Genres Books

When I went and saw "Assassins" for the first time, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. I've been a Sondheim fan ever since I began watching "Into The Woods" at the tender age of four years old... but I don't think I was sufficiently prepared for "Assassins". And that's a good thing.
"Assassins" keeps you on your toes throughout, being able to make dramatic changes from the light-hearted to the tragic in the time it takes to bat an eye. Perhaps most striking is how you come to like and sympathize with every one of the assassins, while still knowing that they all have their dangerous streak.
Moreover, "Assassins" deals with a common subject in a very uncommon way. The overall 'theme' says "Everybody's got the right to be happy." The brilliance in this statement is not in the statement itself, but within the context of the cold-blooded murderers with it has been placed. It gives us the lesser seen perspective of life from the point of view of these historical figures who had major problems with their lives and with themselves. Rare, even in the history books.
In fact, "Assassins" has been a better history lesson for me than nearly anything else. The play is very highly based on the facts of every person's life and the details of their assassination attempts. Good for theatre buffs and history teachers alike.
Go Sondheim, go!

Well, I was not very well aquainted with Sondheim, though I had heard of him. Then I was fortunate enough to be cast as Sam Byck in a production of Assassins. I have to say, the show was an experience like I can only hope to have ever again. Weidman's writing brings to life thoroughly disturbed characters in a way the audience can relate to. It shows us the world of a psychopath- looking out from the inside. My first thought was to question whether I could do justice to the material. The incredible intensity of the scenes and the forceful emotion of the songs is nearly overwhelming. From the actor's point of view, I can say only that a sense of desparation is omnipresent, even in the comedy, and that there is the feeling of a great injustice, and perhaps an epiphany that never quite came. I encourage anyone who can to try and acquire a copy of the London production( I don't know if there are any official ones, but as any theatre enthusiast knows, there are ALWAYS bootlegs), or of the new production when it becomes available, because of the added song "Something Just Broke". This incredible piece serves as an important... I think the word is catharsis. I remember crying backstage during the first show, because it put a sharp point on the events of the previous scene, where Oswald takes his shot. The play itself also brings into focus the background of the assassins, and those lesser-known souls who tried and failed( like Byck). While it won't appeal to everyone, it is definitely worth looking into for Sondheim lovers and US History buffs. And serious performers will find the songs and text rich with meaning. I recommend this show, libretto and music, to anyone with an open mind, or a love of art.

I profess to be of a young age, and those who don't know me would probably consider my experience with musical theatre to be rather inextensive. I am, however, even at a young age, a Stephen Sondheim admirer. Yet even I, whose favorite musical is the ghastly and mind-numbing masterpiece "Sweeny Todd," was not entirely prepared for the unabashed "Assassins."

Assassins combines all the would be and have been presidential assassins of the United State's history and throws them all into a timeless world where Charles Guiteau (Garfield) can chat with Leon Czolgosz (McKinley) and Sam Byck (Nixon) at a bar while John Wilkes Booth (Lincoln) reads a copy of Variety magazine. It is more of a revue than anything, but the music (which you MUST own if you're going to buy the libretto) is so moving and so powerful it actually is able to draw sympathy for Lincoln's assassin. If the prospect of feeling pity or sympathy for Lee Harvey Oswald makes you angry, Assassins is not my recommendation.

Indeed, Sondheim and Weidman sucessfully made me feel sorry for Leon Czolgosz and Booth and Oswald and nearly all the characters in the musical. Some may think it unpatriotic; I think it presents the other side to woefully biased history lessons claiming the Assassins to be vengeful madmen searching for chaos. Assassins truly brings to light what's wrong with the American dream, and for any history buff, Sondheim fan, or just plain theater fan, Assassins is a MUST have.

This review is by Crosley.

I had become very well acquainted with the score to Assassins before I read the script, and I think John Weidman may have done the impossible: he may have overshadowed Sondheim's score with his book. Don't get me wrong, the music and lyrics are phenomenal, but the book is what really matters in this one.

Assassins is an examination of the dark side of the American Dream and those it has affected, namely, those who have tried to kill presidents. Most of the assassins actually have good reasons for their efforts. The play has gained a lot of bad publicity for "glorifying assassinating the president," "being unpatriotic" and "trivializing terrible events." The play does none of these on any level. I said that some assassins had good reasons. I did not say that their actions were the right thing to do, because they weren't. However, the play rehumanizes people that society has dismissed as one dimensional madmen. Hence, the Balladeer. The Balladeer represents the traditional, one sided view of the assassins, and is used expertly. The play keeps in mind the fact that the assassins are dangerous people who should be condemned, but it also keeps in mind that they are indeed people. The scene between Csolgosz and Emma Goldman is wonderfully poignant, and allows us to see a side of Csolgosz rejected by the world, and it's things like that that make the characters much more real.

By making the characters real and at least vaguely sympathetic, the play succeeds in such a way that could never be done with demonized characters. Since the assassins are made human and just like us, Americans trying to live The Dream, they are infinetly more terrifying and frightening, because now we can identify with them, and see the clear and present danger in America.

They all have different motives, but there is one thing that ties them all together. They thought The Dream was not a goal, but something they were entitled to, and when they didn't get it, they wanted people to listen. Hence, drastic measures. Booth's anger with Lincoln is very real, and the crimes he lists against Lincoln are all true to some degree. Csolgoszs' anger at the working man's plight is completely justified, considering his working conditions and wages. Few of them have motives that we can't understand (except Moore and Guiteau), and again, they are that much worse because of it.

