Blues by the Bar: Cool Riffs That Sound Great over Each Portion of the Blues Progression

Book Description

If you're a guitarist who's learned the pentatonic scale up and down the neck but still asks, "During a solo, how do I know what to play and when to play it?", then this book is for you. Its goal is to give you a variety of great blues licks that you can put together bar by bar to create a complete blues solo. Covers: the 12-bar blues progression, cool riffs, complete solos and more. The CD features "Music Minus Me" tracks that let you play along as the featured soloist.

Customer Reviews:

b by the b.......2007-10-08

You really know how to read music and tabulature in order to use this book.

Great Blues Teacher.......2007-08-22

I have been playing for over 35 years, taught and played professionally. This book is the real deal. If you want a book that will show you riffs and how to put them together then this is it. The riffs are arranged in 2 bar phrases that are sections of the the 12 bar blues form. You can pretty much use any 2 bar phrase in conjunction with any combination of 5 other 2 bar phrases to make a solo. You will play these 2 bar phrases and say to yourself, I have heard that riff and now I am playing it. This is not beginner stuff that merely runs up and down the blues or pentatonic scales, these are real phrases that you have heard on CDs. Buy this book if you want to really learn to play the blues!!

Instrumental blues.......2007-07-12

An excellent book/CD combo. Provides most everything you need to know to play guitar blues. (You still gotta practice though).

Excellent Book.......2007-01-26

I am 46 years old and just started to play less than a year ago, I spent most of my time learning and working scales, up and down, over and over again. (I actually listened to my teacher) This book is awesome, it has given me lots of great riffs to work with, the cd is a great tool for learning the phrasings. I have already started to experiment with my own versions of the riffs. The "Music Minus Me" tracks are great for practicing and perfecting the riffs. There are 3 different keys to work in, allowing a wider range of learning. My wife now prefers that I practice/play without head phones on. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Thanks for a great book.
Nick

Great learning tool.......2007-01-04

This book does just what it says on the box! No complications. It breaks down a simple 12 bar blues and provides plenty of 2 bar riff ideas that you can use over the backing tracks. Tracks are simple slow blues in E, A and G [2 of each] and each about 4+ minutes long. It's a great learning tool and worth buying just for these jam tracks.

Average customer rating:

A Triumph of Peter Guralnick
Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke
Steer clear of this one.
Sweet Voice and Good Looks
A Very Good Cooke Book!

Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke
Peter Guralnick
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

One Night Stand: Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
Sam Cooke - Legend
Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964
Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Always Magic in the Air : The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era

ASIN: 0316013293

Book Description

Sam Cooke was the biggest star in gospel music before hecrossed over into pop. His first single under his own name, "You Send Me,"went to #1 on the charts and sold two million copies. At a time when recordcompanies treated black artists like hired help, Sam Cooke demanded respectequal to that of top white artists. And he connected, in songs like"Wonderful World," "Chain Gang," and "Another Saturday Night"--seeminglyeffortless compositions that still sound fresh today. This resoundingly praised book captures a human essence so vital, soappealing, that it is impossible not to fall under its spell. At the sametime, DREAM BOOGIE re-creates in rich detail the African American worldfrom which Sam Cooke emerged, allowing us to feel both his trials and histriumphs.

Customer Reviews:

A Triumph of Peter Guralnick.......2007-08-19

Peter Guralnick knows how to tell the history of a life, and Dream Boogie is a well written account not just of Sam Cooke but of the history of popular music at perhaps its most significant stage. The author details the coming together--forced to varying degrees from the circumstance of segregation--of gospel and blues, art and commerce, glamour and shabbiness. Guralnick brings this last combination to vivid perspective in particular: while on tour and 'Wonderful World' is high in the charts, for instance, segregation still limits Sam's choice of accommodation to run-down hotels. As Guralnick shows, however, the religious and the secular were two things that were already well entwined: Dream Boogie emphasizes how the church was rooted in material success--how preoccupied its gospel stars were with sexual and financial, as well as spiritual, concerns.

I'd like to clear up a confusion that other reviews suffer from: when Guralnick, say, talks about Sam Cooke's 'naked avariciousness', he's talking from a business opponent's point of view. This is why statements seemingly flatly contradict. We get impressions of greed and generosity, but just because words aren't in inverted commas, it doesn't mean they represent the author's beliefs. It's a literary conceit (you could call it 'shifting third person subjective' or some such if you liked), and Sam Cooke appears through this composite approach. Guralnick has said in interview that his professional intention is to 'disappear', and mostly he does--by the device of presenting a series of opinions.

