Music Books

This was an excellent story. I can hardly wait to get the next one in the series. She is a wonderful story teller.

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (9/06)

In Skingle Creek, Kentucky, hope feels nonexistent for residents of this typical 1892 coal mining town. Gifted teacher, Jonathan Stuart, brings unexpected beauty to their coal-dust covered lives with his storytelling and music. Then, someone steals Jonathan's flute and with it the ailing teacher's will to keep going. Most of his students come from mining families who barely eke out a living, yet, surely none of them would take his music from him. The possibility of someone he knows being involved in the theft adds to his grief.

Twelve-year-old Maggie MacAuley notices the frailness and sadness of her teacher and wonders how she can help. She collaborates with her best friend, Summer, and enlists the aid of her fellow students to raise the money to replace Mr. Stuart's flute. But in a town where survival has become the main focus, the girls experience difficulty motivating the town's people to pull together. Kindness and concern for others matter to them, but those emotions lie buried under their struggle just to survive.

Maggie hates to see her neighbors suffer and she wrestles with her own troubles. The hardships Maggie faces--Summer's illness, the teacher's weakness, two malicious bullies, and a needy family--drain her hope and her faith. Maggie puzzles on how God can know the needs of these people and seem to do nothing about healing or providing for His children. She tries to comfort Summer, but her friend often encourages Maggie instead. Then God uses Maggie, Summer, and the other children of Skingle Creek to impart a miracle. He touches the hearts of a few good men, including Maggie's father. Through the children's efforts, God reminds these men that loving and caring for others is part of His greatest commandment.

Hoff's touching story in "The Mountain Song Legacy" series will appeal to teens and adults. Although the tale in "A Distant Music" takes place more than a hundred years ago, readers will relate to the power of friendship and goodness when life beats you down. Reading about Maggie and her family reminded me that God often works in unexpected ways. Faith, hope and love really do overcome difficulties and even tragedy.

In the winter of 1892, someone stole the teacher's
silver flute. That was the day the music stopped in
Skingle Creek. Mr. Johnathan Stuart, the teacher
changed that day. Maggie MacAuley, and her friend
Summer Rankin want to give Mr. Stuart back his music.
They encourage others in the poverty-stricken
community to give to their music fund. But how can
they ever collect enough to buy a flute? Maggie and
her friend Kenny Tallman face two bullies. They need
to tell someone what is happening, but fear holds them
back.

B.J. Hoff, the writer of A DISTANT MUSIC is the
author of twenty novels. She wrote the American Anthem
trilogy and the Emerald Ballad series. She writes of
early America and the people who helped built the
country. She and her husband James live in Ohio. You
can find more information about Hoff and her books by
visiting her website www.bjhoff.com.

B. J. Hoff took the characters from a novella she
wrote called THE PENNY WHISTLE and expanded the story
to write A DISTANT MUSIC. Every chapter begins with a
quote. The quote at the top of chapter one sets the
tone for this novel. It is taken from the teacher's
diary, "Even the children are old in such a place."
The poverty and suffering of the children and their
parents is almost overwhelming.

Reviewed by Dell Klein Smith for AT HOME WITH CHRISTIAN FICTION
http://www.athomewithchristianfiction.com

This is one of the most touching -and tragical -books I have ever read. It will, I think, linger with me always, like a sweet dream from which one never wants to awaken.

A Distant Music is another captivating book by author B.J. Hoff. Mrs. Hoff has the ability to create such believable characters that you feel like you know them as friends when you close the book's final page. It's been over a year since I finished reading the third book in Mrs. Hoff's American Anthem trilogy, and yet I can still see the blind conductor Michael in my mind's eye. That same character realism is true for the teacher Jonathan Stuart and students Maggie MacAuley and Kenny Tallman in Mrs. Hoff's newest book, A Distant Music. This story is a touching reminder of how hard life was in another era for a struggling mining town. A tale where hardship breeds a desperation that nearly steals all beauty and hope from those caught in its grip, but where miracles still happen, spurred on by the undying faith of children. A Distant Music holds such wonderful prose and such realistic descriptions that I felt I was there. A page-turning, enjoyable read. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in The Mountain Song Legacy series.

