In this book, the first to be published about Hank Mobley, Derek Ansell provides a detailed critical introduction to his music and a timely reassessment of his contribution to the jazz art.
Barney Kessel • Easy Like
Review by Scott Yanow
Colaborador / Contribuitor: Michel
Monday, December 19, 2022
Grant Green • Live At The Lighthouse
Saturday, December 17, 2022
Richard Groove Holmes • Book Of The Blues Vol. 1
Review by Thom Jurek
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Don Cherry • Where Is Brooklyn ?
Biography by Chris Kelsey
Imagination
and a passion for exploration made Don Cherry one of the most
influential jazz musicians of the late 20th century. A founding member
of Ornette Coleman's groundbreaking quartet of the late '50s, Cherry
continued to expand his musical vocabulary until his death in 1995. In
addition to performing and recording with his own bands, Cherry worked
with such top-ranked jazz musicians as Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Archie
Shepp, Albert Ayler, John Coltrane, and Gato Barbieri. Cherry's most
prolific period came in the late '70s and early '80s when he joined Nana
Vasconcelos and Collin Walcott in the worldbeat group Codona, and with
former bandmates Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell, and saxophonist Dewey
Redman in the Coleman-inspired group Old and New Dreams. Cherry later
worked with Vasconcelos and saxophonist Carlos Ward in the short-lived
group Nu.
Born in Oklahoma City in 1936, he first attained
prominence with Coleman, with whom he began playing around 1957. At that
time Cherry's instrument of choice was a pocket trumpet (or cornet) -- a
miniature version of the full-sized model. The smaller instrument -- in
Cherry's hands, at least -- got a smaller, slightly more nasal sound
than is typical of the larger horn. Though he would play a regular
cornet off and on throughout his career, Cherry remained most closely
identified with the pocket instrument. Cherry stayed with Coleman
through the early '60s, playing on the first seven (and most
influential) of the saxophonist's albums. In 1960, he recorded The
Avant-Garde with John Coltrane. After leaving Coleman's band, Cherry
played with Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp, and Albert Ayler.
In 1963-1964, Cherry co-led the New York Contemporary Five with Shepp
and John Tchicai. With Gato Barbieri, Cherry led a band in Europe from
1964-1966, recording two of his most highly regarded albums, Complete
Communion and Symphony for Improvisers.
Cherry began the '70s by
teaching at Dartmouth College in 1970, and recorded with the Jazz
Composer's Orchestra in 1973. He lived in Sweden for four years, and
used the country as a base for his travels around Europe and the Middle
East. Cherry became increasingly interested in other, mostly non-Western
styles of music. In the late '70s and early '80s, he performed and
recorded with Codona, a cooperative group with percussionist Nana
Vasconcelos and multi-instrumentalist Collin Walcott. Codona's sound was
a pastiche of African, Asian, and other indigenous musics.
Concurrently,
Cherry joined with ex-Coleman associates Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell,
and Dewey Redman to form Old and New Dreams, a band dedicated to playing
the compositions of their former employer. After the dissolution of
Codona, Cherry formed Nu with Vasconcelos and saxophonist Carlos Ward.
In 1988, he made Art Deco, a more traditional album of acoustic jazz,
with Haden, Billy Higgins, and saxophonist James Clay.
Until his
death in 1995, Cherry continued to combine disparate musical genres; his
interest in world music never abated. Cherry learned to play and
compose for wood flutes, tambura, gamelan, and various other non-Western
instruments. Elements of these musics inevitably found their way into
his later compositions and performances, as on 1990's Multi Kulti, a
characteristic celebration of musical diversity. As a live performer,
Cherry was notoriously uneven. It was not unheard of for him to arrive
very late for gigs, and his technique -- never great to begin with --
showed on occasion a considerable, perhaps inexcusable, decline. In his
last years, especially, Cherry seemed less self-possessed as a musician.
Yet his musical legacy is one of such influence that his personal
failings fade in relative significance.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-cherry-mn0000796166/biography
//////////
La imaginación y la pasión por la exploración hicieron de Don Cherry uno de los músicos de jazz más influyentes de finales del siglo XX. Miembro fundador del innovador cuarteto de Ornette Coleman de finales de los 50, Cherry siguió ampliando su vocabulario musical hasta su muerte en 1995. Además de actuar y grabar con sus propias bandas, Cherry trabajó con músicos de jazz de primera fila como Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, John Coltrane y Gato Barbieri. El periodo más prolífico de Cherry llegó a finales de los 70 y principios de los 80, cuando se unió a Nana Vasconcelos y Collin Walcott en el grupo de worldbeat Codona, y con sus antiguos compañeros de banda Charlie Haden y Ed Blackwell, y el saxofonista Dewey Redman en el grupo Old and New Dreams, inspirado en Coleman. Más tarde, Cherry trabajó con Vasconcelos y el saxofonista Carlos Ward en el efímero grupo Nu.
