Genres Books

Swing takes readers into a world that few of us know. Yanow's research is flawless and his writer's voice is full of respect for the rich history of the jazz world. Even novices will enjoy this book. It is the standard for all other jazz books.

Yanow covers almost every aspect of swing(he's left out Banu Gibson!), with a few acceptions. From Louis armstrong's Hot Fives & Sevens to Glenn Miller, to Squirrell Nut Zippers. Surprisingly the tough jazz critic likes Bran Setzer's Dirty boogie Cd, and gives Squirrel Nut Zippers HOT cd, a rating of 9(out of 10)! A great book and Yanow tells it like it is, if it doesn't swing, or the musucianship is poor he's not afraid to say so. a grea thonest book that will tell you what cd's to bu yand what to skip. Includes an interview with big band leader Lavay Smith(he gives her cd a perfect 10 rating)! Even a whole section here on modern swing including Big Bad Voovdoo Daddy, Cherry Poppin Daddies, and more... Fun book to read while stuck on the toilet, I keep one in all three of my bathrooms, and one in the car for when I go to record stores!!!

This is a truly valuable book. Far, Far better than the Musichound Swing book. Unlike that book, which had several different reviewers, Scott Yanow is the only reviewer of selections in this book which makes for a much more even assessment of Swing Recordings. Yanow gives a brief history of Swing and gives the reader excellent bios of the musicians. Yanow also gives very good coverage to today's retro swing music, which, as Yanow points out, is often dismissed as fad by the mass media, many Jazz fans and Jazz magazines. His reviews of the new bands are honest and fair, unlike the Musichound book which, for the most part, seemed so have the view that Old=Good and New=Bad. His recomendations for each artist are perfect in almost all cases. I disagreed with only a few of his selections and reviews. The only complaint I have is a relatively minor one. He virtually ignores one of the greatest Swing acts, The Andrews Sisters. He includea a short bio and acknowledges their popularity, but he doesn't even recommend one CD for the trio. Surely, Mr. Yanow doesn't think the sisters are that terrible! This is really the only omission that I objected to. With the overwhelming selection of CDs to choose from, Scott Yanow's 'Swing' points out the very best selections and will help you to separate the good collections from the not-so-good collections.

Scott Yanow, the editor of the "All Music Guide To Jazz," is probably one of the most readable jazz critics around. Here he concentrates on the music all the kids were talking about, that crazy little thing called swing. As ever, his style is clear and compact, and the breadth of his knowledge impressive. Yanow covers all the bases: the big bandleaders, the important musicians (broken down by type of instrument) and even a section on composers and arrangers. Even when he's talking about unfamiliar artists, he knows how to stir your curiousity (Cab Calloway had a famous older sister...!?), and the book has a lot to offer to a wide variety of readers. Hundreds of albums are rated on a 1 to 10 scale, and if anything Yanow is a little more charitable here than in his "AMG Jazz" reviews... He's particularly kind to the dozens of retro-swing acts that have sprouted up in recent years...but at least he had the good sense to knock the Cherry Poppin' Daddies down to size!

So many people love Benny Goodman's music, but know so little about the man himself. Hopefully, all of you Benny aficionados will take a crack at this excellent, well-written biography. Firestone has done copious amounts of research, interviewed many people close to BG and has produced an absolutely definitive look at the King of Swing. From cradle to grave, this provides readers with information on Benny as a musician and also as a(oftentimes difficult) human being. If you want a detailed musical analysis of Goodman, you will find it here, but there is also a gossip-y element which adds considerable spice.

Firestone illuminates Goodman's jazz beginnings, the early sidemen gigs in the 20's and then the genesis of the Swing band in the mid-30's. It was great to have thumbnail portraits of the great musicians Benny's early bands, they're all here: the frenetic, pot-loving Gene Krupa, the arrogant Harry James, the gentle Teddy Wilson and the phenomenal Lionel Hampton. At the core is Goodman himself, an extremely hard task master, perfectionist and driven man. Firestone details how nit-picky Benny could be, demanding take after take on various album cuts until it all sounded "perfect." Goodman's notorious cheapskate ways are also detailed.

If you love Goodman's music, then treat yourself to discovering what Goodman was like behind the scenes: difficult, ambitious and addicted to prescription pain killers in later years. Yet despite it all, who could swing like this man? No one.

If you are interested in the history of Jazz, this is one of the books that is essential to your collection. It's not only a great biography about an unusual but talented man, it's the story of a man who stood at the divide between swing and bop, who was a cruel band leader but who nurtured some of the great talents that followed him, who never really mastered bop but whose vision and band format was the foundation that made bop possible.

Goodman was apparently a hard man to like, and this biography squarely faces his difficult personality. He was also a genius, and incredibly hard working. This book does a good job both of telling the story of Goodman's life and the context of his music. There are many compelling anecdotes, and the story is engrossingly told.

No, not the caped crusader folks. That was the title of a 1940 original composition for the Benny Goodman band composed by Eddie Sauter. But it could also serve as a fitting eulogy for the man who became a clarinet virtuoso in both popular and classical fields of music.