The Eensy-Weensy Spider One of my granddaughter's all-time favorite books. Decided to get copies for two of my great-nephews, too.

Fantastic book for kids of all ages! I love it as much as my three-year-old grandchildren do, and every time we get this book out, they want me to read it several times. The fabulous colorful pictures are fun for the kids and for me, and are detailed enough to give us lots to talk about on each page, but not so detailed as to overwhelm young eyes. The only problem I have with Eensy-Weensy Spider is that I find it running through my mind at odd times, including when I wake in the middle of the night!

I love this book! The "expanded" version of the song is so much fun to sing! The kids in my class love it.

We LOVE this book. I used a few of the verses in this book to reinforce some sign language word we were teaching our daughter, and it helped her learn how to use "please" and "bed/sleepy". I totally don't know any toddler/children's rhymes, so this book has even helped me learn! We can sing along in the car now, even if I don't have the book!

This book is one of my sons favorites. (17 months) The illustrations are great and the authors make a cute little day-long adventure for the eensy weensy spider. The book is actually pretty long so it works well for a bedtime story. I would also suggest "The Lady with the Alligator Purse" and "Miss Mary Mack" by the same two authors. All three of these books are illustrated from a unique point of view that I think children like because they get to see things from a semi-birds view rather than their usual worms eye view.

We got this for my Uncle for Christmas, him being a deadhead. He said he will enjoy it over and over for years. He said it was like being there all over again. Based on his enjoyment of it, if it made someone half as happy, it would still be a big hit.

Not being a deadhead myself, I can say the person who received this as a gift absolutely loved it. I looked at many other books about the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia, but settled on this one, and was glad I did. Great pictures and historical information about the dead ( from a non-dead head ).

What do we all think of when the Grateful Dead comes into our minds? Perhaps the obvious, Jerry, is the first thing that pops in. We may think o

This is a Large, Thick and Heavy Book.
Based on a Timeline that begins in 1940 and ends in 2003, this is Quite a Feast for the eyes. If you are New to the Music of The Grateful Dead and have never seen one of the other Hundreds of Books about The Band, this will fill you in on THOUSANDS of Details. If this Book was used as a Guide to bring you into the World that is The Grateful Dead, well... just be prepared to be Busy for a While.

For the Seasoned Head, lot's of this Information has been Covered elsewhere in the Past. But at the Same Time, here is just about everything there is all in One Place. The Visuals herein are Quite a Trip for your Head, and they are as much the Stars of this Massive Volume as the Twenty Tons of Dead Story contained within 480 Pages.

To sum it up...When they begin teaching: "Grateful Dead 101" at UC Berkeley, this will be the Textbook!
FIVE STARS !!!

Being an old timer when it comes to these guys, I have to give this book 6 out of 5 stars. It starts way back and takes nearly every day since (and in some cases before) the birth of each of their members, and just keeps moving on in pictures (some never seen before) and words (some never printed before!) Although I am not a Deadhead in the classical sense, I still love to skim through this book from cover to cover every now and then, and enjoy the details it provides and the memories are still there! Look up a date of a show you went to - or never went to - and see it there! A must for anyone who had the fortune to see the Dead play live - anytime and anywhere, and a must for those who never have!

The Dead live on through this book - the latest addition to the tomes that are out there on these fellows - go and get it!

Keep on Truckin'!

Recieved item on time, right when we were told it would arrive. Book in very good condition.

This Book seems to be a great tool; I have not had the opportunity to really get into it yet!I am sure I will enjoy!

This product has proven to be an outstanding reference for a teacher of any subject. If you're looking to elaborate on a concept studied in class, music is an outstanding way to relate to students. With the ease of downloading music, lesson plans may be materialized in a matter of minutes with authentic discussion to follow. It works beautifully with any unit. Additionally, the book is categorized for easy reference.

As the Video Hound's Guide is for movies, this book is for songs. It categorizes the songs logically so you can always find a song that relates to what you are teaching to help engage kids, help them connect the content to their world, and sometimes even teach content. (Maybe ask your school librarian to buy a copy if you do not wish to spend the money on it.)