This is not to say that the play is not funny. Au Contraire, Assassins is one of the funnier plays I've read, mostly because it preys upon the assassins' character flaws and quirks and exploits them for some great comedy. They're even funnier if you know about the personalities of each for whatever reason. For example, regarding the scene where Guiteau hits on Moore, it was known that Guiteau hit on anything with two legs (usually unsuccessfully), and Moore, who had been married five times (each husband was more successful than the last), may have been roped in by Guiteau's line of "How would you like to marry the ambassador to France?" It's really quite good. The scenes between Moore and Fromme are priceless, as are Byck's rants into his tape recorder, hamburger in hand. "I am Unworthy of you Love" is a gorgeous song, and in context (being sung to Jody Foster and Charles Manson by John Hinckley and Squeaky Fromme, respectively), it's uproarious. Thank God for Weidman's wit, because this is a show that definetly needs comic relief.

The interesting idea that the play presents is that the assassins are just as American as anyone else, because America is "The land where any kid can grow up to be president," and likewise, "Any kid can grow up to be his killer." Comedy, tragedy, laughs, tears, a message, great music, Assassins has it all. The scene near the end with Lee Harvey Oswald is one of the most powerful scenes I've ever read. In fact, it was recorded on the soundtrack, because it's just that important. Delaying Oswald's appearance for so long was a great move, because the audience, after being emotionally assaulted by the other 8 assassins, is finally pushed over the edge with an event that most of them were alive for and remember. The triumphant chords after Oswald's shot give me shivers every time I hear them.

Assassins is a phenomenal play that unfortunately is rarely produced. I recommend reading the script and enjoying the excellent score to people looking for something a little different (hey, that's Sondheim for you), a little funny, and a little scary. The show will live on because of its relevance, and it's a wonderful addition to the American Musical Theater.

All I can say about this play is that it is sheer genius. I was fortunate enough to see the Broadway revival cast act it out in Studio 54, thus can safely say that the play is just as shrewd and clever onstage as it seems in the play.

The thing that often repels people from 'Assassins' is firstly its subject matter - assassins and would-be assasins of presidents of the United States - and secondly, the way it handles its subject matter. 'Assassins' neither trivializes nor glorifies its characters: what it does is examine them, and let the audience make the decision as to what prompted them to commit the crimes they did. On stage, the play is chilling - seeing "Squeaky" Fromme carve an 'M' for 'Manson' into her forehead at the end of her number with John Hinckley 'Unworthy of Your Love' does not seem disgusting; it is entrancingly horrific. And this is not even mentioning the song 'How I Saved the President', the fast-paced narrative of Giuseppe Zangara's attempt on the life of President Franklin Roosevelt: it rises to an eerie feverish pitch and ends with a jolt - literally. The singing ceases only when Zangara has been electrocuted.

I realize that the above description may seem to portray 'Assassins' as a gruesome horror-trip into history - but really, that is not what it is at all. The rises and falls of emotions in the songs (apparent in the book as well as in the play) are shrewdly placed so that the viewer can't quite bring themself to feel sorry for the assassin, exactly, more fascinated. And this is what 'Assassins' is - a fascinating look at some of the most forbidden American taboo in our country's history. The play jumps on its subject matter with surprising gusto - it does not jump delicately from point to point. It attacks its topics and does not let the audience leave unshaken.

I feel as though I should probably mention that reading the book and seeing the play live are two different things. They are both thought-provoking and interesting looks at the various assassins - but a certain emotional element is lost in the text. Not that the book is bland and dry - far from it. However, seeing Charles Guiteau dance his way up to gallows feverishly reciting his poem 'I Am Going to the Lordy' is slightly more morbid than reading it.

Highly recommended.

This is a big book, full of candid photographs of some of the rawest moments in punk rock history in DC. Anyone who is interested in the history of the scene, especially Dischord, should be able to appreciate how extensive this collection of words and images is, and will enjoy the sense of urgency and life it conveys.

Without a doubt, this book is the best around on punk and hardcore. Banned in DC was put out long ago, about at the height of the infatuation with Dischord, just as that DC scene was beginning to shun itself and others, in a way.

But this collection of b/w photos is amazing. Simple and smart, the pix capture the essence of the scene, including the bands and the people. Because this music is best experienced live, the photos do it justice unlike words can.

Anyone into punk, hardcore or indie music needs to have this book. Unlike many British and 70's NY or LA punk books, Banned in DC means something to anyone who grew up on 80's and 9's underground music.

This book rocks! I feel so lucky to have grown up in the area during this time skating and listening to these legendary bands that helped pioneer and shape the domestic punk rock scene. That time in my life had such a great influence on who I am today. In what was normally a stuffy conservative area, the DC punk scene was a culture of it's own that forced me to think outside the box. I have long since left the area for the west coast, but I will never forget that time and all the great shows I saw at the 9:30. This book really helps bring those memories back to life.

I've had this book for years! I even found three pictures that have me in them!

It's a collection of photos that could be submitted after the fact - because of that, the photos were of people and bands that were around the photographer/submitter - thus the limited perspective that some reviewers commented on.

I don't think that the people taking the pictures had planned to publish something of this magnitude, and try to make a documentary of it, but the stories and pictures of people that I remember make it worthwhile. Some of these people are still very influential in the music scene.

If you want to get a feel for what it was like during the late 70's and into the 80's in the DC punk scene, this book is invaluable.

These rare photos are amazing. Cynthia Connelly's simple high-contrast black-and-whites were ubiquitous while growing up in the DC area, and for good reason--she is an awe-inspiring artist and master of her craft. The only thing that's disappointing about this book is that it features her boyfriend Ian's record label and both of their dischord-scene friends a little TOO prominently. There were (and still are)so many other bands and people doing things in DC--NOT just Dischord--many of the other small labels, promoters, and bands who maybe weren't accepted by the 'Dischordites' are ignored and as such, dismissed here. Too bad. This is a one-sided view of a very multi-dimensional, thriving musical scene.

