Genres Books

If you enjoy this book, as I know you will (read the reviews!), you must also read "The Jazz Word" by Dom Cerulli et al (1960), available from Amazon.

If you have the liner note, PBS special, quickstep history of Jazz in your mind, you need to read this book. Bop may have been led by Gillespie, Parker, Monk,Powell, and Roach, but it came to fruition because it reflected ferment, not just in society, but ferment among the musicians that produced it, and change not only in the music, but in their lives. This book documents that change, not just in music but in the life styles, impressions, and experiences of the musicians, some famous, some not so famous, some who went to Bop, some who stayed with swing.

The whole mid 1940s Jazz scene is one that many, if not most, Jazz lovers are ignorant of beyond the recordings that Bird made. Most people who should read this book will have never heard of Claude Thornhill, or even Woodie Herman. Sadly, there are a lot of folk out there who think they are Jazz lovers who never heard of the "The Birth of Cool."

Dig deep into this book because not only will you know about it and add some dates and people to your history list, but you will see what folks used to call THE BIG CHANGE documented in the real lives of real women and men. Of course, after you read this, you are going to be searching Amazon for the sounds the people here made.

Number one is to get anything done by McShann in the 1940s. After that, The Birth of Cool. You need the best of the many compilations of Woodie's Three-Brothers herd. You will know what that means by then!

This one-of-a-kind oral history makes fascinating reading. It's full of anecdotes and innuendo, cameraderie and competition, in the words of the musicians themselves. The intent of Gitler's book is to document the shift in the 1940s away from the popular form of swing jazz to the more complex, more personal bop style. The stories of life on the road, the "cutting contests" of musicians trying to outdo one another off the bandstand, and the personal stories of struggle and discrimination, bring the era to life in a way that no scholarly book can match. Most of the great musicians are here, and it's fun to read them jostling about on the page trying to set the record straight, according to their lights. Maybe not the best first book on jazz, but if you're already a fan this should definitely be your next one.

This fascinating book presents an oral history of the evolution from the structures of Swing to the innovations of bebop, as it developed through night-long jam sessions, the mentoring of musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, and the classic recordings of Gillespie, Bird, Monk, Powell, et al.

While Gitler describes what is unique about bop, he also shows how its seeds can be found in the much earlier work of jazz musicians, most notably Lester Young's solos within the pared-down arrangements of the Count Basie band.

All of this is done through interview transcriptions with such jazz giants as Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Jay McShann, Dexter Gordon, and many more. They furnish insights into and first-person accounts of bop's development, along with a collection of anecdotes variously hilarious and poignant. The oral history reads easily, partly because Gitler wisely leaves enough room for each musician to speak, and because he links the narratives together with brief but helpful comments.

An excellent book for either the student of jazz or the casual reader; "Swing to Bop" is a revealing account of the musicians' culture and the improvisations on a form that coalesced into bop. With 12 pages of photographs and a useful index.

Wow! The 1940's must have been an exciting time to be a jazz musician with Dizzy and Bird innovating wherever they went. Early on are the influences of Pres (Lester Young), Coleman Hawkins, and Charlie Christian and countless other. The comradeship and competition at Milton's and Monroe's clubs, on 52nd street or after hours at apartments such as Mary Lou Williams was a very fertile environment. Not many could keep up with Bird, and they acknowledge that some of the cuts were to keep lesser talented musicians from sitting in. Gitler weaves these interviews together so skillfully that at times in seems the musicians are talking to each other.

The stories on the road are often funny, but also sad; segregation, discrimination, and drug use. Some musicians emulated Charlie Parker's drug use so they could "play like bird". Gitler begs the question with the statement "in spite of (or because?) (of the drugs) ... a great music was made". As an aside, what other index can you find reference to both Nietzsche and Alan Greenspan?

This Book was all that.Staxx is as Important as Motown.It's a Incredible Story.especially when A Black Label Blows up Down South in the 60's.you only ever here about Sun Records &Sam Phillips and his discovery of Elvis Presley.so this is Very Important on a Social Front.The Many Great Artists on Staxx.this Book is strong from start to Finish.

This book is simply amazing. I was only marginally interested in Stax before reading the book, but you will be moved by this story.

The passion shows through and I was unable to put it down.

Out of the hundreds of books I've read, this is one of the finest.