Now in an updated and expanded fifth edition with over 14,000 songs added (and featuring over 35,000 songs overall), The Green Book Of Songs By Subject is a comprehensive and very strongly recommended, "user friendly" reference for looking up popular songs by subject. Basic topics such as Freedom, Rivers, specific states and cities, etc. are listed in alphabetical order; each listing is followed by appropriate song entries arranged by title. An especially excellent book for tracking down the title, composer, or publisher of popular as well as obscure songs, The Green Book Of Songs By Subject is a core addition to the reference shelves of academic music history reference collections, and would prove invaluable in the personal reference libraries of professional musicians, DJ's or music-writers who can't afford to waste time struggling to remember (or needing to track down) who composed, performed, or produced a given tune.

I have played for a few years now but I consider myself a noob and never thought in a million years I would be able to play Pantera. Thanks to this book I am able to play Revolution is my name, walk, and a few others. Not the solos of course. Pantera is my favorite band and I shed a tear the day Dime was taken from us. This book helped me play the music I love and I am very grateful to those who made this possible. Anyone who is a fan should buy this book.

Though it may not provide much in the way of theory, scales, or fundamentals, this book is a great insight into the style of one of rock music's greatest guitarists. Not only did it offer written and recorded examples of great riffs, intriguing solos, and useful exercises, it offered great practical tips for any serious guitarist. I poured through the book in under a week and it made me totally re-think several aspects of my playing. Riffer Madness reminds us of the importance of forgetting the rules and just playing great music.

This is a must buy for a Dimebag Darrell fan. This guy knew what he was talking about when it came to guitars.

Everything is transcribed perfectly.

My only beef with this book is that Darrell doesn't play on the CD.

I found the content to be pretty good. I am a big Dime fan so to just have his entire column in one book was great. I did notice that there is some bad tab but it's enough to get you going in the right places. Additionally I expected Dime to be playing on the CD instead of the author.

I first met "Diamond" Darrell in 1984 when he was only 17, and giving guitar lessons at Mansfield Music. I'd finally decided I really wanted to PLAY guitar, and not just bang on it. They tried several teachers, classical, and a country teacher. It just didn't work out, so the owner told me he had one more teacher, a kid with his own band. In walked a skinny kid with the biggest electric frizz hairdo I'd ever seen, Darrell. Each week, he'd take my list of 10 songs I wanted to learn, and if he knew them, would show me how to play them. If he didn't know them, he'd take the list home, and next week, he'd have all of them down pat. I learned more in that 18 months than in the previous 35 yrs! Ten yrs later, I went to a guitar show in Dallas, and was waiting outside the Dean showcase when I heard a voice call, "Hey, Everett! How're you doin'!". It was Darrell, there to put on a demo for Dean. Needless to say, there were some wide eyes around me after that! Darrell dropped everything to talk to me for about 10 minutes. That's the kind of guy he was. We lost a goodern, that's for sure. R.I.P. Darrell...

Donny Hathaway is a great singer and songwriter, but not all that good of a live performer. It seems that his idea of giving us a good show was to simply sing the same songs rubato. As a live performance afficionado, one thing that bothers me is not having the songs modified in a simple enough way that they can be followed easily. It's also very annoying to want to sing along to the studio version and be off-beat every time because the use of rubato has changed the melody line almost beyond recognition.

His voice was good and on key through the songs, and he gave us some good demonstrations of his ability to add filler chords and notes. If he'd sung the vocal lines as they were recorded and added a few filler chords and notes, that may have made for a good live performance. But the combination of that *plus* the altered melody lines was just overpowering.

Perhaps this CD will get better over successive listenings, but as of now, I can't see it being worth more than $5.

I cannot believe no one mentions the track 'NU-PO,' the only instrumental cut on the album. This is one of the most flowing and smooth pieces of music. A latin groove that just builds with the dissolving and watery Rhodes, Not to mention the sublime Bass of Willy Weeks and the Guitar of Phil Uphcurch (Anyone for Darkness Darkness?).

I hear that there's a version of this Album with more Tracks, including a bass solo by Willy on 'Voices Inside.' Re-issue!

I had the cassette of this album for several years before I wore it out. Over the years I've purchased several other Donny Hathaway CDs with different performances of these songs, but I've never felt the same power as the renditions on this CD. The give and take betwen Hathaway and the rapturous crowd gives me goose bumps and makes me wanna shout! No matter how much Hathaway you own, you'll be glad you got this one.