Along the way he managed to be credited with launching the 'Swing Era,' was truly amazed at the fans who came to scream (yes scream) at his band's performances and dance in movie theatre isles (oh you thought it was the Beatles who started all that stuff - think again!!), became an International Ambassador to the USA through his music, playing in Moscow and other Russian cities in 1962 at the height of the cold war, and, oh yes, performed what is generally acknowledged as one of the finest performances of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. Whew! But then, you only have to listen to understand why he was so highly regarded.

As a Goodman enthusiast I have to confess to owning a large collection of his music, and I have read several mini biographies of the man. In Ross Firestone's book I found many details not previously known to me, which when combined with an excellent and well researched narrative style, combine to make outstanding reading.

From 'hot shot' clarinetist too young to wear long pants but old enough and good enough to find a place in the early dance bands of the 1920's, to 'King of Swing,' World Ambassador of popular music and classical supremo, this book manages to convey a lot about Goodman the man, perfectionist, genius and who could be a nightmare to work for.

Through some fine research it is also one of an elite group of writings that manages to bring the period to life.

Highly recommended.

Drew. Drew Savage is a lifelong big band enthusiast, presenter and the author of The Deceivers

Happily there are hundreds of 'BG' recordings still available. Here are a few of my favorites.

50 Tracks in One Day With One Hour for Lunch, Of CourseThe famous 1935 session done in a single day for radio transcription services!
Complete Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall Concert 1938Definitive Goodman and has the distinction of being in the catalog every year since first released in 1951!!
B.G. in Hi-FiBenny was not happy with the soundtrack for the movie 'The benny Goodman Story and so recorded this Hi-Fi (for 1955!) album of his hits. Actually it sounds great.
1941 Vol 2 The 'modern' band that contained Charlie Christian on electric guitar and trumpeter 'Cootie' Williams who Benny stole from Duke Ellington's band, and the modern arrangements of Eddie Sauter and Bill Finnegan
Benny In Brussels, Vol. 1/Benny in Brussels, Vol. 2 In fine form in Europe
Mozart at TanglewoodOne for the classical fans. Benny was proud to be a performer at the first 'Mostly Mozart' festival of music in New York in 1986. Tickets for his concert were the first to sell out but sadly he died before the session and the event became something of a tribute to him.

This is really the only bio to get of BG. Collier's book "BG And The Swing Era" perpetrates many myths and inaccuracies, mainly because he seems to have this fear about going to primary sources and seems to get a lot of his information off album sleeves and from 12th-hand anecdotes. Firestone's book uncovers some interesting facts, about Benny's flirtation and near-marriage to singer Helen Ward, about the recording of the famous Carnegie Hall concert (contrary to popular myth, there was more than one overhead mike turned on that night, and the band knew they were being recorded) and Benny's near emotional breakdowns in the 50s and 60s and his near total dependence on painkillers and other medications (for a chronic bad back) that also may have altered his personality and brought on some of the bizarre behavior Goodman is infamous for. Briskly-written, filled with surprises, a fascinating read, it should be on the shelf of every jazz fan and big band enthusiast.

When it comes to musical scores, let's face it, there's not much of a difference between one and another. All the notes must be printed or you're not getting what can properly be called a musical score. But when it comes to Orchestral scores, there is a difference. Here we have each and every instrument's part printed (at least when they can be heard playing) so as we can follow the intricacies of, say, the clarinet part.
Mahler is a totally different case altogether - a composer in a class of his own. Many orchestral scores of Mahler's symphonies give the very least notation possible. This score of Symphonies 3 & 4 in the Dover Orchestral Scores series however, is a top class publication. Why?
Well, Mahler is in a class of his own because when it came to giving directions to his orchestra he did not stop at the Classical Italian markings for Tempo and expression, although strictly speaking this is all that is necessary for a composer to communicate his wishes to the players. Mahler went much further and gave quite specific instructions in German to both the orchestral players and the conductor. For example, directions to the Horn players to hold the bell of the instrument up in the air, explain to the listener why the horns sound different in these passages; advice given to Timpanists as to what kind of sticks to use at certain times explain the different effects we hear. Then there are instructions to solo players, for example, not to pay too much attention to the rest of the orchestra, but to play their part in a slightly slower manner thus exaggerating the importance of their solo. Dover Orchestral Scores do us the great service of actually printing all these instructions, just as in the original score i.e. in German. But their thoughtfulness reaches right on to printing a Glossary of the terms used as well as the texts written or used by Mahler in the symphonies.
This makes using Dover's scores a real pleasure and we really can hear if the recording we are listening to actually plays the music the way Mahler would have wanted. I can think of no better way of rating our recordings ourselves and not just taking the conductor's or the Studio's word for it.

Someone mentioned how invaluable it is to own the score because you can refer to it when you read an article, or review, or liner notes that make references to a measure number.

Well, this book is useful only if you number the measures yourself with a pencil (which would take a very long time), since the book actually does NOT supply measure numbers. It supplies a number of figures... (for instance, if i remember correctly, Symphony No. 3's 1st movement has 76 figures). But each figure can be any number of measures, so when you read an article that makes reference to measure 435, you simply won't be able to find it, without actually numbering the measures yourself.