For the completest. Bruce Spizers' second Beatles Apple publication dissects and represents the many international incarnations of the individual output of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr whilst they were still associated with Apple Records. Sadly much of this output was merely associated with Apple due to contractractual obligations. In some cases under protest. But in those heady days beginning just prior to the saddest breakup in Rock history.. all up to the late seventies, the solo Beatles material from the four ex Beatles are among some of the most popular albums in musical history. McCartney, John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band, Ram, Imagine, Band On The Run, All Things Must Pass, Venus & Mars and Ringo, all contain a wealth of popular hits, that were less conspicuous in the later solo Apple years. There are a few omissions, such as the Australian release of J.L. & The Plastic Ono Band (which had a unique Black & White label on Apple), but generally the material collected and presented by Mr Spizer presents an unbelieveable array of variable releases of the same albums throughout the world. It's a fascinating look at a unique era in music & memorabilia. If you love the detailed background of Beatles history, as I do. You'll read this book over and over again.

The followup to Spizer's book on The Beatles' group efforts on Apple, this goes through all of the band's solo Apple releases. Again, there's so much information here! And again, if you're not interested in all of the deep information on the various pressings, label copy, etc., you can skip it. Although you'll find that the Beatles had a lot of fun with what they did with Apple on their solo releases, and there's plenty of photos of various labels, album and singles covers, etc. I don't know where Spizer got the energy to do this 5 times (he's got 4 other similar books on Beatles releases), but I'm glad he did.

The Beatles 2nd UK lp (that became America's 1st) was released Nov. 22, 1963. The White album was released on Nov. 22, 1968. What tremendous growth in 5 years! They grew together and apart...this book will clue you in on every nuance of the solo years. Keep saying over and over, "it was only a band..."

Avid Beatles collectors who already have all the collector's guides to Apple Records may imagine they already have all they need - until they confront The Beatles Solo On Apple Records: The Stories Behind The Entire Beatles Solo Catalog On Apple Records Including Imagine, Band On The Run, All Things Must Pass And Ringo. Packed with black and white and color photos of records, vintage posters, ad illustrations and more, The Beatles Solo On Apple Records supplements extensive illustrations with meticulous background details for each recording's origins. In using the recordings to ground background history, The Beatles Solo produces a depth unequalled by competing, lighter Beatles coverage's - and insights simply unavailable in price guides alone. Not for the casual readers who seeks a light history, but perfect for the avid Beatles fan who needs to know everything about the group, it's individual members, and their recordings.

Bruce Spizer has now put together five books in this series of looks at the Beatles (and with this latest volume, the solo years on Apple in the early-mid 70's) and their relationships with record labels Vee-Jay, Capitol, and Apple.

As fans of these books know, much of each book covers very detailed, minute bits of information about the release of each LP, Single, EP, etc. The cost of the books is probably due in large part to each book being printed in complete full color on every page. A large percentage of the pages are covered with every label variation of every release. If you're not a hardcore collector intensely interested in what are usually very, very minute label differences (mostly different fonts, different perimenter print on the labels), then I have to say that some of the wow factor is missing.

What has made the other entries in this series must-have books for any Beatles scholar, even if they are not interested in label variations, is the detailed history Spizer uncovers behind the Beatles' relationship with their labels. Spizer uncovers long-forgotten or never-known stories behind how the labels devised albums or singles, and many other interesting details. His book on the Vee-Jay label's relationship with the Beatles was a complete revelation that completely changed scholars' perception of the relationship between the group and Vee-Jay, and would have been a must-have for Beatles scholars even without any pictures or illustrations of any kind.

There are interesting pictures in all of the volumes, including the "Solo Beatles on Apple" other than label variations. Pictures of alternate album covers and other artwork, as well as promotional items all adorn the pages.

"The Solo Beatles on Apple..." is perhaps a tiny bit less indispensable as compared to Spizer's other books only because it doesn't have as much revelatory information as the previous entries (particularly the Vee-Jay book and the Capitol books). All of the books contain Spizer's own reviews of the music itself, as well as basic information on the background of the songs and albums. This is the only information in Spizer's books which isn't indispensible. It's all well-written, it just doesn't offer any new information. Because the "Solo Beatles" book has a bit less of the new, wow-factor type of facts that made the Vee-Jay and Capitol books so interesting, the "Solo Beatles" book doesn't have quite as much to offer in terms of the text. Spizer admits that he came into writing the book with the opinion that the Beatles' solo work doesn't hold up well to the group's output. Listening to the albums apparently did change is mind to some degree, but I do see just a bit less enthusiasm behind the writing of this book as compared to the other group entries.

Still, between the ample color artwork and still plenty of interesting details uncovered by Spizer, this book is still a must-own for Beatles scholars and record collectors. I would give it 4 1/2 stars if I could.

The origin of Africans in America and the music they produced over the last three hundred years was very interesting to read. Mr. Jones provides a chronological and historically based history of the evolution of Black music in America.

He also points out that when black music is accepted by the mainstream it becomes a diluted and pitiful shell of its former greater self. I agree. If anyone notices whenever a beloved artist goes mainstream, generally their music is so shallow, you wonder what happened to the real person. I guess it is all about the dollars. They want to get paid. They know that most folks in the mainstream society cannot take or intellectully and spiritually relate to the rawness of our people's music. It is too powerful and personal. The black experience is unique, which affects our worldview and attitudes.

However, the black folk, the masses, always create new music or keep the real music alive. We continuously create, and the mainstream is darn well lucky. If not for black folks, I don't know what in de world they would do with dey selves. Lawdy this would be such a dull place.

Mr. Jones spoke truth to power.