Not enough people are aware of Donny Hathaway, which is a crime. This man influenced more great soul singers than one can imagine. He galvanized a whole generation of dissenfranchised young men and women through his music to stand up and be counted, be proud, tap into their spirit and love one another. With just his music and that unbelievable voice. With only just six tracks, this live recording will take you to that moment in time & I dare you not to be touched by this man!!!
The best tracks are To Be Young, Gifted & Black, A Song For You, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know & his self-penned We Need You Right Now. Listen for earnest audience partcipation & frenzied enthusiasm from the crowd. On this recording, it really works and is not in the way. Magical night!! A must have. I would give this ten stars if I could!!

First off, Donny Hathaway is probably the most unknown "superstar" of his era of soul. This album has a little bit of everything that is Donny- great for new fans to explore his music with. Of the million versions we've all heard of "Song For You", this album has the purest and most beautiful I've ever heard- the raw sound of a live recording made years ago, Donny's voice, and a piano....period. "We Need You Right Now" is one of two songs written by Donny and is prefaced by him giving respect to "my creator" and saying "I wrote this song two weeks ago". Religious or not, it is a beautiful song which also highlights the piano and his voice. Exactly half the tracks (1,5,and 6) are socially conscience songs which need at least two listens (one for the music and beauty of his voice and the other for the meaning of the lyrics) to completely appreciate. Maybe the best thing about this recording is that he plays an acoustic piano for half the album. The acoustic brings something to the songs that would've been lost even with the greatest of electric pianos.

John Riley continues to amaze me with his books. He can put a lot of information down on paper that most people can't explain in person. A great thorough study of the great drummers with helpful tips on how to get better in your own playing.

Highly recommended, can't say much more. It's really well explained and doesn't leave you floundering under a dense mass of information, even
though it gets into some advanced concepts. Riley always keeps your mind on the important issues about being a good musician and makes you never lose sight of the point of the excercises.

The transcriptions are excellent, the commentary is well written, his insights are very informative. I have great respect for musicians who love their instruments and put a lot of love in their publications. John meets all the requirements and knows what he is talking about. Buy this book, woodshed the examples and your playing will improve!

There are a lot of usefull advises.

This book really hits some difficult yet essential topics like how to create and maintain happening swing within a band, how to integrate non-jazz influences in your playing and tips for uptempo comping. Definetely for the advanced jazzdrummer, but accessible for everyone because of the clear and analysing texts that are a joy to read! A must have for those seeking to improve towards professionality. Enjoy!
Franc auf dem Brinke-Drummers Initiative Amsterdam- [...]

Do get this book. And you'll be swept-away into another world where a crazy-girl named Francis, aka Judy Garland, got away with all kinds of mischief and adventure. Somewhere in her kooky, chaotic, vaudeville life, she surely got the idea that it was all a show about nothing.

Judy was a passionate person, and Gerold Frank captures her spirit, her sense of humor, her highs, her dark-side and the range of her anger and inspirations. "If you ever want to know who I was, listen to my songs," she said. What does one do with all that talent and energy? Frank gets into it. I think Gerold Frank does a fabulous job of filling-out the life of a human being. We sometimes forget that Judy was more than a performer. It is stunning to watch her films, knowing what was going on behind the scenes, how she was consistently exploited. She was young. People never had psychological terms for boundaries in those days, so she continued to remain a somewhat open and exploited person, "performing" right up to her death. And she was damn-angry in the end.

Judy had no outlet for her anger, except to strike out at things, objects and people. She was at a loss to know how to care, because she was never taught or given models of respect. So she stopped caring and began to take advantage of situations and people as a method of personal survival. This was the thing that alienated her from her children. Deep down, she didn't want to be this. So she let them go, and consequentially, a little bit of her self, as well. Bipolar disease is very difficult to manage without these psychological skills.