Otherwise, it is a very good book. Dover has managed to bring complete scores of great works to the average budget-conscious consumer, and this is truly an excellent book that covers two amazing symphonies. You are bound to learn a lot about orchestration just from studying these. I am particularly fond of studying the brass sections in the first movement of the 3rd Symphony... Truly phenomenal composition!

This is a must for those wishing to study and understand Mahler's Immense third symphony. The print is very large and readable. Though I wish there were more translations for the German text, there is enough in the parts themselves to take a guess. Mahler's 4th is a charming piece. I love it for it's sincerity and modesty. Being the shortest and "simplestic" orchestration, it makes a great introductory Mahler symphony.

The score is very durable and is large and easy to read. The price is wonderful -- for the starving music student, particularly!

I highly reccommend this score to professionals and those adventurous listers out there.

Listening to Mahler's 3rd symphony is an inexorable experience. Reading the score while listening is ecstatic. It adds a lot to the enjoyment of the music if you have a copy of the score in hand. You can relate another sensory organ to the music, elevating the experience to greater heights.

Before I had the score, all I knew was there were several French horns playing the opening call in the 3rd (M3) but I know now that there are exactly 8 horns playing in unison. Like Aaron Copland said in his book 'What to Listen for in Music', "If there exists a more noble sound than eight horns singing a melody fortissimo in unison, I have never heard it". I think he's referring to M3's opening horn call. Magnificent! And now with the score in hand, I know exactly how the music was put on the score by Mahler, it's notation, expressive remarks, etc.

In some books that I read or even in the liner books that comes with the CDs, there is often reference to the measures in the music. Without the score, you will never know which measure that they are talking about. If you're really a Mahler fan, or for that matter, if you are really into a certain piece of music, buy the score. Believe me, it will add to your enjoyment.

However, some of you may think that it's a waste of time since you do not know how to read music. Yes, knowing how to read music will help a lot buy hey! reading music is not difficult to learn. All you need is to have the passion for music inside you and the passion to explore the music. If you have this, there's nothing that can be in your way.

The Dover series of scores are mostly reliable. Commercially, they are the best there is.

For music fans, this is a magnificent treat. Storm Thorgerson's Hipgnosis was responsible for some of the most quirky, eye-catching album cover art of the past 30+ years and this book gives an insight into the thinking that went behind some of these classic covers. (Pink Floyd fans however, might also want to read "Mind over Matter'' for fuller details of the covers done by Hipgnosis - they did all except The Wall). Better yet, Thorgerson dry wit and oh-so-English sense of humor permeates his writing, which means the text as well as the pics will entertain the reader - a real bonus. Highly recommended.

"Taken By..." meaning this book focuses on the amazing surreal imagery of Storm Thorgerson, rather than the finished product (i.e., album cover) itself. So, the book is geared more toward photography than a graphic design point of view. Recommended for all album art book collectors (a dying breed itself!).

Storm Thorgerson is the artist that designed many classic and current rock album covers.
This book is a facinating review of many of the album covers and how they were made.
I recommend this book for any fan of Rock or commercial art.

Taken By Storm is a great collection of works by my favorite artist/designer Storm Thorgerson. He gives insights into where ideas came from, how elements of pictures came to be, and which ones held special meanings. Storm also includes many that were made, but NOT used by the bands in question (and therefore previously unseen by the public). Storm went to great lengths to get just the right set-up in just the right place, with just the right lighting...a testimony to his dedication to this form of art. Fans of Pink Floyd, The Cranberries, Catherine Wheel, Mars Volta, Led Zepplin, and others will be zapped into Storm's world, captivated, and sometimes shocked by what they find there as they are taken by Storm...

This book is a meditation. Rosen offers contempletive fragments of both Taoist philosophy and the words of and about Elvis that bring to the reader a compelling cache of connections between American myth and ancient understanding. It is material to be read and read again, both as a mediataive handbook for individual contemplation, and as a key step towards fulfilling a critical need for consciousness of a national psychology.

NOT JUST FOR ELVIS FANS ...

David Rosen's book reads like a meditation. He begins with two questions: "Why does Elvis' popularity persist?" and "What does that say about our culture?" He then tries to address these questions through a series of devotions centered around Taoist concepts. There are 42 devotions, one for each year of Elvis' life.

Dr. Rosen is clear that his objective is not to diagnose Elvis - as trying to define such a mythic figure would be like (in Lao Tzu's words) trying to "pin a butterfly: the husk is captured, but the flying is lost" (p. 145). Like the Tao, Elvis is a mystery full of contradiction. He is elusive. And Rosen tells us that the contradictory images of Elvis are not only what keep him alive for us - they have the potential to be the source of our own healing. The book is a compassionate work that seeks to restore this cultural icon - not through revision (e.g., trying to show that Elvis was on some path of enlightenment and made it) but rather through understanding that in the archetypal Elvis lies our own struggle with our dual nature. (Rosen focuses mainly on the double-edged quality of the King archetype - how it can function either as a channel to the divine or a destructive mechanism for the one who tries to live it out in human form.) What I like about this approach is that it emanates from a belief in the possibility of redemption - for Elvis and for us. For while "wholeness" (a Jungian ideal) may not have been achieved by Elvis in his lifetime, we can, in a sense, make him whole by finding meaning in his suffering (something he was not able to do himself) and by living according to what we learn.