This book is as raw and soulful as the greatest country and rockabilly music gets. Great essays on contemporay stars Dwight Yoakum and Marty Stuart (two of the few "real" artists in today's Garth-in-the-park, yuppiefied, mall rat Urban Country scene). Also, a look at Pat Boone (how could such a soulless singer come from Tennessee!), the great, but sadly forgotten Johnny Horton and an ex-country wannabe who became a segragationist candidate for Govenor of Mississippi.

Bowman's love for the music and personnel of the Stax label is plainly clear as he weaves its exciting, sometimes turbulent, history into a story that is as entertaining as it is informative. The interviews with the involved parties is what makes the book what it is, elevating the history from what could be a dry textbook, to a feel of a story told over dinner. The demise of Stax is truly a heartbreaking story that reflects America's, and specifically the South's, experience of the time. Fantastic work!

Biographical essays of well-known as well as fairly obscure musicians and industry types. Escott has made a career out of telling outrageous, sometimes salacious, tales -- he gets to the rawer, visceral side of the story pretty quickly, which is relatively easy when you're talking to folks who worked in the scraggly, scruffy early years of country, rock and blues. He's an engaging, consersational writer, and this latest collection is a delight. Includes essays on artists such as Dale Hawkins, Don Everly, Johnny Horton, Tim Hardin and a particularly cruel skewering of Pat Boone. In one of the most fascinating sections, Escott profiles the founders of record labels such as Decca, King, Starday and Hi -- a fascinating and very illuminating appoach to presenting the history of popular music. Beautifully laid out, well written and highly recommended.

This book has everything that you could possibly want to know about Adult Contemporary music. It gives you a whole new slant on The Beach Boys, Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, Elvis and many many more. I've discovered hits about these artists and many more that I never knew exsisted. Highly recommened!

Billboard Books & Joel Whitburn & his Record Research team have Indeed come up with a treasure trove of AC chart INFO. This body of work is a must have for those of us who Love"Soft Rock".Or Better Still,as the Record Research motto on the back of the book says"for those who have a HEART for the Charts.Has Listings of the 200 most succesful AC Artists.This book also cross references w/ Pop Chart Information under ea.Artist.I Love This Book!I can't Wait for updates to this,It'll be Awhile!ENJOY!

As always with Joel Whitburn's Record Research books, the detail is spot on - exactly what it says on the tin. A fascinating insight into the changes that have occurred in what is considered "adult" music over 4 decades. Way back in the sixties, the phrases "easy listening" and "middle-road" were applied to what is now called the "adult contemporary" chart - that gives you a good indication as to the sort of music that generally qualified in those days.

I particularly like the fact that B-side details are also given, which seems to be the case with the latest issues of the RR singles books.

Whether or not this volume is of interest or use to you depends on what you want to use it for. If you merely want to scan it for interest and entertainment, then get the volume that addresses the Hot 100. If you need it for research purposes, or your interest goes beyond the pop charts, then this is a fabulous book.

An excellent book with tons of information and insight. It's great to see the many different types of artists who have landed on the Adult Contemporary charts and also great to see my favorite AC group the Carpenters ranked as one of the most successful of alltime.

What a great book. Almost as great as other RR books. It's always cool to see rock stars of the past like Clapton, Stewart and Billy Joel make great strides on the Adult Contemporary chart. In this book you will see how well all the pop acts have done with soft rock radio in the last 40 years. From Perry Como to Jim Brickman, from Rita Coolidge to Enya. The book even has a great section of the AC hits from 1955-early 1961.

My only complaint is that with the growing success of adult-rock music, I kind of wish Record Research would have put a special bonus Adult Top 40 section (based on research from Billboard's Adult T40 chart). It would have fit in well with this book. It may be another ten years for another revision of this book but enjoy this one while it is totally up-to-date to 2002.

This stuff is no joke. It really and truly has an effect on people. I haven't tried all of them yet. I don't think I have heard the end of the "Deep Rest" CD more than twice. Have had these for months now. I bought them to help my husband recover from his brain injury.

i enjoyed all the cds on this collection.the active learning cds put my brian thru its paces and the passive learing cds were relaxing and fun.the ultimate brian is a great collection and i think everyone should get one.