Judy never really had much of a chance to be anything than what she was. This happens to actors and people who need to showcase themselves in public: they get stuck. She learned how to play the victim. She just reached a point where she quit defending herself about it, that's all. Was Judy a bitch and a diva? Those were roles she took on, in the victim-mode. Women in those days were acculturated to be subservient, and therefore victims and blamers. If one is physically and mentally challenged, one needs help. Judy never got the right help and couldn't find it. Yet she always reserved a soft spot in her heart. She held on to her theme song, Over the Rainbow, and cherished it. So we have to look to someone like Gerold Frank, who is able to dig down under all this, and finds her; a woman who had a heart, and who was aching to share it with us, in spite of everything.

This is an "early" review since I haven't finished this very long book yet, but I will say that I don't like very long books (I find them daunting and time-consuming) but this one is good and holds your interest despite its detail and depth. However, I know that it leaves out certain parts already about her early life. For example, various sources (such as Marcella Rabwin, who is featured in the book prominently, and a family friend of Garland for many years) said on the E! True Hollywood Story TV program, that Judy and her sisters, mother, and father left Grand Rapids because Judy's father, Frank, had an affair with "a young man" and in those days that was "scandalous" and they "had to" move away. This story is nowhere in the book. This book also supposedly had the cooperation and the blessing of Liza and Lorna (not sure about Joe), Judy's children, so you know that despite the book's detail and depth, it's going to be "safe" with nothing too controversial that the children didn't want published. That's too bad, because for a biography to be truly inspirational (let alone just plain "accurate"), you have to include the skeletons in the closet (sorry for the pun, there, Frank). I haven't read Gerald Clarke's "Get Happy", which might include more scandalous stories. It's funny how there are 2 major Judy biographies that are very very long with authors named "Gerald"; easy to confuse the two, as I did at first. What a remarkable life; what a remarkable book. I still recommend book this highly, for Judy fans and also because I recommend biographies in general as a way for people to put their troubles in perspective, to gain inspiration from people we all "know", and as a parable to learn what to do, and not to do, to be happy in life. This would also be a great "primer" for young people to understand the history of Hollywood, or if you want a case study of a great American if you're patriotic, a great woman if you're a feminist, an unfortunate addict if you have an interest in drug and alcohol abuse issues, and a great musician/actress if you're an artist.

Gerold Frank's biography is probably the single most comprehensive book written concerning Judy Garland: meticulously researched, debunking many myths, and richly detailed, it is certainly a standard for any one seriously interested in Garland. Even so, I have several issues with the book.

My single greatest complaint about the book is that Frank often seems to include detail for the sake of detail, and at times these details don't seem to make any cohesive statement. That aside, while Frank places Garland under a microscope, he never really quite delivers any sense of the world in which she moved; consequently, we never really have any background against which we may judge her. There is no context.

These are serious flaws, and while the book is certainly readable and enjoyable, I do not think it is one to which the average reader would return, nor would I particularly recommend it to any but the toughest of hard-core Garland fans.

Gerold Frank has taken a subject of innumerable facets, a larger-than-life personality, and an almost indescribable talent and has put the history of her life to words as no writer before or since has been able to accomplish. Judy Garland, one of the silver screen's most beloved stars, is accurately and honestly conveyed in this biography. Frank's style is unique: when he tells of the tradgedies or failures of the star, he is not incriminating against the subject. Frank's book is one as written by an observer, sometimes voyueristically so. His thorough research bring Garland through in all her glory: as the vaudeville headliner, the little girl on the rise to stardom, the MGM superstar, loving wife and mother, and the sometimes self-destructive woman, taken from this earth too soon by the disease brought on by a lifetime of pills, but most of all, the woman trying to find her place in the world and the love she always craved and needed. Judy Garland is a human being, not a media figure, in this book. Gerold Frank is to be well commended for his excellent portrayal of Judy Garland, and readers will also be delighted or surprised by the informative tidbits along this Yellow Brick Road into the life of the great Judy Garland.

Never mind other books on the subject, icluding Lorna Luft`s "Me and My Shadows - living with the legacy of Judy Garland"...

THIS IS IT! This is the definitive biography. The detail is amazing and Gerald Frank is by far the only one who has captured Judy the woman and not ONLY the star. John Fricke`s "The World`s Greatest Entertainer" is good, but a tribute to a star, up there somewhere..... It`s written by a fan and good as it is, it sadly looks perspective.