Rosen uses technical terms derived from depth psychology (particularly Jung and Winnicott), e.g., archetypes, true self, false self, creative soul, shadow, and persona, but doesn't provide much explanation (although the uninitiated reader should be able to understand the concepts generally on the basis of context). As this is not a scholarly work but a meditation I think his approach makes sense. However, as a psychotherapist, I would like to have seen more text devoted to the process of individuation which Elvis, according to Rosen, was not able to complete. (Personally, I think Elvis' individuation is only a failure if we think of individuation as a completely linear process. As Rosen writes, he vacillated between positions of insight and self-destruction - and this is likely what accounts for our ambivalence toward him: he is both the talented hero deserving of awe and a caricature who evokes disdain or pity. Perhaps there is wholeness in that.) For example, toward the end of the book, he writes "... Elvis felt there was little he could do to change. Of course, he could have done something, if he'd only been willing. He could have channeled his rage into killing his false self, then undergone a symbolic death of his self-destructive self and rebirth of his creative true self ..." (p. 145). But this is the first mention of Elvis' rage and it isn't altogether clear how this process could have transformed Elvis. Such a quick treatment may give the reader the false impression that Dr. Rosen thinks this is an easy achievement (perhaps owing to his modesty, he does not mention that he has written extensively on this process in another book, "Transforming Depression: Healing the Soul through Creativity," although it is in his bibliography). And if we focus too much on Elvis' failed transformation, it is easy for us to miss one of Rosen's main points: that our awareness of our own weakness and vulnerability is the fountainhead of empathy. Elvis had this awareness (at least some of the time) along with a great capacity to care for others.

The quotes are interesting and fun, from myriad cultural sources - including Elvis himself - ranging from the popular (John Lennon, Bono, Bruce Springsteen) to the religious (Lao Tzu, Thomas Merton, and Martin Buber); however, my favorite passages were those in which Dr. Rosen speaks from his own experience.

Overall, "The Tao of Elvis" is a loving tribute to a cherished cultural figure who was, like all of us, a flawed human being.

The King said it: "You've got to have rain in order to have a rainbow," (p. 99).

This book is really two books in one, and where they meet is literally in the mind of the reader. The first is the highly refined, imminently informed Taoist meditation, with some truly stunning quotations and through them, editorial injection on the part of author David Rosen. I'm no Taoist scholar, but you can sure tell that Rosen is, a highly accomplished and traveled one at that, and his take on this book is not that of a snarky intellectual art-flack winking at you as he cleverly links the pure and sublime with its apparent earthly incarnation in the form of Elvis. Rosen is serious here, and it comes through immediately.

The preface and introduction are quite good--my kudos to the editor and Rosen--providing a great view of author Rosen, where he's coming from with this book, and his qualifications to write it. These two pieces up front really set the tone of the book, and do it very well.

The structure of the rest of the book is very straightforward, a series of short chapters with thematic titles such as "Opposites," Giving and Generosity," "Alone and Loneliness," and "Spirit, Soul, and Religion." Each chapter begins with a single quote on the theme of the chapter, from someone, anyone, who spoke well upon it, such as Kahlil Gibran saying, "You [Elvis] have walked among us as a spirit," on the theme of "Sprit, Soul, and Religion." There then follows a few choice Taoist quotes on the theme, from those so qualified to do it, such as Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Ho-Shang Kung, etc. Mirroring these Taoist quotes are quotes and observations from The King himself, as well as those who knew him, including James Brown, Larry Geller, Ann-Margret, Bono, Linda Thompson, K. D. Lang, Natalie Wood, Bruce Springsteen, Muhammad Ali, Jimmy Carter, etc. The chapter then concludes with a short Rosen narrative elaborating upon and contextualizing the theme and quotes.

I found this structure to read very well and quickly, which made it quite enjoyable. The themes change quickly, and you can move through the book quickly if you choose, or you may choose to pause and contemplate. It took me a couple of chapters to see it, and then it hit: the book's narrative structure is Taoist in itself. Outstanding.

The book concludes with two truly wonderful additions. First, there are detailed endnotes, more than enough for you to pursue your curiosity in any of the issues, themes, and respondents in this book. Immediately following is a comprehensive bibliography providing full information to support the notes.

Given the depth of the scholarly attention to detail here, I'm surprised Rosen and his editorial crew did not provide an index. This would have been a simple and very helpful addition to the book, especially given the depth and number of individual names offered throughout the book.