These music will take you to zone with no attempt, and is very healing. It will connect you with unknown,with yourself as well as with your subcounciouse.
My first experience with these music I just fell to deep sleep. It Naturally awaken your intuition and you become completly aware of circumstances. It sure opens awareness and stimulate part of brain that was unknown to me. These music are the only sound that put me to sleep I am extremely sound sensetive.I like complete silence in order to fell sleep.Thank you Tom kenyon for your gifted tallent

I am really enjoying Tom Kenyon's The Ultimate Brain. I am having some really deep relaxing experiences. I'm not crazy about all of the CDs. I like most of them. This is very interesting stuff. I feel more relaxed and centered. I especially like to go to sleep with them.

As an adult autistic, I am always looking for ways to relax myself and to stimulate the parts of my brain that don't function as properly as they should. I have been playing a lot of ambient-type cds at home when I sleep or just hang around the house - I am very sensitive to sound from outside and have a lot of insomnia. Some of the cds I have are good, others are not so good - there are a lot of people making this kind of stuff and some of them seem to think you can just noodle around on a synthesizer over some ocean wave sounds and come up with a subliminal CD.

I am happy to say that this series is the finest one I have discovered to date. The creator, Tom Kenyon, has done extensive scientific research on the brain and what types of sounds stimulate certain brain wave patterns. There are 9 cds in the set, and it includes an audio user's guide that helps you learn to make the most of the set. The CDs include:

*Enhance Creative Problem Solving: Working in the mid-alpha, this program has been documented to significantly improve analytical abilities, problem solving, learning, and visualization skills. This cd is all music, no speech, and is very relaxed and pleasant to listen to. One of my favorites.

* Mind Gymnastiks: Guided sessions along multiple brainwave frequencies for actively exercising specific areas of the brain. I found this one challenging, as it's hard for me to listen to voice-guided exercises. There is speech and music on this CD and unlike most of the others, you have to listen actively and participate to get the most out of it.

*Ambient Support: Background music to lower stress and induce an ideal mid-alpha state of focused alertness. No speech. The music is very soft and pleasant. Another of my favorites.

* Deep Rest: Take a quick trip through the immensely refreshing Low-delta to mid-alpha cycles with "The 22-Minutee Vacation", "The 24 Minute Nap", and "Sweet Delta". The first two have speech, the last does not. Again excellent music.

* Deep Relaxation and Healing: A gentle "brain massage" in the theta range to help you dissolve tensions and drift into profound relaxation. This CD alone is worth the price of the set to me. It sent me to sleep for about three days straight - which might sound a little excessive, but I had been missing a lot of sleep up to then. I woke up feeling really refreshed and a lot calmer when dealing with sensory stressors in my everyday life. It amazes me how well this CD works. Better than tranquilizers without any of the side effects of chemicals.

* Opening the Heart: Based on an ancient mantra believed to be the "sound of the inner heart", a moving, calming experience in the relaxing theta range.

* Activate the Holographic Mind: A potent aid to psycho-navigation through altered states, taking you into the deep-theta range of vivid dreams and visions. This is another very pleasant, all-music CD which is one of my favorites.

*Freedom to Change: This one is almost subliminal, but not quite. You hear the author speaking over ambient music but his voice is half-buried in the mix. I found it a little bit cheesy, but not as bad as the other hypnosis cds I have tried. The music, as with all the other cds in this collection, is excellent. Maybe I'm being a bit hard on the guy because many human voices bother me.

* The user's guide


This set is not cheap, but definitely worth the money. The music is excellent, ranging from muted ocean sounds, plucking strings, and other light pleasant stuff to strange, atmospheric, almost haunting. The sound balance is good - even when some odd tones are being played, it's never overwhelming and the rest of the music is very soothing - which gives a pleasant effect of stimulation and relaxation at the same time. The CDs come packaged in a nice box with a lot of information on the outside, and the user's guide cd also has an informative booklet.

The best series of its kind I have ever tried. Well worth five stars. The price currently listed on Amazon averages to about $[...] per cd, not a bad deal especially for a set of this quality.

I recently threw a surprise party for my wife with an 80's theme. One of the games we played was 80's trivia. I was surprised at how many questions and answers were used from The Ultimate Soul Music Trivia Book. Many people participated and the book was a great source to pull information from. It really took us back and we all had fun!

I am a devoted fan of oldies but goodies and Motown ,be it books ,articles ,conversation, watching a live concert in person ,or on T.V. or listening to my own collection of music. I found this book very informative. People I showed the book enjoyed being asked questions to test their skill and helped them remininsce the good old days of Motown.I would highly recommend this book to keep this part of history alive and well and for just plain fun.

