Jazz Book / Video Reviews
Sort List By:
Most Recent
Page
[rew]
[prev]
12
13
14
15
[next]
[ff]
|
Spirit Catcher - The Life and Art of John Coltrane by John Fraim
|
It was an interplay which marked a unique new concept in jazz. A concept recently resurfacing from the New York underground where it had existed for years. It was a concept which could be heard blaring out of Ornette Coleman’s garage in Los Angeles. Later in the sixties the concept would become the most influential in jazz. It would...
(Biography)
|
| Book Review by Beatrice Richardson |
 |
Stan Getz: Nobody Else But Me by Dave Gelly
|
What I liked most about David Gelly's approach to the subject of Stan Getz was his straight-ahead analysis and blunt honesty about one of the great icons of American jazz. Well-written, this is a classic biography of one the world giants of jazz music and jazz saxophone. There has never been a finer saxophonist with such a...
(Biography)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Stars In My Eyes by Don Bachardy
|
STARS IN MY EYES by Don Bachardy is a delightful visual and reading experience. Internationally-known portrait artist Don Bachardy gives the readers his drawings and commentary on composers, performers, artists, actors, writers, and directors in a compact, memorable collection. For those interested in movies and musical scores and composers, this is a nice gift for a friend. Jazz fans...
(Non-Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Steve Lacy: Conversations by Jason Weiss
|
"Another Reason I've read a lot about painters and what not is because a lot of the writing about jazz is not good enough," Steve Lacy says in Conversations, edited by Jason Weiss. This quote is one of several idealized opinions seen in this collection of thirty plus interviews that the soprano saxophonist gave.
Lacy is known for his playlist...
(Other)
|
| Book Review by Jessica Rae Cortez |
|
Stopping Time: Paul Bley and the Transformation of Jazz by Paul Bley and David Lee
|
Paul Bley began on violin at the age of five, took up the piano at eight and gained his junior diploma at McGill conservatory at eleven. From 1950-2 he studied composition and conducting at the Juillard school in New York. Established musicians quickly recognized Bley's extraordinary musical gifts, and by 1952 he had recorded an album with the great...
(Autobiography)
|
| Book Review by Beatrice Richardson |
|
Swing Shift by Sherrie Tucker
|
Sherrie
Tucker's SWING SHIFT is going to excite a lot of jazz readers with its new
revelations concerning the "all-girl" bands of the 1940s. These all-girl bands
came from different ethnic backgrounds, and each contributed swing music in
many memorable ways. Two examples are Sharon Rogers and Ada Leonard.
The women are identified and there are an abundance...
(Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Swing Shift: “All-Girl” Bands of the 1940s by Sherrie Tucker
|
Sherrie Tucker has done something male jazz historians should have done years ago - give credit to "all-girl" bands and female jazz musicians. The only women who are generally written about are the singers.
Tucker has done some excellent research in digging up essential biographical and musical information on the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Phil Spitalny's "Hour of...
(Non-Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Terence Ripmaster |
|
Swing to Bop: the Music of Charlie Christian, Pioneer of the Electric Guitar (2 by Stan Ayeroff
|
Stan Ayeroff has given the jazz guitarist a fine collection with this remarkable spiral-bound book, which contains 2 CDs. This work contains the classic solo transcripts. Also included are the jam sessions at Minton's. The Celestial Express Blue Note recordings are included with an in-depth and complete analysis of Charlie Christian's music. John Hammond's spirituals for swing concert are included.
The...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Swing Under The Nazis: Jazz As A Metaphor For Freedom by Mike Zwerin
|
In the United States, Americans have always cherished their choice of music, and that music is a part of the American way. In the brilliant nonfiction documentary, SWING UNDER THE NAZIS: SWING AS A METAPHOR FOR FREEDOM, written by Mike Zwerin, the reading audience is given a look at Nazi Germany and how jazz was designated as degenerate. ...
(Non-Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Swing, That Modern Sound by Kenneth J. Bindas
|
If you enjoy swing music, then this is certainly a winner of a book to have in
your home library for reference. You will find Artie Shaw, Anita O'Day, Benny
Goodman, and a host of characters that made swing really swing! This is 209
pages of information that is must reading about the era of swing music and its
...
(Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Swingin' the Dream by Lewis A. Erenberg
|
SWINGIN' THE DREAM is about big band jazz and the rebirth of American culture, and it is definitely one of the finest jazz histories written during the past twenty years as it concentrates on the time in American history when jazz was revealed as art music as well as the most popular music of its time for what has...