For me, the most enjoyable part of this book was reading the thematically-grouped quotes and observations from Elvis and those close to him. Of course, there was some over-deification, the glorification of Elvis, making the somewhat predictable hyperbolic comparisons and delivering spot-on hindsight views of how he lived his life and how it would all turn out, but thankfully these were few and far between. I loved the snippets from The Gospel of Elvis, the views on his love of music, his voice, his innate rhythm, and his ability to influence others.

In conclusion, this is not a deep, thick scholarly tome crammed tight with big words on dry subjects, not even close. Rosen is definitely in his element with this subject matter, but he keeps the flow fast and positive, and does not bog down the reader with philosophical jargon or analysis, rather letting the reader draw their own meaning(s) from the quotes and ideas offered. If you're a die-hard philosophy addict looking for deep examination of Taoist concepts in the context of Elvis, rock and roll, destructive stardom, and the nature of cultural icon creation and downfall, this isn't what you're after. This book also is not another low-budget Elvis exploitation rag. Its treatment of him is respectful and positive throughout, even while admitting The King's flaws and human failings. If you're an Elvis fan, you'll enjoy this.

NOT JUST FOR ELVIS FANS ...

David Rosen's book reads like a meditation. He begins with two questions: "Why does Elvis' popularity persist?" and "What does that say about our culture?" He then tries to address these questions through a series of devotions centered around Taoist concepts. There are 42 devotions, one for each year of Elvis' life.

Dr. Rosen is clear that his objective is not to diagnose Elvis - as trying to define such a mythic figure would be like (in Lao Tzu's words) trying to "pin a butterfly: the husk is captured, but the flying is lost" (p. 145). Like the Tao, Elvis is a mystery full of contradiction. He is elusive. And Rosen tells us that the contradictory images of Elvis are not only what keep him alive for us - they have the potential to be the source of our own healing. The book is a compassionate work that seeks to restore this cultural icon - not through revision (e.g., trying to show that Elvis was on some path of enlightenment and made it) but rather through understanding that in the archetypal Elvis lies our own struggle with our dual nature. (Rosen focuses mainly on the double-edged quality of the King archetype - how it can function either as a channel to the divine or a destructive mechanism for the one who tries to live it out in human form.) What I like about this approach is that it emanates from a belief in the possibility of redemption - for Elvis and for us. For while "wholeness" (a Jungian ideal) may not have been achieved by Elvis in his lifetime, we can, in a sense, make him whole by finding meaning in his suffering (something he was not able to do himself) and by living according to what we learn.

Rosen uses technical terms derived from depth psychology (particularly Jung and Winnicott), e.g., archetypes, true self, false self, creative soul, shadow, and persona, but doesn't provide much explanation (although the uninitiated reader should be able to understand the concepts generally on the basis of context). As this is not a scholarly work but a meditation I think his approach makes sense. However, as a psychotherapist, I would like to have seen more text devoted to the process of individuation which Elvis, according to Rosen, was not able to complete. (Personally, I think Elvis' individuation is a failure only if we think of individuation as a completely linear process. As Rosen writes, Elvis vacillated between positions of insight and self-destruction - and this is likely what accounts for our ambivalence toward him: he is both the talented hero/rebel deserving of admiration and an obnoxious caricature who evokes disdain or pity. Perhaps there is wholeness in that.) For example, toward the end of the book, he writes "... Elvis felt there was little he could do to change. Of course, he could have done something, if he'd only been willing. He could have channeled his rage into killing his false self, then undergone a symbolic death of his self-destructive self and rebirth of his creative true self ..." (p. 145). But this is the first mention of Elvis' rage and it isn't altogether clear how this process could have transformed Elvis. Such a quick treatment may give the reader the false impression that Dr. Rosen thinks this is an easy achievement (perhaps owing to his modesty, he does not mention that he has written extensively on this process in another book, Transforming Depression: Healing the Soul through Creativity, although it is in his bibliography). And if we focus too much on Elvis' failed transformation, it is easy for us to miss one of Rosen's main points: that our awareness of our own weakness and vulnerability is the fountainhead of empathy. Elvis had this awareness (at least some of the time) along with a great capacity to care for others.

The quotes are interesting and fun, from myriad cultural sources - including Elvis himself - ranging from the popular (John Lennon, Bono, Bruce Springsteen) to the religious (Lao Tzu, Thomas Merton, and Martin Buber); however, my favorite passages were those in which Dr. Rosen speaks from his own experience.

Overall, The Tao of Elvis is a loving tribute to a cherished cultural figure who was, like all of us, a flawed human being.

This has to be the best treatments I've seen on hip hop as a world cultural movement. The style and presentation are remarkable, matched only by the hip hop trilogy Nation Conscious Rap, Twisted Tales, and Street Conscious Rap, which presented us with hiphography as a way of researching cultural and social movements. The authors more than fulfill the path blazed by Sterling Brown, Lewis Jones, and others in their studies of Black music and culture in the deep South in the 1930s and 40s, which brought us the rich reservoir of research on the blues. Now, thanks to this project, we have the right corollary for hip hop culture and music.

