Rate End Of Year Music Books As: Worth Buying, Worth Taking Out Of Library, Worth Browsing in Store, Wouldn't Touch With A Tenpole Tudor

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/blackplasticbag/

In a February 14th posting Michael J. West says in part : “Inasmuch as it is a jazz album, it is precisely the kind of jazz album that would win this award,” Ratliff says. “It is soft-edged and literate and respectable. It seems, at least, intended as an audience bridger.”

In other words, it’s not really jazz enough to count.

The authenticity debate never dies (Thanks, Wynton), but come on. The musicians who’ve made this “soft-edged,” crossover-friendly album include Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, and Vinnie Colaiuta (not a big name, but a musician’s musician–cited by Modern Drummer as “the most important drummer of our time”). You couldn’t get a higher pedigree if you resurrected John Coltrane.

Resurrecting Coltrane would apparently have been a problem too.

He would have been viewed as a "free jazz casualty" who had been forced to dumb it down after all the damage sustained by all the overblowing.

(Sorry I confused Oregon with Washington State with D.C.)

Will Hodgkinson's Song Man recently made it over here to the states. I bought it, and would heartily recommend it. Aside from having a couple of fascinating chapters dealing w/Lawrence from Felt, he interviews Hal David, Arthur Lee, Andy Partridge, Chan Marshall, Lamont Dozier, Chip Taylor, Bridget St John...

I have no complaints with the book whatsoever.

Sacks' Musicophilia book totally not holding my interest. It seems scattered, almost like a series of essays.

OTOH I want that Moondog bio really bad, think I'm gonna order it next paycheck.

Sacks' Musicophilia book totally not holding my interest. It seems scattered, almost like a series of essays.

I haven't read Musicophilia, but aren't all of his books arranged in that format? Regardless, I am still haunted by the chapter in the one book of his which deals with the Grateful Dead fan who became a Hare Krishna, and ended up having a brain tumor...does anyone else remember that one?

All of his fellow Krishna devotees celebrated his meditative powers, but his apparent ability to exist blissfully in the present or whatever was due to the fact of some massive tumor growing in his brain. At one point, he goes to a Dead concert, and despite being completely blind, he says, "oh yeah, there's Jerry over there! Look at him! He's amazing!"

Clapton and Patti books are out in paperback but still steering clear of them. Yesterday bought the Moondog bio and the Lee Konitz interview book from last year.

Would love to see this thread resuscitated for the o-12!

Good books about music