Fun, fun, fun! Open this book to any page, there's something worth knowing/recalling. Only one thing...where's the sequel?

I'm a Music Trivia Buff and this book is alot of fun.so many interesting facts.I Love Reading About Black Music History.the Influences&Many Different Eras and styles.alot of fun&Facts.I call this Book the Soul Jeoprady.

This trivia book is a must for all lovers of Soul/R&B music. My friends and I have had a ball trying to answer the questions in all the various decades. It is a must for a party, great way to get everyone invovled in a fun journey through the music.

I imagine due to the holidays was the reason that it took so long for this item to arrive. (mid January) However! The book is a quality item, it arrived in excellent condition and the person who received the gift is extremely happy. A very worth while purchase.
Some things are worth looking forward to. Very satisfied. thank you.

This book is a real treasure if you are enamored with the film! When you just can't get enough, it gives you a play by play of the whole script, side notes, and facts about scenes and the making of them. The pages are wonderful along with the pictures. I would highly recommend this collectable book for true V fanatics at heart!

(from an extended feature, copyright 2006 Michael F. Hopkins)

Few literary masterworks offer more narrative wonder,
and more frustration to adapt to the silver screen,
than the socioculturally-charged V FOR VENDETTA by
writer Alan Moore and illustrator David Lloyd. Its
mix of Fascist horror, Romantic adventure, and
Science Fiction contemplation, has thrilled readers
of Sequential literature and a world of enthusiasts
for over 20 years.
The questions posed by its pages, particularly the
point at which Terrorism becomes the State, or the
crucible in which Dissent can be compelled to fashion
the tools of Rebellion from the State's own Terror,
still await finer resolutions in the trouble-torn
world of the Here and Now.
As ambivalent as the tones of a William Blake painting,
V FOR VENDETTA strikes as aggressively for the souls
and minds of thinking, caring people who refuse to
settle for any quick emotion, and easy answer.

These are the focused aims superbly met by the wondrous
film from the shapers of THE MATRIX Trilogy. Larry and
Andy Wachowski spent many years forging their prodigious
script, and director James McTeigue brings the momentous
tale to stunning life.
Not a word-for-word adaptation of what is perhaps Alan
Moore's signature work, the film masterfully embraces
Moore's questing spirit; holding true to the original
author's vision while imbuing the film with a life and
character all its own. Its myriad inquiries into the
nature of Faith and Wisdom in a bigoted World run by
Lust without Ethics, and Reason gone mad without Virtue,
mark the cinematic V FOR VENDETTA as a classic tale of
the Human spirit prevailing against all odds.

Those who love to look within the shaping of such
presentations would do well to purchase V FOR VENDETTA:
FROM SCRIPT TO FILM, a handsome coffee-table book
(Hardcover, as well as paperback) from Rizzoli's
Universe Publishing which offers the film's complete
shooting script, a wealth of photos and pre-production
art from the movie, along with invaluable insights from
director McTeigue himself.
Edited by Spencer Lamm (who edited THE ART OF THE MATRIX)
and Sharon Bray, the volume is a massive tribute to the
power of gifted artistry; crossing idioms to make even
broader points to ever-growing audiences with unimpeachable integrity.

If there continues to be confusion regarding author Moore's
disavowing of such a landmark adaptation of his work, it
is hoped that this volume will make the adaptation's
worthiness crystal clear, beyond any shadow of a doubt.
Perhaps only Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Phillipa
Boyens (LORD OF THE RINGS) along with Ray Bradbury
(John Huston's MOBY DICK) had a more imposing task of
adaptation.
Those who admire both the Literary original and the
Hugo Weaving-Natalie Portman tour de force can respect
-if not agree with- author Moore's disavowal of film
adaptations. By the very breath, one can only hope that
the excellence of this motion picture -ably reflected
by this book- will earn Mr. Moore's respect, in turn.

Differences between parties notwithstanding, the film
is a masterpiece; one which ably complements the book
from which it came. Each holds wonders for all. Time
for the idiomatic skirmishes to end.

Come in, and be enlightened.

Great book containing the shooting script with director's notes and hundreds of stills. The last third of the book contains artwork and storyboards and how they were transformed into film, complete with explaining notes by the film's makers. Poster gallery and credits included. All color photos and artwork, high quality print, great book on this great film!

Has the full shooting script. Lots of behind the scenes stuff.