Once in a while a book is born that is one in a million. You don't just read what's in it, you read what's in yourself as well. Tha Global Cipha is definitely one of those books. Experts don't do the talking in this book, it's the artists and each one challenges your idea of hiphop. I've seen Tha Global Cipha described as an encyclopedia...if so, it is perhaps the most refreshing example of the encyclopedic concept I've ever seen! The artists interviewed speak for themselves about their worldview and their passion: hiphop. They cover everything from history of hiphop to the language of hiphop, to art history, to personal histories, to religion and spirituality, to local and world politics. Another encyclopedia on the same subject would probably have had all these topics written up in dry stand-alone chapters with an authoritarian third person voice, but here you have each artist's authoritative voice drawing you to think of what's been said in the other interviews and providing you with different pieces of the ever-changing and growing tapestry that is hiphop. Simply put, while the book is cohesive the voices from its pages can easily drive you to ask more questions about hiphop. That's when you know you've been "hit wit it!"

Some of my favorite interviews in here were the ones with Sonia Sanchez, Beanie Sigel, Youcef, Les Nubians...It's hard to say I have favorites though, because each interview is outstanding on its own. Some of the interviews are one-on-one while others are with a group so you not only have the method of the interview as the source of information but group interviews as well-- a multiplicity of voices discussing hiphop, philosophizing about hiphop, describing it, defining it, even arguing about it! I also really appreciated the pictures that the authors included along with each interview.

I believe this book is going to increase in value over time. While hiphop is constantly developing all over the world, this book will serve as a living testimony to how some of the greatest thought of it in our current day and time. While I wish I had a tiny bit more information about the interviews like when each one took place, the book overall is exquisite and proves that hiphop is not something experts can sit back and decontextualize to death....it's a living phenomena that forces you to look deeper and look to its source. I cannot thank the authors enough for it. I cannot recommend it enough.

I am amazed by this book (as all of the other books by Spady and Alim). No series has so brilliantly addressed the sociopolitical context of the hip hop community from the perspectives of the artists themselves.

This latest book, Tha Global Cipha, expands this analysis to the international landscape, further and expertly challenging deeply-settled myths about the role of hip hop in popular culture, and about the African American contribution to social thought beyond the United States. I loved how the conversations included valuable information and insight about reggaeton in Latin America, dancehall in the Caribbean, and Hip Hop all over the US, and places like Senegal, France, Egypt, etc., etc.

It's defiitely worth checking out!

This is the second book by Spady that I have read and I have been consistently impressed with his maverick in-depth interviews. While most interviews you read out there consist of shameless self promotion and questions that reveal little insight and respect for rap artists, Spady shows us a nuanced understanding of the rapper's point of view that really allows the artists to express themselves.

Like Street Conscious Rap, this book offers a plethora of interviews with hip-hop royalty. This book, however, covers hip hop from all over globe, covering more spheres of rap than most headz know exist. My friend from the French speaking part of Switzerland even bought this because he loves the French rappers interviewed in this book.

Whether you are into commercial, underground, old school, true school, or whatever rap, this book has something for you.

This is one of the best books on hip-hop yet...

This is a great, but sad book. Scotty Moore was an innovator in early rock and roll music, and a substantial contributor to the success of Elvis Presley's music. It is true that Elvis had the voice, looks, sex appeal and all that stuff to make the young girls swoon. However, it was Scotty that met with Elvis, arranged the first recording sessions, and helped form the type of music that became rock and roll. Without him, Elvis would probably have ended up a gospel singer.

As this book points out, Elvis backed out of the verbal deal between he and his band regarding the split of record royalties. He put the guys on a small weekly salary that actually led to Scotty going into debt for the privilege of playing behind Elvis.

I think anyone who enjoys early rock music should be able to enjoy this book. While the story of Scotty is told well, it never gives one the impression that he is looking for pity.

Scotty Moore is one of the unsung heroes of rock 'n roll and his writing style reflects his playing style- simple, precise and to the point. In a humble, matter-of-fact style, guitarist Moore recounts his experiences with the King in an eminently readable and interesting way. I have read many Elvis books and this is one of my favorites. After reading it, you just wished you could bump into Scotty sometime, buy him a beer and talk the night away.

Although not a technical genius, or a flambouyant showman, Scotty Moore is the first Rock and Roll guitar hero. He can be considered a discoverer, an inventor. He provided support, on and off stage, to a musical phenomenon, Elvis Presley. They both found a way of making three instruments and a vocal sound big. His riffs and syncopations inspired millions. Too bad he didn't make...millions.
His story is told in a warmly engaging way, filled with panorama; and not once does a bitter tone prevail.
As Elvis progressed, it seems that he (along with the powers that be) decided that Scotty's licks were not sophisticated enough, so Moore apparently was an occasional studio player after 1961. It's interesting that Big El summoned Scotty for his crucial TV Special - the word "Comeback" came shortly after December 3rd, 1968.
It's facinating to read about Mr. Bill Black, Elvis' first bassist. Black was another instinctual musician, limited but perfectly attuned to the new art form. He died a young man, but found a way onto the charts with the Bill Black Combo and strong instrumental workouts. He died in 1965 and it's too bad that Elvis did not mention his name on the TV Special section where he demonstrated how they got the big sound with just three guys.
I do not enjoy the storytelling in the second person: it would have been much more effective to have Scotty's words up-front throughout. Just like his guitar playing.