This is a really interesting look at the evolution of black culture through the lense of music. Some of the author's opinions about later music (50's-60's) may seem out of touch to today's readers, but overall it is well worth reading.

This is one of the most important books on America and American history, culture and citizenship. It would benefit the world if it were incorporated into public education. Someone said that nations are judged by their art and this book examines that subject superlatively. This study of the blues examines the evolving cosmology of the Africans and their journey and creation: the blues, one of the singular most powerful beauties of America. He shows how from the blues came all and embraced all other peoples and cultures. Baraka's ability to live the thoughts of the originators enables us to understand the profoundity of their sorrow and sublimity of their joy.

The other day a friend rashly claimed that art and music were equally hard to describe in words. I asked him to tell me about a certain painting of Picasso's. He did, but claimed it wasn't accurate. "OK," I said, "you're right, but now tell me about Mozart's Jupiter Symphony." He opened his mouth, closed it, looked at me, and said, "Yeah, I see what you mean." Writing a book about the blues would be equally hard, it seems to me. So, LeRoi Jones did what he could, back in 1963, to tie the indescribable to the more concrete. He wrote a social history of African-Americans in the USA through the prism of music or---maybe on the principle of red and yellow tile floors (are they red with yellow designs or yellow with red designs ?)---he wrote a book on African-American music through the prism of social history. It is one of the most important books on American music (and American society) that you can find. It has stood the test of time. He begins from the Africans who came to North America as slaves bearing very different cultures, confronted by an absolutely different view of the world emanating from their new masters. Here he tries to show how African music became transformed into African-AMERICAN music and then American. He continues then up through the generations of slavery, to Emancipation, migration to the cities, World War I, the Depression, World War II and the bebop age of the Fifties. The book is pre-Civil Rights movement, pre-Martin Luther King. Jones may have looked down on the NAACP and its allies as "white liberal supported organizations", I'm not sure, but they don't appear. The times are symbolized by the use of "Negro" throughout. I agree, the tome is dated, but don't reject it, don't pooh-pooh the man. This is a very intelligent, very worthwhile book. Anyone, particularly from outside the USA, who wants to know the history of African-American music within its social environment ought still to read BLUES PEOPLE. He writes, "If Negro music can be seen to be the result of certain attitudes, certain specific ways of thinking about the world (and only ultimately about the ways in which music can be made), then the basic hypothesis of this book is understood." [p.153] Jones goes to great lengths to get to the bottom of those attitudes and thoughts.

My main criticism, apart from the fact that history dictates that we must be left a half century behind contemporary realities, is that though Jones obviously knew and loved the blues and jazz and all the various styles ( if not swing), his approach is coldly academic, highly dispassionate. He may criticize people who tried to make money, he may downplay all those who "abandoned" their roots, but my disappointment is that there is nothing of himself in the work barring a few mentions of his family. He does not share his enthusiasm. Music is beauty after all. I am sure he wanted the book to be taken as a serious essay, which it is. But in keeping himself removed from the discussion, being so analytic and professional in the style of the day, he has robbed us "readers of the future" of many insights.

African-American experience in the USA expressed itself most particularly in the blues, only later did that musical mode become part of the general American culture, often watered down, sometimes imitated by those who didn't wish to fit in or who wished to cash in. When conditions have changed, when the black middle class has entered mainstream America, and the urban underclass is wrapped up in hip-hop, gangsta rap culture, which is relentlessly commercialized by the powerful media, talking about the blues may seem a matter for historians or ethnomusicologists. Still, BLUES PEOPLE resonates strongly if we try to understand where we have been. As for where we are going---that old line sums it up---we're goin where the Southern cross the yella dog.

I actually purchased the first paperback edition this book a long time ago, and I learned that it had been out of print for quite some time. It was a time when I was a casual listener of blues and jazz, and didn't think about the roots of the music I was listening to. The book was interesting enough, but it didn't have information about more contemporary stuff, as it was printed in 1963.

Recently, I found this book in the upper shelves of my library, having completely forgotten about it in spite of my infatuation with the blues for the better part of the last two decades. It was a most welcome surprise for me, as it contained a compact but comprehensive introduction to the time period from the first Africans came to America to the 1920s when their music was first recorded, and laid the groundwork to how this music evolved in a sociological context. The rural lifestyle, the reflections of the exodus from the south on the music and subsequent refined, urban sound are discussed in this framework.

Although it would not really appeal to the casual reader and listener, "Blues People" is invaluable for the serious blues and jazz fan for setting the music into the general context of social life and external effects that made this music what it is today.

I'm a blues guitarist and I'm in the early stages of learning to play piano, so I can't give the most credible of reviews of this book yet, but I can tell you that it's chock-full of really, really, REALLY excellent comps and vamps and licks. So far I'm only able to work on the simplest of the stuff early in the book, but I've listened to the CD the whole way through, and it's just one example after another after another of killer riffs, the kind of stuff that makes me think, "YES...that is what I want to be able to play." In all kinds of blues styles.

This is definitely *not* a beginner book. As I said, most of it is still way beyond me. It's not a "here's what the half-rest looks like" kind of book, nor will you find guides for fingering. One of the first signs that told me that this book is still over my head is that it shows chords like, say, a 9th chord, with all five notes shown, in a key where it appears to me that there's no possible way one hand can hit all of those notes. Does the experienced player just hit a broken chord? Is it supposed to be a two-handed chord, even though it's shown in the bass clef, and there are also notes in the treble clef? I don't know.

So this is a book for people who already have some piano playing ability. But the material is terrific, and there's a ton of it. If I can ever learn to play all, or even half, of the stuff in this book, I'll be a happy man.