THICK, glossy pages (the kind you sort of get a high from, from such heavy gloss fumes).

Wonderful artwork from the film!!!! Mock movie posters and the print posters. All very nice.

A must have if you're a fan of the film!

The book is well written and is a great overview of the VJ culture, the DVD is full of excerpts form live perfomances by the major artist around, interviews and CGI videos. A must-have for VJS!

Just finished reading this book and have to say its amazing.

very insightful cross section of the Vj community. Much to be learnt about the wide range of VJs out there.

It has a good mix between articles on specific issues, looking at the world of VJs, and technical articles explaining how established VJs have their setup.

The DVD has been produced to a very high standard, and like the book lots of informative content is on it.

The book looks beautiful with all the UV pages, and so much design work has gone into it.

anyone who has not got this book yet is missing out big time, recommended to the highest degree.

I was contacted by D-Fuse for an interview for a book a few months ago. I am a VJ as well and I was expecting some sort of paper bag book when it came out. I got it yesterday, a day after my birthday in fact and I have never seen a book (if you can call it just that) with so much detail and so much artistic value.

The audio-visual art + vj culture is one of those books you need to have in your livingroom for your friend to look up despite its content yet. Tp make it better there is so much information inside, even a graphic on how many VJs are per country.

Is a book compared to those of Frank Lloyd Wight. Is one of those books that make you feel like having one even you do not know what is about. The best thing is that you will learn a lot because of the way all reference are managed. And you know what? I'm on page 160!!!

Really good work regarding content and desing, I am very very impress. I am about to get another one, one to show to the people and another one for me.

This book is a brilliant piece of art as much as it is a great resource for beginning and established VJs. The presentation of pictures and graphics is stunning, and looking at all of the eyecandy in the book can be inspiring.

This book does a great job of showcasing the best talent in the business in the form of interviews and articles. There are also some really great tips and how-to guides that even the most experienced VJ can learn from. Equipment hardware and software is covered thoroughly and explained in detail.

This is truly a book all VJs should add to their bookcase because it will always serve as a great reference tool as well as entertain and enage you as a casual reader. I highly recommend this book to all VJs and people that have a passion for motion graphics and live performance art.

This book was several years in the making, and I admire the dedication of those involved in getting it to print.

Unfortunately, that means that in such a rapidly-moving field, it's a bit out of date. Several of the acts featured have disappeared off the radar by now, and there are some quite glaring omissions - such as the EyeWash DVDs, Resolume software (currently used by around a third of the world's top VJ's) and uh... PC's. This wouldn't bother me as much if not for the tagline on the back cover which touts 'full details of the hardware and software available for VJing are provided'. I'd suggest that 'examples of hardware and software available for Mac-based VJing are provided'.

If you get the impression that you need a pair of Mac Powerbooks to VJ from the setups and info given in this book, don't worry - that's not the case. The scene featured in this book is just one aspect of international VJ Culture, and it's been curated from a particularly Mac perspective.

It's a graphic-design triumph - you couldn't ask for more beautiful, slick presentation. The background of Faulkner and other members of D-Fuse as print-based graphic designers with decades of experience between them really shows. Personally, I find the layering and shiny panels a bit distracting and hard to read at one sitting, and I feel like I should put on gloves every time I pick it up as the slightest touch leaves great grubby fingerprints on some of the shinier pages. But it's a stunning, jaw-dropping book, which is just what the scene needed.

To be honest, I don't see this as a book to read so much as to show-off. VJing is a very visual artform, so what better way to communicate what it's all about than in gorgeous, awe-inspiring imagery? Even if it's a bit of a struggle to actually sit and read it cover-to-cover, it's the PERFECT coffee-table book. You couldn't ask for a better showcase for potential clients, newbie wannabes or... well... your Mum... to show what VJing is and why you're dedicating yourself to it despite the bad pay, the expensive equipment, the long hours, etc etc.

A friend of ours runs a Band House, where touring members of bands stay when they're performing in her town. She's a VJ, and so in a good position to plug 'have you thought about using visuals?' on a daily basis. She said this book's been the perfect way to do that - she just leaves a copy lying around and the muso's thumb through it over their breakfast.