(Non-Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Tal Farlow: Live at Bowling Green State University (DVD Video) by Tal Farlow
|
An outstanding quality DVD video of Tal Farlow performing, this collection performed live at Bowling Green State University will delight the jazz audience. There are 10 tracks in this collection. Total running time is one hour and twenty-five minutes. The ten tracks include "Lil' Darlin,'" "Misty," "Satin Doll," a medley of "Shadow of Your Smile"...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Talk Jazz Guitar by Roni Ben-Hur
|
TALK JAZZ GUITAR is a fine musical instruction book by guitarist Roni Ben-Hur. There is also a play-along CD included. The fingerings and fret-board diagrams included in the collection are superb. This is a comprehensive collection of BeBop studies for the guitarist interested in jazz. Among the ten chapters are half-step rules and...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Talk Jazz Guitar by Roni Ben-Hur
|
For those seeking an accurate, comprehensive collection of Bebop studies for the guitar, Roni Ben-Hur's fine reference TALK JAZZ GUITAR is among the best of its kind. There is a play-along CD included with the spiral-bound book. In addition to the author biography, forward, and a section on the path to becomng a jazz musician, there are...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Talk Jazz: A comprehensive Collection of BeBop Studies For All Instrumentalists by Roni Ben-Hur
|
If you are a jazz vocalist, or intrumentalist, interested in learning about Bebop, this is the book to have. Everything from Bebop scales and topics related to Bebop are here in a format that is easy to learn, and highly enjoyable. The jazz CD play-along features Roni Ben-Hur on guitar, Tardo Hammer on piano, Earl May...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Teddy Wilson Talks Jazz by Teddy Wilson with Arie Ligthart and Humphrey Van L
|
Congratulations to Continuum for
introducing its Bayou Jazz Lives series, which will bring back into print
classic autobiographies and biographies of important jazz and blues musicians.
The first in the series is TEDDY WILSON TALKS JAZZ.
Teddy Wilson
remains one of my all-time favorite jazz pianists, and those who like his style
or are new to him will...
(Biography)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
Temples of Sound: Inside the Great Recording Studios by Jim Cogan and William Clark, Forward by Quincy Jones
|
For music fans interested in the "where" and "how" questions behind their favorite records, Temples of Sound: Inside the Great Recording Studios is a rare gem. Jim Cogan and William Clark match the "high-fidelity" quality of their source material with brilliant writing, photography, and layout. This beautiful book chronicles the history, designs, techniques, and personnel responsible for so much...
(Non-Fiction)
|
| Book Review by David Seymour |
|
The Abyss of Jazz by Richard V. Duffy
|
THE ABYSS OF JAZZ by Richard V. Duffy is a fine contemporary analysis of jazz. Well-written and entertaining, this nonfiction work will hold your interest from beginning to end. There are 20 chapters in this fine book, plus a summary. A close look at the titles of each chapter reveals the topic, such as "Philosophy...
(Non-Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
The All-Jazz Real Book by Chuck Sher
|
Chuck Sher deserves congratulations on putting together THE ALL-JAZZ REAL BOOK, for it is a great item to have for reference and playing, something all jazz musicians will cherish. It represents a lot of hard work and thought from one of the most innovative jazz music publishers in the businss. Any person who purchases this fine...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
The American Fiddle Method, Vols. 1 and 2 by Brian Wicklund
|
For the jazz fan and jazz violinist, these two books will be a delight. There is much to learn from the teaching of Brian Wicklund, and these two volumes are remarkable. Volume 1 and Volume 2 cover indepth the fiddle techniques. The tunes are enjoyable, and each tune is selected for its learning steps. ...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
The Art of Picking by Jimmy Bruno
|
For those who like good jazz guitar, the name of Jimmy Bruno comes to mind. In THE ART OF PICKING, Jimmy Bruno shares private lessons with the jazz audience. There are eight parts to this paperback which sits nicely on a music stand. The lively introduction is followed by "The Strokes," "Arpeggios," "Typical Be-Bop Phrases,"...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
The Bead Method of Fretboard Mastery by Robert Luther Dietz
|
In this intriguing approach to bead guitar, Robert Luther Dietz shares the "Bead Method of Fretboard Mastery" with guitarists. Illustrated, clearly written and clearly explained, this fine book should be highly helpful to jazz guitarists. The book is edited by Rod Williams.
A concise introduction is followed by ten chapters. The book concludes with a glossary of terms, and a...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
The Bear Comes Home by Ravi Zabor
|
Ravi Zabor is a musical journalist and jazz drummer living in Brooklyn who delights us with a comic and insightful story about a Shakespeare quoting, philosophic, beer drinking, alto sax playing, Coltrane-type, bear. The Bear comes from a long line of European circus performing bears and through some genetic twist of fate, the Bear can talk.
The story...
(Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Suzi Price |
|
The Big-X on Harp by Alan W. Eichler
|
If you are interested in the history and playing techniques of harmonica, Alan W. Eichler's THE BIG-X ON HARP is a well-crafted reference. It is a paperback that would fit into a pants pocket or knapsack with ease, and easy to handle. What Eichler succeeds well with is his ability to present material and commentary alongside...
(Non-Fiction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
The Blues Scales: Essential Tools For jazz Improvisation For All Instruments by Dan Greenblatt
|
Dan Greenblatt has a winner with his book, THE BLUES SCALES. It will have a wide appeal to people interested in jazz, and performing jazz. Written as an essential guide, the tools for jazz improvisation for all instruments are helpful. Clearly written, the book has a nice, comfortable feel for straight-ahead instruction. The...
(Musical Instruction)
|
| Book Review by Lee Prosser |
|
JazzReview.com