Having a good musical ear, yet with very weak sight reading skills, I'm always searching for good books that can teach common blues licks/runs on the piano, while also explaining the "why" of how it works. This book is perfect. It can be used for a variety of things to learn:

--Licks/runs...there are hundreds of examples of great sounding, commonly used runs (as opposed to other books, whose runs can sound very un-creative or cheesy). Each run is usually only a few measures long, easy to pick up, and the book teaches you a great deal of different sounding ones in all the various styles of blues (boogie woogie, n. orleans, funky, jazzy, gospel, etc).

--Left hand bass...while only a few pages long, this section is flawlessly explained in a clear, straightforward manner. Harrison covers about 15 major (and fairly easy to pick up) left hand bass teqniques covering all the major blues styles. While it took a lot of practice to get all of them down pat, they have increased my playing monumentally. He also teaches you to always be mixing them to have variation in your bass.

--The "By Ear" element...unlike MANY other books, Mark Harrison's included CD is a god send. If your like me and suck at sight reading, this cd is a blessing. The examples are short enough that once you can pick out the general notes, all you have to do is pop in the cd and hear clearly played note for note examples of what is on the page. I've found that hearing it cements the sound and timing of it in my head, making it easier to play, and also allows you to tinker and improv off the examples he gives you.

--Great summation and lead from basic to complex...the book incorporates more and more licks as it goes on, and covers more and more styles. By the end, when your listening to full 2-3 page blues pieces (the cd gives two tracks each for these; slow solo piano, and a faster one with a backing band), you can really get a feel for how all these runs are simply tools at your disposal to fit any given blues progression. Also great is that Harrison doesn't teach the very beginning licks as forgettable "step 1" sounding fodder...the licks sound great from the beginning by themselves, but are also used as building blocks to form more complex runs and comping later on.

This book is an absolute treasure trove of blues ideas, and a huge reason for my playing having increased so much over the past year. Mark Harrison's Smooth Jazz book is also good (it has a lot of great explanations for jazz chord voicings) but this book, and his "Jazz-Blues" book, are the two to go out and get immediately if you want concrete results without having the theory bog you down.

The day i started useing this book i could play the blues. This books breaks everything down very well. I love it and u will too!!!

This is a very well written book. The author does a great job of first explaining a concept and then showing how it can be applied, far better than other similar books I have read. I have found it easy to apply the ideas in this book to create my own riffs.

It would be hard to cover the entire spectrum of blues in a single book, and this book does not accomplish that. What it does well is to introduce a set of commonly used patterns and phrases which can be used to build a basic vocabulary of blues phrases and comping patterns.

If you are on a budget and don't have a lot of free time, but still want to sit down at a party or open mike and wail the blues, this is the book for you. In chapter 2 you get 20 or so authentic left hand patterns. In chapter 3 you learn a variety of chords from basic triads to sharped fifths and ninths with various timing tricks for comping. And you play those over the left hand patterns you learned in chapter 2. In chapter 4 Harrison introduces the grace note technique and takes it thru Dr. John's "famous lick". That's 90% of what you need to play convincing blues. The key is that Harrison keeps everything in two measure units that you can easily combine. You aren't confronted with a 4 bar melody as in some other books, wondering, "Why am I playing this?" This book dosen't cover everything, but if you learn to play the exercises in this book you will sound good. If you have a few extra bucks, buy Tim Richard's book for a complementary approach.

Geoff Dyer's But Beautiful: A Book about Jazz is much more than an extended critical essay on a still-evolving, vital musical genre and a great deal more than fictional portrayals of Jazz legends. Here, Dyer focuses his considerable talents on creating a kind of Jazz-in-print, seeking to emulate the frenzied riffing, explosive spontaneity and creative interplay, which has given Jazz music so much more vitality than many other genres' created in the 20th century. Without question, one would have to agree that he has succeeded, totally to the readers' enrichment.

But Beautiful hits the reader on several levels; we are taken on a series of journeys into the lives, thoughts, conversations and seminal events of eight Jazz musicians. Between each chapter is inserted a fictional, road-tripping almost ghostly presence of Duke Ellington, a father figure of modern Jazz who may well have known, recorded and very likely influenced all eight men whom Dyer chose to write/riff about. What's real about the eight musicians are the bare-bones facts known to many Jazz fans; Lester Young court-martialed by the Army because of an inability to cope with a racist Drill Sergeant, Chet Baker's teeth knocked out by an angry drug dealer in a seedy, San Francisco diner, Art Pepper sentenced to five years in prison on a Heroin possession conviction and so on. What's possible, and perhaps no less real to the reader are the details of their lives, their anguish and the self-destructive passions which attend the day to day living of so many creative people. Dyer draws these details in part through listening to the music and inspiration gained by looking at photographs of some of the musicians. 'Not as they were but as they appear to me....' Dyer asks the reader to see the musicians as he sees them, to believe in the memory of what these photos inspired. The men and their lives are portrayed, much like Jazz itself, with a kind of heart-stopping intensity and a poignant, empathetic acknowledgement of lives spent creating and being swallowed whole by the gift that makes creation possible. On Thelonious Monk; "Whatever it was inside him was very delicate, he had to keep it very still, slow himself right down so that nothing affected it." On Ben Webster; "He carried his loneliness around with him like an instrument case. It never left his side."

Very little, insightful criticism or critical essays have been produced regarding Jazz and the people who play it and live it. Dyer has done more than write mere history or criticism in But Beautiful, he has written (and played) a genre-exploding, lyrical meditation on Jazz and on the terrifying, exhilarating possibilities of the music itself and what ought to be recognized as a new form of fictional riffing.

If you ever loved a jazz tune, you will love these pages. Not for anything else but for beauty in the art itself. Sobering, BUT BEAUTIFUL.