The DVD is a huge improvement over that provided with Spinrad's 'the VJ Book'. There's a load of great material on it, and most of it's of an equivalent standard to the imagery in the book - the glamour, high-end of the VJ scene. Positively wow-worthy, and the most impressive DVD collection of live VJing I've seen to date. Some of my favourite parts though were cut very short - eg just a minute or two long - and then there's the bizarrely out of place inclusion of long swathes of content by Elliott Earls, most of which has little to do with the VJ scene - eg a long mockumentary called the Saranay Hotel. Given that there was so much other great VJ content that could have gone on there, I can't work out why Earls' doco was included. It's got nothing to do with VJing or audio-visual art, and the quality is so vastly different to everything else on the DVD.

Like Spinrad's VJ Book before it, I've bought multiple copies of this book/DVD to give away whenever I can afford it. I take a copy to meetings with new clients, and I lend copies to newbie VJs that come along to our Plug n Play nights. The real problem is keeping a copy for myself, as everyone wants to take it home.

The VJ scene is really still very young - maybe equivalent to the DJ scene of two or three decades ago - and we need some impressive look-at-me Superstar VJ's to get the public to take notice, so that the rest of us can get on with doing what we do with hopefully a bit more attention being paid to what's going on behind the scenes on the screens.

I think this book is probably the single biggest factor so far in that process of getting the public to take notice. It's a lush, visually stunning celebration of a new phenomenon. Thanks so much to Faulkner and the rest of D-Fuse for giving this to the scene. Every VJ should own a copy. Or three.

VJ kattyb, VJzoo.com

As funky, ferocious, and fun as any big beat coming out a sound system in downtown Kingston on a summer night, this book brings Jamaican dancehall to life with some scintillating prose 'riddims'. A sensitive and vivid writer and a longtime student of all things Jamaican, Stolzoff goes everywhere, knows everyone, and brings it all together in the best book on popular culture that I have read in years. A must-read for anyone interested in contemporary music, African-American studies, or the Caribbean. Kudos also to the publisher for creating a beautifully designed book, with many superb photos from Stolzoff's camera. This book will be a classic for many years to come.

Randy Lewis Assistant Professor of American Studies University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

As a lover of the creative, colorful and very controversial culture known as Jamaican dancehall, I received this book ecstatically, but I wasn't quite sure of what to expect. I mean, this is a world that changes so rapidly that any attempts to document it have felt outdated even before their ink dried. I thought Stolzoff would play it safe and keep his approach as superficial as possible-a nice coffee table book perhaps, filled with eye-pleasing full-color pix of scantily-dressed dancehall queens, posturing dapper dons, maybe even the occasional text paragraph with amusing tidbits like, "Whatever happened to Wayne 'Sleng Teng' Smith?" Instead, I found a meticulously researched study packed with so much detail that several times I had to "wheel back and come again" (re-read pages) in order to digest it all.

Of course, this isn't the first piece of writing to cast a critical eye on dancehall; but past discussions (helmed mostly by staunch roots reggae apologists who make no bones about expressing their view of the subject as an anti-musical ebola responsible for devouring the innards of upright, "real" reggae as exemplified by the likes of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear), irrespective of whether they have been pro- or anti-dancehall, have all revolved to varying degrees around the old dancehall "reggae" vs. "traditional" reggae issue.

Stolzoff distinguishes himself from the pack by sidestepping that stumbling block altogether: In (what I think is) a revolutionary move, he posits ALL Jamaican music, in essence, as dancehall-from the creolized drum and fiddle music of 18th century slave frolics to the thundering amplified bass blaring from contemporary Kingston sound systems. In short, he sees dancehall not as a distinct genre of music, but as an interactive method of experiencing music that might be specifically Jamaican.

Stolzoff's an anthropologist, not a rock critic, so rather than examining the music in isolation, he reconstructs the world that is dancehall's context, starting from the beginning with the sound systems, the cornerstone of the Jamaican music world.( Stolzoff scores a major coup by including extensive interviews with sound system pioneers like Hedley Jones, who provide a lot of insight into the Jamaican music experience prior to the birth of the local music industry-all other books on reggae up until this time have summed the whole era up in a sentence or two). Upon that foundation, Stolzoff layers the various social and ideological trends that have shaped the dancehall: rude boys, Rastafar-I, fashion, technology... You come to see that as chaotic as the dancehall universe appears to be, it is a well-ordered cosmology where everything has its place: sexuality, piety, violence, flamboyance, humility... They can all co-exist.