Nacido en la ciudad de Oklahoma en 1936, alcanzó la fama por primera vez con Coleman, con quien empezó a tocar hacia 1957. En aquella época, el instrumento elegido por Cherry era una trompeta de bolsillo (o corneta), una versión en miniatura del modelo de tamaño normal. El instrumento más pequeño -en las manos de Cherry, al menos- tenía un sonido más pequeño y ligeramente más nasal que el típico de la trompeta más grande. Aunque a lo largo de su carrera tocó de vez en cuando una corneta normal, Cherry se identificó más con el instrumento de bolsillo. Cherry permaneció con Coleman hasta principios de los años 60, tocando en los siete primeros (y más influyentes) álbumes del saxofonista. En 1960, grabó The Avant-Garde con John Coltrane. Tras dejar la banda de Coleman, Cherry tocó con Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp y Albert Ayler. En 1963-1964, Cherry codirigió el New York Contemporary Five con Shepp y John Tchicai. Con Gato Barbieri, Cherry dirigió una banda en Europa entre 1964 y 1966, grabando dos de sus álbumes más apreciados, Complete Communion y Symphony for Improvisers.
Cherry comenzó los años 70 dando clases en el Dartmouth College en 1970, y grabó con la Jazz Composer's Orchestra en 1973. Vivió en Suecia durante cuatro años, y utilizó el país como base para sus viajes por Europa y Oriente Medio. Cherry se interesó cada vez más por otros estilos musicales, sobre todo no occidentales. A finales de los 70 y principios de los 80, actuó y grabó con Codona, un grupo cooperativo con la percusionista Nana Vasconcelos y el multiinstrumentista Collin Walcott. El sonido de Codona era un pastiche de músicas africanas, asiáticas y otras autóctonas.
Al mismo tiempo, Cherry se unió a sus ex socios de Codona Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell y Dewey Redman para formar Old and New Dreams, una banda dedicada a tocar las composiciones de su antiguo empleador. Tras la disolución de Codona, Cherry formó Nu con Vasconcelos y el saxofonista Carlos Ward. En 1988, hizo Art Deco, un álbum más tradicional de jazz acústico, con Haden, Billy Higgins y el saxofonista James Clay.
Hasta su muerte en 1995, Cherry siguió combinando géneros musicales dispares; su interés por la música del mundo nunca disminuyó. Cherry aprendió a tocar y componer para flautas de madera, tambura, gamelán y otros instrumentos no occidentales. Elementos de estas músicas se introdujeron inevitablemente en sus composiciones y actuaciones posteriores, como en Multi Kulti, de 1990, una celebración característica de la diversidad musical. Como intérprete en directo, Cherry era notoriamente irregular. No era raro que llegara muy tarde a los conciertos, y su técnica, que nunca fue excelente, mostraba en ocasiones un declive considerable, quizá inexcusable. En sus últimos años, especialmente, Cherry parecía menos dueño de sí mismo como músico. Sin embargo, su legado musical es tan influyente que sus defectos personales pierden importancia relativa.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-cherry-mn0000796166/biography
Milt Buckner & André Persiani • Pianistically Yours
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
The Cambridge History of World Music
The first comprehensive history of music on a global basis, laying the foundations for a sweeping history of all music.
The Rock Cover Song: Culture, History, Politics
Cover songs operate as a form of cultural discourse across various musical genres and different societal, historical and political conditions. Case studies include a comparative analysis of Jimi Hendrix's and Whitney Houston's versions of "The Star-Spangled Banner" as well as a mapping of the trajectory of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" from the original version by the Rolling Stones through cover versions by Otis Redding, Devo, and Britney Spears. The radical deconstruction of pop and rock songs by the Residents and Laibach is also examined, with additional studies of cover songs by such as Van Halen, Kim Wilde, Rufus Harley, the Four Tops, Pat Boone and Johnny Cash. Rather than questions of quality or how a cover song measures up as "better or worse" than other versions, this book focuses on the ideological implications and social stakes of the "same old songs" as they are reconfigured to consider, comment on and confront political issues of gender, sexuality, race, the nation-state and the generation gap.