This book captures the essence of jazz. Every nuance from languid to livid, sad to sublime is etched out by Dyer's poetic and harmonious flow of prose. If you are familiar with these artists, his stories encourage you to say, put on your favorite album by Monk while you read about him -- or after you read about him, so you can reflect on how the writer has connected with the soul of the music. If you aren't familiar with the artists, this work will definitely urge you to acquire some of their music. This book is simply an extended poem, traced so delicately that it allows the experienced and the novice alike, the opportunity to peer through a window and into the soul of Jazz.

Picture this: "Onstage at Birdland, eyes shut, one arm hanging at his side....trumpet raised to his lips like a brandy bottle--not playing the horn but swigging from it, sipping it."

Geoff Dyer's employs his exquisite imagery as a starting point for his "imaginative criticism" of the celebrated and tragic lives of several iconic jazz musicians (including figures such as Chet Baker, Lester Young, Thelonious Monk, Ben Webster, Charles Mingus, and Bud Powell). While photographs are the inspiration, Dyer's writing is so precise and sensual that he need only describe the photographs (the book has only one small photo). And this is just right for a book about music, his writing is so lyrical that we almost hear the sounds while reading. (In fact. the least effective aspect of the book is the Duke Ellington "road trip" that introduces each chapter, perhaps because the narrative is not connected to any particular Ellington sound.)

Many of the scenes and dialogue (especially the inner dialogue) are necessarily fictions, "assume that what's here has been invented or altered rather than quoted." But Dyer's explains that while his version may veer from the truth, "it keeps faith with the improvisational prerogatives of the form." He mixes truth and fiction into portraits that illuminate what strictly factual history cannot always convey. (Think of Robert Graves' in his WWI memoir/fiction "Goodbye to All That."). Dyer explains that while a photo depicts only a "split second," its "felt duration" may include the unseen moments before and after that split second. "But Beautiful" invites us to improvise (as Dyer does) into that unseen time, and discover our own subjective relationship to the music.

Listen to this: "Chet put nothing of himself into his music and that's what lent his playing its pathos...Every time he played a note he waved it goodbye. Sometimes he didn't even wave."

The evocative word pictures are unusually perceptive and sensitive. Although personal and often imagined, it's really like an improvised solo that either feels "right" or not. I think "But Beautiful" hits the right notes and rhythms: his words evoke the music, and, after reading it, the music will evoke the words. Not without its flaws, it is still an astonishing feat.

This work, along with James Baldwin's short story, "Sonny's Blues," is as good as any I've read about the jazz life, its creators and innovators, and the high cost of such terrible beauty. I had the advantage of being present while Lester was lost on stage in an alcoholic stupor; Monk was dancing around the piano, knocking over cymbals, rather than playing the instrument; Chet Baker, unable to stand, was expending his last breaths on "The Thrill Is Gone"; and Duke was waiting for Harry Carney to swing by with the car to chauffeur him through the wintry night from Kenosha, Wisconsin to Kansas City. But how a young writer like Dyer managed to capture these moments before his time, freezing them unforgettably in a literary living moment, I can't imagine.

Dyer knows that the foremost responsibility of a music critic is not to critique but to verbalize his non-verbal subject, bringing it to life for the reader. He does so admirably, creating believable, recognizable, fascinating portraits in unlabored, unpretentious prose.

His portraits of the artist ring completely true to the ears of this fellow observer--penetrating glimpses of the creative child trapped in a man's body now reduced to fighting a losing battle against physical and mental entropy. Yet his faith in the living tradition of jazz is refreshing, as is his characterization of the jazz musician's struggle as a valiant contest with the precursor, not unlike that of the strong poet's.

Though there's an elegaic tone throughout the book, it's never ponderous or depressing. In fact, its human portraits are more likely to interest newcomers than the many text books that catalog styles and names.

This is not to say the book is without shortcomings. The author is much better at capturing the musicians for us than their music. And his appreciation and understanding of Duke Ellington's music seems somewhat limited. Too bad he didn't give at least as much attention to the colorful cast of characters on the band bus as to the private conveyance preferred by Duke.

Yet any listener who has the slightest interest in jazz and its makers simply cannot afford to pass this one up. And it goes a long way toward fleshing out some of the caricatures served up on the Ken Burns' television series.

This is a really fun book that everyone can enjoy. There are a lot of hidden meanings. The author makes you feel in the end that how you make money is probably just as or even more important than how much you make. I think this is a book for every one.

SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
I love this book! It is so awesome. Singh really leaves you hanging. You never know what will jump out at you next.

You wanna laugh, don't miss this one. I don't know about what the others are talking about, I didn't get any deep meanings out of this. But what I did get was great entertainment. get this one for your collection. Also nice to add to your collection are: Aesop for Children (Winter), Grimm's complete fairy tales (Grimm), Great Children's stories (Richardson). There are many other great children's books out there, but these were the ones I enjoyed the most. Oh, and I almost forgot the two classics that no children should ever be deprived of: The Little Prince (Exupery) and Charlotte's Web (White).

A brilliant story of contemporary philosophy which draws upon fable, fairy tale, and mythology-as well as modern aesthetic and mathematical thought. Even more brilliant is the style in which it was written, a literary equivalent to Cubism with all sorts of pleasant repetitions and poetic phrases. If Picasso had been a writer, I imagine him writing something like this, although he probably would have stayed away from caterpillars and butterflies, especially pink and blue ones.