This must NEVER be out of print and belongs to every library in the world. Indeed, I thought I knew evrything about Judy(I`ve been a fan since 1977), but THIS book is filling in holes I NEVER KNEW EXCISTED!

Thanks a LOT, Gerald Frank:-) This book i s of Pulitzer Prize calibre, although I realise a biography will never be given that honour...

This is a very detailed book about the life of Kay Francis. The authors present a chronology of Kay Francis' life based on her diaries and other extensive research. Kear & Rossman provide intimate details of her life in an unbiased and thoughtful manner. The authors were able to convey their love of Kay thru the book. We receive a glimpse into the life of a Hollywood actress in the 20s & 30s. This book will appeal to people interested in Kay Francis and Hollywood. I enjoyed it because it shows the individuality of Kay Francis. Her charity work, midwestern values, sexual encounters, and career are all presented in the book. The pictures were great and interesting.
The book left me wanting to know more about Kay Francis and the movies she starred in. I highly recommend this book.

I must admit, I didn't know a lot about Kay Francis going into this book but I had seen her in a couple of films and I went the extra mile to delve deeper into her life and career. I was glad I did! Oh, what a life! Oh, what a career!

This book is the definitive reference to Kay's life, both on and off the screen. Her exciting career, her steamy sex life and the best part...much of this book is based on Kay's own personal diary entries. You can't get better than that!

If you know nothing about Kay and you're intrigued with her life, the way I was, you'll learn everything you want and need to know by reading "Kay Francis: A Passionate Life and Career." If you know everything about Kay Francis, you're wrong. You only THINK you do! Without a doubt you'll learn something new here with the turn of every page!

Great book!

This is one of the best biographies I have ever read. You can tell the authors put a lot of time and effort into this work - it's a true labor of love. Filled with beautiful photos and extensive bibliographical notes, this one is a keeper. Who knew Miss Francis was such a "wild child"? Whether you're a film scholar or a movie buff, Lynn Kear's book deserves a special spot in your bookcase.

This year movie buffs are extremely fortunate because out on the market is not one but two wonderful new biographies of the actress who "couldn't wait to be forgotten"--Kay Francis. Lynn Kear and John Rossman have done a superb job of detailing Kay's life with an especially rich section about her early life--prior to Hollywood stardom. The book also captures the essence of the jazz age of the 1920's when women were coming out of their shells and becoming less uninhibited. In many ways Kay Francis was the epitomization of the free spirited women of the jazz age. The book, as usual for a McFarland product, is lovely to look at and the picture quality is superb. Both books quote from Kay's diaries which were long forgotten at a University archives. The diaries provide much of the dynamic revelations in the narrative--Kay's candid thoughts about her life and (many) lovers. Kay Francis certainly did, as the title says, have a passionate life--and a career which movie buffs and fans can easily appreciate. We are fortunate to have this wonderful book as a reminder of that life and career.

This book had such a slow, uneven start that I almost gave up on it. Kay had a very interesting life, but it was hard to determine that from the way the early chapters of her story were written. Lots of childish exclamation points, and chronological lists that read like "the begats." I adore Kay Francis, and wanted to find out about her life. The authors had the access to her diaries that other biographers were lacking, and her private life was definitely a wild one. That she escaped public, career-ruining scandal is nothing short of a miracle. Once the authors reach her apex year of 1932, and then her war work, the style of the writing really picks up and the story becomes a veritable page-turner. It's definitely worth getting through the first third of the book in order to enjoy the best parts. I respectfully disagree with the reviewer who thinks Kay would have loved this book - she would have hated anyone delving into her private life (she didn't even want anything done with her ashes, she was so private), but speaking as an avid fan of Miss Francis, I'm very glad it was written.

Now I know that in a blues song when they sing about the back door, they are not speaking in sexual terms, they are referring to a cheating man making a quick exit out of the back door when the husband comes home! The book is very entertaining and informative!

If you enjoy the blues then this is the book for you. This book gives you the meaning of every blues phrase ever used in a song. This will give you an understanding of blues music like never before. Absolutely fabulous.