What I really, really love is the "career trajectory" Stolzoff maps out from his observation of the dancehall field. Using many of the aspiring and established dancehall stars he befriended, Stolzoff illustrates the stages of a career as a performer in the dancehall economy-which is an actual economy that employs millions of Jamaicans in various capacities.

I think this is definitely an important book and a complete must-read not only for fans of Jamaican music, but for anybody interested in the way that music and culture intersect with the daily lives of its participants.

This is an excellant book, written by a genuinely knowledgeable scholar of dancehall music and Jamaican popular culture. Dr. Stolzoff has done an incredible amount of research for this book and puts it altogether with Wake The Town. A must for all reggae and dancehall afficionados. This book will be a classic for a long time.

I would like to commend Mr. Stolzoff for an in depth and enjoyable study of dancehall reggae. Being a dancehall fan for some time now, it's wonderful to see the music and culture being taken seriously. Ready first hand accounts of artists like the great Tenor Saw was an unexpected and exciting part of the book. Mr. Stolzoff goes indept as he discusses the origins of dancehall back to Africa right up to today with the top artists like Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Sizzla, etc etc. As Ricky Trooper says in the begining of the book, if you haven't been to the dancehall before, you wouldn't understand it, dancehall it something that you have to experience. Great reading!

This book is too incredible to believe. For those of us who are into dancehall, when we are in the midst of it, study and academia seem so far away. I never thought it was something that someone could record on paper and carry the true vibes of the whole thing. Stolzoff has not only captured the vibes of the dancehall itself, but also the vibes of life for the dancehall community, the economy, and the realities of Jamaica today. For anyone who ever wanted to get away from the tourist fakeries of what you think Jamaica and reggae music are all about, this book is for you. Of course there is nothing like the true experience of the dancehall itself, but outside of that, this book is the next best thing. Buy this book, you won't regret it. Even most of us Jamaicans, can learn a thing or two from it. And for my anthropologists out there, this book is the most gripping, meaningful ethnography since Bourgois' "In Search of Respect : Selling Crack in El Barrio".

The piano and vocals are clearly printed which makes for a good quality score. Chords for each harmony are printed in the vocal sections but not in the introductary measures. Difficulty of music depends on the particular song for example, "Somewhere" and "One Hand, One Heart" are easier. I've enjoyed playing this music and would recommend it.

The book is medium-it isn't an easy book you only play once and then you're bored, but it isn't very difficult. Some of the arrangements are needlessly crazy, but some are well done. A piano player of about 3-5 years is about the right level.

If you want to play/arrange/orchestrate or simply see the genius of Berstein, this is the way to go. As an arranger, I needed reference to orchestrate a West Side Story Medley for a show, and I'm not talking your regular "standard" tunes. This vocal score is also a piano reduction of the orchestrations and was aboslutely what I needed. You can see nearly every instrument line, counter melody, even instrument indications. This was the best $50.00 I may have every spent. Saved me hours and hours of trying to "lift" off the lines. They were all there, even for the dance sections from Cool & The Rumble, which is what I really needed. Don't hestitate if you're looking for the real Berstein stuff!

The music from West Side Story is captivating, and I love being able to relive it again and again. Hearing the music from the show takes you back to the story of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.

If you're looking for a faithful translation from the full score, this is the one. This score is based on Bernstein latest revision as reflected in the Carreras Te Kanawa recording (1985).

But be warned, this score is only for upper-intermediate/advanced pianist, classically trained. It's not a fakebook, it's not a simplified/reduced piano score for casual use. The arrangement gives two alternatives for playing some part of the song, and you can choose to play it the hard way or the easier way (which is still rather difficult). The hard way is of course the most faithful to the orchestral score.

For example, the dance part in "America" can be played by using single notes of the left hands rather than using full chord, which is great if you're trying to cope with the tempo. The arrangement for the slow pieces such as "one hand one heart", "maria", "tonight", and "somewhere" is really beautiful.

Tip: Listen to the "west side story" conducted by Bernstein himself to get a grasp of the tempo, dynamics and phrasing.

I had the supreme honor of working for Atlnatic Records as a promotions Manager in the '70s, so I saw first-hand a lot of what's in this book. I saw it through the label, the artists, radio and retail. And lemme tell you, the book is spot-on accurate. The two words that best describe Atlantic Records are sophisticated and engaged, and those characteristics come top-down from the founder, Mr. Ahmet Ertegun, and through all of his management.