The only writer who has made me laugh and cry in the same book. It can be slow at times,but trust me, stick with it! I have recommended it to many others who have told me how they laughed out loud and even cried in cafes, getting a whole lot of other people interested in the book. Now I see why so many people are enjoying and talking about what is but a simple tale of a caterpillar searching for its food plant. I think my only problem with the book is that the author didn't give the caterpillar a name. I think this bothered a lot of people. Poor thing needs a name. Instead she is always referred to as THE BRAVE LITTLE CATERPILLAR. It's tedious and tiring and I wish he had given her a name, any name, couldn't have been that hard. Personally I would have named her. But that's not reason enough to bash a book that has won the heart of so many young Asians. And if great art bears true witness to an experience, I think Singh has quite honestly captured the ambitions and anxieties, the experience, of second generation American Asians, be they Indian, Korean, or Japanese. Myself I had a dad who ever since I was a child would sneak into my room while I was sleeping and whisper, in my ear, 'Doctor, doctor, I want to be a doctor,' in a sad and futile hope to subliminally mold my dreams and desires. But when he saw that wasn't working, it was sort of forced upon me and sadly this was for his own ego. So now for his ego I truly believe I'm wasting my time studying something I really don't want to be studying. But, slowly but surely, I'm summoning up the courage to leave the 'Silk Palace' and pursue my 'food plant' whatever it may be. I admittedly don't know yet. But that's more because I regrettably let someone else define my life. In writing this, I see and feel how powerful this book is and I look forward to anything else this author has to say.

I can't remember when I have read a more engrossing book. The author brings her fascinating characters to life in such a way that one cannot help but connect with them from the very first page, rooting for them as they travel on their life's path, anxious when they turn an unknown corner, sympathetic when they stumble, sad when they fall, and happy and excited when you pick themselves up again. Ah, was it my destiny to discover Patricia Sheehy and Field of Destiny or was it a happy accident? Whatever it was, I am the richer for it.

Field of Destiny immediately peaks your interest and keeps it with twists, turns and delightful surprises. Great bookclub item too as it sparks a curiosity of life's purpose. Loved it!

This is a wonderfully written, thought-provoking novel. It makes you think about the chances we take, the choices we make, and the path we follow. Does our free will really change our destiny? All the while, you will become engrossed in the lives of each one of these characters. They have such depth and such personality. You can actually feel the turmoil within their human spirit and the difficult decisions they must make throughout their lifetime. As a reader, you become the "fly on the wall" taking in the all of the surroundings, urging Natalie to make another decision, yet you still understand why she chooses the path she decides to follow. I loved every minute of this book - it is intriguing, filled with hope, filled with reality and it certainly has a destiny of its own!! ENJOY!!!

I got hooked by Field of Destiny right from the start. The references to the different times, the different places, like France, Absinthe, New Orleans, really made this book even richer. It is spiritual and reconnected me with choices, destiny, challenges and how important each decision in life is. This book truly changed my life and will remain with me for a long time. I am so excited there is a sequel...I can't get enough of the characters and the story. This is by far a "must read" book.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that the lead character of Patricia Sheehy's novel, "Field of Destiny" shares my fascination with one of the world's most multi-faceted fragrances, Aime Guerlain's olfactory wonder-of-the-world, `Jicky'--created in 1889 and touted as one of the first modern perfumes, one of the first to blend the natural animal note of civet with synthetic elements. A less oriental `Shalimar', `Jicky' imbues the wearer with a classic freshness that hints of the past yet can fully compete and reign victorious with more contemporary fragrance. As someone who uses both `Jicky' and `Shalimar' as her signature scents, immediately, I felt a connection with the author of this book and the inimitable soul, Nunki, both of which obviously share my sensual obsession.

On another, more spiritual level, the subject of reincarnation of which Ms Sheehy very definitely explores within the pages of this 274 page quest for character assessment and development, also enthralls this reviewer as a potential explanation for many happenstances in life that seem otherwise difficult to explain. After all, how do we elucidate on instances where we come across someone we have never before met and immediately sense a kinship and an unmistakable familiarity that is uncanny in its thorough knowing?

In "Field of Destiny," Patricia Sheehy illustrates her definition of the concept of reincarnation and all its cyclical implications by centering her plotline around the life of Natalie Davenport and heralding this journey of a troubled woman born in 1947 with the short unhappy life of Noelle Robidoux, a woman who, in the opening chapter, dies violently at the hands of her husband Charles in France circa 1898. What could these two women living in two different centuries have in common? Much it seems--they share an eternal soul named Nunki complete with a guardian angel, a soulmate and a raft of life lessons to learn. According to the Masters, Nunki's past life motivation has consisted of only selfishness that has propelled her helter-skelter through countless irresponsible acts none of which have helped her soul to achieve any semblance of enlightenment. As Natalie, she will again come into contact with other souls from the past all of which will afford her the chance for spiritual growth if she so chooses.

Ms Sheehy, it seems believes, not so much in the power of fate, but in the element of free will and how this comes into play with a soul's ultimate development. We see this over and over again as the character of Natalie stumbles through both good and bad choices. We cringe when she lies and cheer when she makes a decision that will move her up a rung on the ladder of personal enrichment.

From the moment of her birth in 1947, Natalie's life is chronicled with a constant eye on her reencountering the other souls that have influenced her development. Sheehy accomplishes this effect with simplicity---her story line follows the soul Nunki from the Noelle incarnation to that of the newer Natalie embodiment, even offering a stage where the soul is actually identified in transition phase--this portion of the story being unfortunately the most difficult for her to render without suspending the belief of the reader.

Although not great literature, Sheehy has the ability to tell a story that keeps the pages turning. I, for one, read the entire book in a two-day period and admit to thoroughly enjoying the more romantic aspects of this tale, especially the very credible relationship between soul mates Nunki and Jabbah as incarnated as Natalie and Johnny. Their reunion although expected elicited a few well deserved tears, so intense is Sheehy's skill in recreating that feeling one gets from a gift of mutually shared love. The predictable as with many other novels adds to that sense of satisfaction that a reader receives when their plot forecast comes a fulfilling climax. The reader nods with adamant "I knew it" and allows emotions to overflow with a shameless unsophisticated abandon that refreshes rather than frustrates.