Just like the Blues, "The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu" by Debra DeSalvo, is the nitty gritty real deal with stories and definitions from Blues masters, not from non-musician researchers who think they're the authorities. This book is informative and fun rather than dry and scholarly. You will not be disappointed if you buy it.

It's this type of work that will make sure the Blues and Blues history lives on!

Every reader will pick up something new about lyrics, terms and phrases, noted cities and neighborhoods, instruments, performers, lore, and other aspects of this always popular and colorful style of music. With occasional material from interviews with top names in blues and closely-related types of popular music in entries as long as essays of three or so pages to as short as a couple of lines, DeSalvo relates origins of words and phrases, gives examples when relevant, describes nuances in different styles, locates the origins and outlines the course of different traditions, explains details of instruments and techniques of playing them, and draws profiles of significant singers and instrumentalists. And she includes considerable colorful lore and terminology unknown to only the most knowledgeable aficionados which can only add to enjoyment of the blues with more casual fans. A lively, informative, eminently readable companion to blues music in all its history and manifestations.

This is self-described as an anecdotal dictionary of the blues, but it suffers some serious flaws and while there is some useful information, it is far from authoritative or comprehensive and while it has some usefulness, it can be improved in so many ways. There are some 150 words and phrases which Ms. DeSalvo, former Blues Revue editor, focuses on, in a volume that emphasizes the African roots of the blues, but at times does not focus on other meanings the terms have. One review in Blues & Rhythm notes the focus on sex and hoodoo, but oddly enough very little on traveling which is a significant theme of the blues.

Much is made of the fact she interviewed a number of blues performers and included the material with various entries. However much if not most of the interview material is irrelevant to understanding the language of the blues, or the entry. For example she briefly discusses crossroads focusing on the African conception which leads to a discussion of the Robert Johnson meeting the devil at the crossroad myth and notes that some believe it. Then she included a discussion of Robert Lockwood, Johnson's stepson which bears very little relationship to the discussion of the term. This would have been better included in a sidebar about Johnson and Lockwood. It would have also been instructive to include lyrics of several songs for specific terms to show contrasting meanings. As an example, Elmore James' 'Standing at the Crossroads,' clearly does not have the connotation that some impute to Johnson.

Also some of her sources are not exactly scholarly. In an entry on the Delta, she discussed Charlie Patton working for Will Dockery. She provides as her reference correspondence with Stephen Lavere. There are lengthy published biographies on Patton by John Fahey, and Stephen Calt and Gayle Dean Wardlow that should have been cited. There is no excuse to not citing these sources while citing private correspondence. Then there is this statement "In '34 Blues', Patton nails the desperation and anxiety of unemployment, but something good came out of leaving the plantation this time-Patton went to New York and recorded twenty-nine songs for the American Record Company. When these recordings were reissued in the mid-1960s, they sparked great interest in this Delta cropper who came to be known as the father of the blues." On the same page there is Patton's picture which noted he recorded for Paramount and became that label's biggest selling artist. It was the reissue of Patton's recordings by Yazoo, which presented mostly the Paramount recordings that led to this recognition of Patton's music.

Discussing Canned Heat which some strained to drink the alcohol from, DeSalvo notes that Canned Heat adopted their name from the Tommy Johnson recording and that the members of Canned Heat used their fame to help their blues heroes citing their collaboration in John Lee Hooker's "The Healer." Hmm, I would think that it was the classic double album, "Hooker and Heat," recorded when Alan Wilson, the Blind Owl, was still alive that not only was the recording that led to Hooker's crossover but it stands up with the best recordings Hooker ever made. It was an album the ghost band that is Canned Heat is today would be incapable of producing. Sorry for perhaps going off topic, but so many entries here go off topic. (Again sidebars would have been useful). However the fact she is so imprecise with this, makes me suspect the accuracy of some other entries.

She does include some suggested recordings, but more lyric quotes for the entries
would have been very helpful. Also there should have been more cross entries, such as in her discussion of policy numbers, cross references back to that entry should have been provided for some of the policy combinations. And there are numerous terms that are not discussed here. This is a really rough first effort and this work needs some serious reworking if it is going to be a useful tool, which probably also means she should find herself a collaborator and take into account the serious criticisms if she wants to put together a work that will stand up as scholarly and a reference.