Mars by 1980: The Story of Electronic Music
More Important Than the Music: A History of Jazz Discography
Epperson examines the documentation of recorded jazz from its casual origins as a novelty in the 1920s and ’30s, through the overwhelming deluge of 12-inch vinyl records in the middle of the twentieth century, to the use of computers by today’s discographers. Though he focuses much of his attention on comprehensive discographies, he also examines the development of a variety of related listings, such as buyer’s guides and library catalogs, and he closes with a look toward discography’s future. From the little black book to the full-featured online database, More Important Than the Music offers a history not just of jazz discography but of the profoundly human desire to preserve history itself.
Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Psychedelic Popular Music: A History through Musical Topic Theory
Gilbert Sigrist • Tribute to Hammond Organ
The Words and Music of Paul Simon
Paul Simon is commonly acknowledged to be one of the most successful singer-songwriters of the pop-rock era. His work has flourished in the context of Simon and Garfunkel as well as in his own solo career. Starting with the folk-rock style that marked his earliest significant success, he has drawn on a wide variety of influences, including many American traditions and, later, many international ones as well. He has won multiple Grammy awards in both the duo and the solo phases of his career. His songwriting has also provided the impetus for brief forays into film and musical theatre. After providing a brief biographical overview, this work examines Simon's songwriting work in depth, providing a critical discussion of each song as a fusion of text and music so as to help the reader to identify elements that enhance appreciation.
A particularly valuable contribution in this context is the discussion of the wide variety of musical elements that contribute significantly to the value of Simon's work. These include such easily-understandable issues as verse-chorus structure, melodic variation, selection of particular instruments and even performers, variation of musical style within a song, general harmonic characteristics, relationships among keys, rhythm and pacing of text, etc. While the book proceeds chronologically through Simon's recorded output, specific threads are developed throughout, and the discussion of individual songs takes place in the context of these threads, both drawing on them and developing them further. The diversity of Paul Simon's work reflects his very American background, and no discussion of American music is complete without accounting for his influence.
Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop--A History
There
were four major galaxies in the early jazz universe, and three of
them--New Orleans, Chicago, and New York--have been well documented in
print. But there has never been a serious history of the fourth, Kansas
City, until now.
In this colorful history, Frank Driggs and Chuck
Haddix capture the golden age of Kansas City jazz, and bring us a
colorful portrait of old Kaycee itself, back then a neon riot of bars,
bambling dens, and taxi dance halls, all ruled over by Boss Tom
Pendergast, who had transformed a dusty cowtown into the Paris of the
Plains. The authors show how this wide-open, gin-soaked town gave birth
to a music that was more basic and more viscerally exciting than other
styles of jazz, its singers belting out a rough-and-tumble urban style
of blues, its piano players pounding out a style later known as
"boogie-woogie." We visit the great landmarks, like the Reno Club, the
"Biggest Little Club in the World," where Lester Young and Count Basie
made jazz history, and Charlie Parker began his musical education in the
alley out back. The lives of the great musicians who made Kansas City
swing are illuminated, with colorful profiles of jazz figures such as
Mary Lou Williams, Big Joe Turner, Jimmy
Rushing, and Andy Kirk and his "Clouds of Joy."
Kansas City Jazz
is the definitive account of the raw, hard-driving style that put
Kansas City on the musical map. It is a must read for everyone who loves
jazz or American music history.
Monday, December 12, 2022
Billy Taylor • One For Fun
Jerry Weldon • Head to Head
Los saxofonistas Jerry Weldon y Michael Karn comparten muchas de las mismas influencias, incluyendo a Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley y Joe Henderson. Karn tiene un tono ligeramente más duro pero los dos tenores son bastante complementarios y de igual talento. Para esta dura salida de Criss Cross, Weldon y Karn están acompañados por el pianista Bruce Barth, el bajista Peter Washington y el baterista Billy Drummond. Aunque los co-líderes aportan dos originales cada uno, las piezas más nuevas tienen el mismo estilo básico orientado a los acordes que los seis temas vintage (que incluyen un largo y ardiente intercambio de tenor en "Ko-Ko", "Ow", "If Ever I Would Leave You", asociado con Sonny Rollin, y baladas para Karn ("Who Can I Turn To") y Weldon ("All the Way"). La música divertida se recomienda fácilmente a los coleccionistas de jazz. ~ Scott Yanow
jerryweldon.net ...
Guitar Encyclopedia
A far cry from other dry schematic encyclopedias, this book details the connections between different guitars and the monumental recordings that they produced. With introductions by Gary Hoey, Chris Poland (Megadeth), and Eric Shoaf (Vintage Guitar magazine), this book provides a rich and unique account of iconic guitars throughout history.
Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.