James Dickerson did a great job of telling the story of Scotty Moore. I was as impressed with the writing as with the subject. I read this as research for the biography I'm writing about Faron Young, and I must admit to disappointment--but not surprise--at the lack of mention of him. That aside, this is a book worth reading. Scotty Moore is a man I'd like to meet.

David M. Lubin's "Titanic" offers valuable and interesting insights into James Cameron's 1997 Academy Award-winning film by the same title. Lubin, a professor of art at Wake Forest University, brilliantly positions the film within its artistic, historic and cultural context, relating it to art (Frederic Church's "The Icebergs" and "Heart of the Andes," George Caleb Bingham, Jacques-Louis David, among others), literature (Crane, London, Twain, Whitman, et al.), music (Offenbach's "Orpheus in the Underworld," Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde," etc.), theatre (the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, etc.), and even to still photography (Lewis Hines' "Young Russian Jewess at Ellis Island," Alfred Stieglitz's "The Steerage"). Lubin also connects "Titanic" to numerous other films, especially "It Happened One Night" and "A Night to Remember," and filmmakers, including Hitchcock, Welles, Ford and Kubrick. Lubin says "Titanic" is "not by any means an intellectual film," yet his book seems to belie this statement. How could a film that poses "questions about society's divide between rich and poor, the nature of love, the meaning of sacrifice, and modernity's faith in...technological prowess and mastery over nature" be anything but an intellectual film?

For a movie that was almost universally loathed by "high-brow" critics, "Titanic" gets a very lovingly detailed and in-depth analysis courtesy of Mr. Lubin. His analysis is interesting and well-researched without going too overboard or reaching too far for metaphors and artsy-fartsy obscure parallels, as some BFI contributing authors have.

This book afforded me a fascinating 12th look at a film I've already seen 11 times, and I feel enriched for having read it. It is scholarly without being boorishly so, and resists the chance to take gratuitous potshots at the flimsiest part of the film -- the dialogue. Lubin rightfully defends writer/director James Cameron's film even at its weakest points, probably because to single out the flimsy and shallow dialogue is to overlook the mastery that went into every other single detail of getting this epic film made. Visually, it is so rich in detail and craft that to malign it for "teen-speak" dialogue is just to be petty. But make no mistake --- Lubin is not playing the cheerleader for the sake of doing so. He is carefully examining the film for its comments on class distinctions, its parallels to art and opera, its classic story structure, and how the timing of the making and release of the film is nearly as significant as the timing of the actual sinking from the perspective of changing cultural and social mores. Or something like that -- Lubin phrases it so much better than I ever could.

To those who would chastise Cameron for the dialogue, let's see how well YOU do writing dialogue while simultaneously juggling the 40 thousand details, large and small, of a project this massive!

Lubin acknowledges the film's flaws but also pays due heed to the elements that work well, and the film is full of them.

Just read the damn book, folks.

Any movie as large (in every respect) as James Cameron's TITANIC, deserves to be understood, not only in the contemporary consumer context in which it was created, but also through the complex philosophical, cultural, and artistic history which served as its genesis. David Lubin's splendid, captivating, and handsomely packaged little book is a rare jewel for any reader interested in popular culture as subject for serious analysis. We come to understand Cameron's film, although cloaked in melodrama and crude dialogue, as a fully realized "synaesthesia," striving (not entirely unsuccessfully) to consume and re-imagine everything that came before it. Lubin, without a hint of pedantry, goes a long way towards revealing the mysterious zeitgeist at the heart of a global blockbuster. This is a marvelous book, and it deserves to be read.

You think you understood this simple (if expensive) movie? Think again. David Lubin demonstrates why Titanic can really be seen as an allegory--about race and class, humanity and technology, and much more--with amazing depth and sophistication. He's an academic but he writes like a journalist, and you'll be amazed at all the fascinating tidbits he comes up with. Plus the book is beautifully produced with dozens of photos from the film to illustrate (literally) the points he's making. Just a great read.

Having already read The Book of Mormon--the source from which this novel receives its inspiration--I felt coming in to the reading that I would be fully prepared for any twists or convoluted developments that the plot might encounter. What I was not prepared for was the craftiness which the author uses to not only develop the depth of his characters but also express the magnitude of the moral evolution that takes place in this novel.

The book showcases different civilizations whose customs seem highly ingrained and spiritual, yet full of nuances which add color to a situation which most would regard as more of a black and white scenario. Indeed, if there is a right versus wrong theme to the book, the line between the two often gets crossed as instances of perfidy, duplicity, murder, reconciliation and repentance are played out in an almost cyclic pattern.

I give this book a good review because I find it an easy read, yet overflowing with substance and depth. All in all a great contribution to Ancient American fictional literature.