As I was a bit surprised by the novel's ending, I do look forward to encountering all characters again in Sheehy's sequel entitled "A Thousand Whispers." Hopefully, in this one, she will not use the rather hackneyed technique of hawking another of her works by having the main character act as a surrogate author. In a similar sense some of her secondary characters although indicative of the time period being rendered seem superfluous to the overall action and pace of the tale.


Bottom line? Patricia Sheehy does a fine job of depicting the concept of reincarnation as she sees it in her very readable novel, "Field of Destiny." From one page to the next, as the reader, you will move through each phase of main character Natalie's existence, wonder what she will learn in terms of her own enlightenment and clamor for more when the story ends. Like a whiff of `Jicky,' "Field of Destiny" creates a world built of molecules that restructure themselves to formulate elements of greater depth when experienced by those willing to explore that which seems familiar from the perspective of a novice on the ladder of life and its epiphanies. Recommended for its ability to entertain with the caveat that the soul transition portion of the tale may be a bit hard to swallow.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"

I love each book of the series. I would recommend these books to any historical romance reader, funny, LOL funny. Loved it.

I've loved all of Shelley Bradley's books, but I have to admit, HIS LADY BRIDE, is probably my favorite. As always, Ms. Bradley knows how to draw the reader into her story. I was hooked from the first page. Aric and Gwenyth are a wonderful couple! A must-read for any romance fan.

I found this book to be one off the best I have read in a long time. Ms. Bradley does a wonderful job of keeping your attention caught on her heroine and hero. They are very easy to relate to and you can almost feel what they are experiencing. It's easy to read and makes is very hard to put down. It is set in 1484 England when King Richard is about to lose his throne. You struggle with Aric as he must decide what true honer and love is really about. Gwenyth engages your heart with her spirit and generosity. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a true romance!!!

In her new book, "His Lady Bride," Shelley Bradley spins a fascinating tale of intrigue and romance against a rich historical background. The reign of Richard the III was a turbulent time with scandals and infanticide swirling around the battles between the Yorks and the Tudors. Bradley sets her tale in and amongst this exciting period and her extensive research into the period is evident. "His Lady Bride" is the first book in Bradley's new "Brothers In Arms" series which will feature Aric's close friends Drake and Kieran in upcoming volumes. Watch for this groundbreaking series to catapult Shelley Bradley into the league of the country's top historical romance authors.

Many medieval romances are dark and almost overwhelmingly serious -- and thank goodness Shelley Bradley didn't follow that path! Ms. Bradley will delight readers with the first book in her BROTHERS AT ARMS trilogy, further securing her place among the most talented of romance authors.

Aric Neville is warrior weary of battle and sickened by court intrigues. Holding himself accountable for a horrible crime, Aric resolves to live out his life as a hermit, never again taking up his sword. Shunned and feared by the villagers as the evil sorcerer in the woods, Aric spends his days in a quiet and solitary manner, quite different from the battlefields of his past.

Yet his fragile peace is shattered by the outspoken Gwyneth de Auburd, niece to the local lord. Gwyneth is being forced to wed the mysterious sorcerer in an attempt to end the drought plaguing the village. Her uncle also has another motive: to rid his castle of the beautiful young woman, clearing the way for his homely daughters to marry the lords who come a'calling.

Furious at having her dreams of marrying for love destroyed, Gwyneth gives her tongue free reign, alternately humoring and enraging her new husband. To Aric's dismay, Gwyneth, sharp tongue at all, is always arousing him. As the sparks fly between the newlyweds, tension also escalates. Being forced to live in such squalid surroundings is yet another bone of contention between Aric and Gwyneth. Yet once Aric returns to his former life to help an old friend, Gwyneth is stunned by her husband's past life. Why would he give up such privilege, wealth, and rank to live amongst the trees and animals of the forest? Resolving to learn more about the complex man, Gwyneth allows herself to explore her feelings for Aric, resulting in her declaration of love. But Aric sees this as a falsehood, as she confesses her love while living the life of wife to a wealthy and powerful lord, not while in the hut of the pauper.

Aric and Gwyneth's path to love is certainly not an easy one, yet Ms. Bradley's writing style guarantees that reading HIS LADY BRIDE will not be a hardship. The characters truly come alive, reaching off of the pages to involve the reader in their lives. Aric's courage and strength will melt even the hardest of hearts, while Gwyneth's quick wit will have readers cheering.

Ms. Bradley is certain to gain a loyal following with HIS LADY BRIDE, the first book in her BROTHERS AT ARMS trilogy for Zebra. Consistently providing readers with entertaining stories, lovable characters, and, most importantly, her stellar writing style, Ms. Bradley never disappoints.

--Julie Shininger, Escape to Romance Reviews

This is a great product for Josh Groban fans who want to (attempt to) sing like him. Although the music itelf is simplified, it still gets the point across. I recomend it!

This music book is just what I hoped it would be. Easy to read/play, and the price was great!

This has everything I could have wanted.All the songs are complete and in the rights keys.Nothing is missing.It's magic to play Groban by yourself.Plus it has the English translations to the foreign language songs and great shots of Josh.

The sheet music here is challenging, but playable and close enough to the composition on the CD that it's amazing! the vocal is soprano, the piano moderate difficulty, it's exactly what i expected, and i would encourage it's purchase if you're looking for the sheet music to the Josh Groban Closer album, all songs are in the book.

Love the fact that the words and translations are provided. Not an expert pianist but the music works for my purposes (playing for fun and to sing along with).

Don't love the fact that when I tried to press open the book so that it would lay on the music stand of my piano, the whole cover fell off (cheap binding materials, apparently). But at least now I can use it.