While the book is an amazing account of Atlantic Records, what is more is the indispensable perspective on the music business at large. For anyone even remotely interested in the history of this industry and its artists, this book is vital.

The cost is a bit pricey, but the old saying you get what you pay for has never been more true. The oversized book features fantastic photography and superb quality. I just wish it would have had included a 30-song sampler of the history of Atlantic artists.

Ahmet Ertegun has to be one of the true legends of popular music in the 20th century. When I first heard that Ertegun had penned the story of Atlantic Records 2 to 3 years ago, I immediately searched it out. But for some reason publication was delayed over two years. Alas it's here. This huge book has everything. First hand oral historical accounts on the birth of R&B with Ray Charles, Jerry Wexler, Otis, the Drifters through the evolution of 60's Rock with Cream, the Stones and Zepplin. The photos are spectatcular and Ertegun's own accounts insightful.....A brilliant man with impeccable taste. He may be the hippest son of a Turkish ambassador to ever found a legendary record label. While I personally can do without the more recent sections dealing with 80's and 90's music (how can you include Jewel with the likes of Ray Charles and Ben E. King?), this book is so huge (almost 10 lbs.) that the majority of the book far exceeds all expectations. At a time when lightweight books by airheaded groupies who played abolutely no role in the creation of a musical revolution somehow make their way into publication, this book stands alone as a classic account of a time when the musicians really were artist who paid their dues, song writers were stylists, and goood taste and genuine talent not only mattered, but actually sold records. If you are a true music fan, this book is the next best thing to being present at the birth of the R&B. One more suggestion, get the Atlantic R&B box set. If I were allowed to keep but one body of work from my music collection, this would be the one. It is the Rosetta Stone of modern R&B.

Had it not been for Ahmet Ertegun and his family moving from Turkey to America, more than 75% of the music that would come out over the time afterward would never had come to be and the musical mainstream would dramatically have never been the same.
I consider Ertegun to be would one of the best musical geniuses of the 20th century for it was he that started the snowball rolling and it kept getting bigger and bigger. He had his own acetate-cutting machine when he was a kid (pretty neat) and wrote his own songs. Close with his brother, Nesuhi, the two were avid jazz fans. When Ahmet got the urge to make records and hire acts to record for him, he founded his own record company with partner Herb Abramson in 1947 from a $10,000 loan from Ertegun's dentist. The rest is history. Atlantic had a huge roster of stars from jazz and R&B greats of the '40s, '50s and '60s to hard rock bands of the '60s, '70s and '80s. It starts with background history on Ahmet and continues on with the start of Atlantic from the '40s to the present. This huge book chronicles it all loaded with quotes from artists and from Ahmet and the production team as well as tons of photographs. It is pricey but it is worth every penny. Thank you, Ahmet Ertegun. American music would never have thrived without Atlantic!

Ahmet Ertegun what a Important figure in the Music Business? the Guy truly knew His stuff at making a label Important.just His Association with Ray Charles&Aretha Franklin alone speaks volumes to me.He had a strong Idea of what He wanted&He got it.in it's Hey Day Atlantic Records was as Important as Any Other Label then or Now.the one thing you get after reading this Book&Hearing the Atlantic Box Set is that Ahmet Ertegun could vibe with anyone.a Must Have.

First of all, this book is huge and weighs a ton. That is appropriate for the subject matter, because Atlantic Records is a huge presence in the history of rhythm & blues and rock. Chock full of pictures and commentary, this presents a totally fascinating portrait of Ahmet Ertegun and his record company, including all the great artists associated with Atlantic. From the early days with artists such as Ruth Brown and the Clovers, through the early career of Ray Charles, and on to Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett and the incomparable Aretha Franklin, Atlantic Records made its reputation in R&B. Less well known, but hardly less influential, is its presence in the jazz world, thanks to Ahmet's brother Nesuhi. In the late '60's Atlantic expanded into the field of rock with Cream, Led Zeppelin, and, later, the Rolling Stones, and was a major player in art/progressive rock by signing such bands as King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

They could have ended the book in the early '70's, in my opinion, because after corporate buyouts and sellouts, Atlantic's imprint became less distinctive. Face it, Foreigner could have been on any label and it wouldn't have made much difference. Later forays into country music seem very un-Atlantic, to say the least. But during its heyday, there was no label putting out as high a level of quality music as Atlantic records, and this is its fascinating story.