The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu
by Debra DeSalvo
from Billboard Books
To unearth the true origins and meanings of blues terms like "alcorub," "mojo," and "killing floor," author Debra DeSalvo poured over lyrics, dug through obscure academic sources, and interviewed many blues artists. The result is a witty, ribald, and unparalleled dictionary of blues terminology, packed with anecdotes from DeSalvo’s interviews with such legends as Little Milton, Robben Ford, Henry Gray, John Hammond, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Bob Margolin, Bonnie Raitt, Smiley Ricks, Hubert Sumlin, and Jimmie Vaughan. The Language of the Blues also includes photos - some previously unpublished—of more than twenty artists, and an insightful foreword by Dr. John.
The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz and Blues
by Howard Mandel
from Billboard Books
Urban Blues (Phoenix Books)
by Charles Keil
from University Of Chicago Press
"Enlightening. . . . [Keil] has given a provocative indication of the role of the blues singer as a focal point of ghetto community expression."—John S. Wilson, New York Times Book Review
"[Urban Blues] expresses authentic concern for people who are coming to realize that their past was . . . the source of meaningful cultural values."—Atlantic
"An achievement of the first magnitude. . . . He opens our eyes and introduces a world of amazingly complex musical happening."—Robert Farris Thompson, Ethnomusicology
"[Keil's] vigorous, aggressive scholarship, lucid style and sparkling analysis stimulate the challenge. Valuable insights come from treating urban blues as artistic communication."—James A. Bonar, Boston Herald
Otis!: The Otis Redding Story
by Scott Freeman
from St. Martin's Press
Music was his sole occupation. Inspired by the works of Little Richard, a singer raised in a small town just miles from his own, Otis Redding knew he wanted to become a singer. This dream, his father said, would lead him nowhere, but when Otis Redding first burst onto the scene in 1962 with his R&B hit "These Arms of Mine" music enthusiasts knew they were listening to the voice of a star. With over fourteen songs gracing the top 20 chart, Otis Redding soon became a music phenomenon. Crooning tunes such as "Respect," "I Can't Stop Loving You," and "Try a Little Tenderness," Otis Redding defined a new generation of R&B music.
He solidified his position as a superstar by stealing the spotlight at concerts like the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. But at the height of his career, three days after completing his most popular song "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," Otis Redding died in a tragic plane crash over Madison, Wisconsin.
Now, Otis!: The Otis Redding Story tells the true life story of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend who changed the face of R&B music. This revealing portrait is hailed as the most definitive text on the man who embodied the very essence of soul.
Doo-Wop: The Forgotten Third of Rock 'N Roll
For those who were teen-agers in the 1950s and the early part of the 1960s, doo-wop music conjures up memories of hanging out with friends at the malt shop, dances at the hop, and first romances. This book will transport readers back to those nostalgic times and make them want to scan the radio in hopes of hearing Dion & the Belmonts, the Chiffons or Little Anthony & the Imperials.
The Complete Book of Doo-Wop provides an extensive history of doo-wop from 1950 through the early 1970s and gives definitions and illustrations of the music that falls between rhythm and blues and rock 'n' roll. It also features 150 photos, 64 sheet-music covers and prices for 1,000 top doo-wop records.
Collectors and enthusiasts, vocal harmony fans, music historians and music fans will also discover plenty of fun facts, stories and quizzes on doo-wop songs and groups.
The authors, who also wrote Doo-Wop, the Forgotten Third of Rock 'n' Roll, the only in-depth doo-wop book available, are authorities on the subject.
-Features 150 photos of top doo-wop groups, along with more than 60 sheet-music covers. -Includes a pricing appendix for 1,000 of the most popular songs. -The definitive guide to an increasingly popular realm of music.
Trouble Man: The Life and Death of Marvin Gaye
by Steve Turner
from Ecco
Marvin Gaye was a twentieth-century icon, one of our greatest pop singers.He made his name with the Motown sound of the sixties, but went on to become a musical revolutionary with the release of What's Going On -- an album that tuoched on war, ecology, racism, violence, and poverty. It perfactly capured the spirit of the times and changed people's perceptions of what soul music could achieve.
Behind the songs, however, Gaye's was a troubled life: drug dependency, tortured personal relationships, and ongoing financal and legal difficulties led inexorably to the final fatel meeting with his father. Since his tragic death, his stature has increased rather than diminished. His musical legacy has endured that his popularity and influnce will endure and continue to win new generations of fans.
Trouble Man, based on exhausive and exclusive new research, is the definitive story of the turbulent life and violent death of an American icon. Steve Turner probes beyond the undying magic of songs like"I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "What's Going On," and "Sexual Healing" to trace the jagged contours of Gaye's life and examine the man behind the legend. Turner's detailed exploration of Gaye's childhood and his relationship with his family, his religious upbringing, and his meteoric professional success and ultimate descent into drug abuse and financial instability offers a new look at a beloved American musician.
Nothing but the Blues: The Music and the Musicians
by Lawrence Cohn
from Abbeville Press
An illustrated history of the blues captures the great variety of this uniquely American music form through vintage photographs and a lively text. National ad/promo.
Divided Soul: The Life Of Marvin Gaye (Da Capo Paperback)
by David Ritz
from Da Capo Press
I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone
by Nina Simone
from Da Capo Press
Encyclopedia of the Blues
From cotton fields to international festivals, from Mamie Smith's 1920 recording of "Crazy Blues" to the young rising stars of today, the growth of the blues has been long and varied. This indispensable reference contains hundreds of entries with detailed examinations of the instruments, trends, recordings, producers, and performers who have helped to popularize blues music. Selected discography. 50 illustrations.
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