-Sean Frederick

Great book, it gets you from the start and keeps you the whole time. Everyone should have the oppertunity to be able to read this. By the way, Nufer is a cool name.

Ancient America was a land of lush jungles, exotic animals, sweet-smelling flowers, winding rivers, and unheard of vistas. It would have been a paradise, if not for the wars. Here, clashing swords met often as two nations fought for control of the land. Men were forced to swear allegiance to one side or the other. At times they saw their leaders waver and would find themselves torn between allegiance to their country and allegiance to their oath.

These were days of intrigue, deception, and betrayal. They were also days of loyalty, leadership, and sacrifice. Experience the struggle of a nation trying to hold to its ideals while being pounded by its enemies, both from without and within. Relive the story of Captain Moroni, Helaman and the 2000 Stripling Warriors as never before. Learn to appreciate men who were truly worthy of being role models.

This novel will make the land of Ancient America come alive for you. You'll enter the lives of men who fought and died trying to secure liberty for their people. At a dramatic time when tensions were rising and Nephites were turning traitor, Captain Moroni tore off his coat and wrote a pledge in support of key freedoms. He fastened this on a pole and did a massive call to arms among his people to inspire them to defend their liberties. This flag became symbolic of their fight for freedom, and became known as the "Title of Liberty." Since then, generations have been inspired by Moroni's call to sacrifice for and defend liberty!

"I was touched by the account of the 2000 Stripling Warriors and the sacrifices they made to leave their homes and defend their country when their fathers couldn't because of their oath...This is a great book, full of role models for today's young and old alike. After reading it myself, we read it out loud as a family."

- Book Review at www.deseretbook.com

"The Title of Liberty...recounts imaginatively the heroic saga of the Nephite-Lamanite wars of 76-74 b.c. Nufer offers an exciting tale of the military exploits and strategies of Captain Moroni, who leaves his family and farm to rally his countrymen around the title of liberty. Nufer carefully grounds this adventure in the Nephite chronicles, and his chapter notes point out the differences between history and imagination."

- Richard H. Cracroft
BYU Magazine, Spring 2004

I thoroughly enjoyed researching and writing this book and hope you enjoy reading it even half as much as I enjoyed writing it! Download free fonts, and learn more about it at CaptainMoroni.com!

Purchased this book a few months ago and have passed it around among family members. Consensus is: we all really enjoyed the book. "Title of Liberty" is a wonderful story of adventure and faith based on Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty...well written and maintains the integrity of this incredible time in ancient American history. Although the book can be enjoyed as an independant read, it also is suitable for parents to read orally for younger children. Nufer brings ancient America alive with a sensitive and stirring novel. Good job...recommended.

Nick

The older I get I ask myself, "is this person still living?" This book provides a quick reference. An as I become aware of deaths or major events in a musicians live I write it in the back pages. Morbid, but a part of life and musical history.

This is a great coffee table book to have around when you have idle moments - the entries are all about a page long and it is quite fascinating. Each entry has a capsule history of the musician describing their rise to fame, how they died, and detailed info to find the location of the grave. Most entries have a photo of the person and/or the gravesite. There's quite a variety of musicians included, from Buddy Holly to Elvis to Lawrence Welk and Roy Orbison. Some graves seem quite obscure, in stark contrast to the life led by the occupant.

It's sobering to see that the end comes for us all, no matter how rich or famous.

Several years ago, my daughter and I went searching for Jimi Hendricks grave while we had some time to kill in Seattle waiting for a plane. I had discovered the name of the cemetery in a book I had read, but it still took us about an hour poking around before we found the actual grave. We left a couple of coins and a note that just said "Thanks Jimi". The experience was quite incredible. We both walked away feeling we had done something worthwhile. We had given something back to the music, and to the memory of a great musician. I was hooked. Since then I have made a point of looking for the graves of people who have left their mark on our culture. Last year I had two major disappointments. I spent a couple of hours early one Sunday morning searching in vain for the grave of Muddy Waters in a suburban Chicago cemetery. A few weeks ago, I spent another two hours in a cemetery in L.A. looking for Frank Zappa and Roy Orbison without success. Two nights ago Amazon.com delivered me Scott Stanton's "The Tombstone Tourist". Within ten minutes, the book had paid for itself. I discovered where all three were precisely located, and why I was unable to find Frank and Roy. They are both buried in unmarked graves, about twenty five feet apart. The book is very tastefully written. It is obvious that Scott has a great deal of respect for all the artists he has taken considerable effort to find. There are excellent bios and an incredible wealth of information and trivia on each of the hundreds of artists presented. The only error I have found is that Chet Baker died in a fall from a Paris hotel room. Actually it was Amsterdam. Close enough. I have not found a better reference book on popular culture than "The Tombstone Tourist". Those of you who feel that looking for dead celebrities is a little macabre should get the book and go out to find someone whose work you admire. You will find it a tremendously rewarding experience. Don't forget to take flowers, or an appropriate gift to leave at the grave.

This is a great source if you want to know where any dead musicians are buried. Jammed packed with interesting tidbits regarding the artists life and death. I can't wait for the upcoming new editions in this series.