Too much of Sam's life seems little more than a series of tour itineraries. It's a fault that overruns the middle section of the book, although it's tempting to accept as a by-product of honesty and thoroughness. The end, though, is filled with revelation, and it becomes clear the author has consciously chosen to concentrate even on Sam's trivial triumphs above examples of tawdriness: the death of our hero is met with such a conspicuous absence of sorrow from those closest to him that it creates an absence of sorrow in us, too--all we can feel primarily is surprise.

If you've ever wondered about the myriad personal ramifications of instantly recognizable genius, and if you want to know how things were, how things happened, at the birth of rhythm & blues--and rock & roll--this book provides answers. Dream Boogie reminds us that things only spring out of nowhere at the quantum level. Sam Cooke, after all, had contemporaries: the primary difference was *that* voice.

Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke.......2007-04-10

Everyone should read this book. It is not only about Sam Cooke, it is about the music industry and many others involved in the industry. An excellent book, artfully written with unusual details.

Steer clear of this one........2007-03-04

When I had first heard of Dream Boogie, a 700-page biography of the late Sam Cooke, I was ecstatic. Up until that point, I had only known of one other biography of Sam Cooke - You Send Me, which I haven't gotten around to reading. I eagerly bought a copy of the book from my local Barnes & Noble, expecting an enormous gem of truth about Sam, that would prove to be both through and entertaining. For readers of this review, there is now a third Sam Cooke biography, written by Erik Greene entitled: "Our Uncle Sam". Who is Erik Greene, you may ask? He's Sam's great nephew.

But let us return to Dream Boogie. Peter Guralnick is known as the definitive biographer of Sam Cooke, having written liner notes for digitally-remastered CDs and much more. Peter Guralnick worked on writing and gathering the materials for Dream Boogie for more than fifteen years. Therefore, one might well assume that he would write an enormous gem of truth that proved to be both through and entertaining.

Let us begin with the good points of this 700-page biography. Peter Guralnick chose to interview a large portion of the Sam Cooke family, something Daniel Wolff did not do. Naturally, Erik Greene did. Guralnick includes commentary from his father, his brothers, his sisters, his business associates, his close friends, and most importantly, his widow. Barbara Cooke, ever since the death of her husband, has never conducted any interviews regarding Sam for the past forty years. Naturally, she provides a unique but also a brutally honest commentary regarding her life and Sam's. However, Guralnick does not deviate from his course - he is still extremely through (to say the least) in the actual history of Sam's life. He doesn't miss a single thing.

In my opinion, there is a flaw to this. In the art of writing, if you're too through with a subject, you will bog the reader down immensely. Guralnick gets an A+ on this one. Throughout the 700-page biography, Guralnick succeeds in providing the reader with so very much information that is indeed interesting, but not important to the overall history of Sam. He also succeeds in doing the exact opposite over the more important and memorable aspects of Sam's life. In the 1950s, he stood up against the police in Memphis after the police told him to push the car to the side of the road. Specifically, he told him: "Sir, my name is Sam Cooke. If you haven't heard of me, your wife knows me. When you get home tonight, you ask your wife if she knows Sam Cooke. I don't push no car. This is my car, my brother ran out of gas. I'm not pushing it. You want to put a ticket on it, put a ticket on it. But I don't push no car. Not mine, not yours, not nobody's elses. I'm not a pusher. I'm a singer." Sam then proceeded to sit back in his car, his brother came with the gas, and they left. The police left them alone.

Depending upon your interpretation, this could be seen as one of the first steps for Sam regarding the Civil Rights Movement, which led to his greatest composition, "A Change Is Gonna Come", an African-American response to Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind". This also leads to another flaw in Guralnick's work, a complete lie over an important television appearance of Sam. Daniel Wolff also makes the same mistake. In February of 1964, Sam appeared on The Tonight Show and it's known that he sang "Basin Street Blues" as the performance still survives. However, according to both Guralnick and Wolff, Sam also sang "A Change Is Gonna Come" on the same show. I'm not sure what Wolff does in an attempt to prove this, but Guralnick uses a cue sheet with a similar title to "A Change Is Gonna Come" to prove that Sam did indeed sing the song.

I recently contacted a Carson archivist, and Sam never sung the song. It took me a day to figure it out. Guralnick worked on this book for more than fifteen years. If he went through such work to that the song was planned, why wouldn't he check the log book of the episode to see if Sam sung the song to be completely sure? During the days of The Tonight Show, some guests would exceed the length of time they occupied and therefore, some guests would never make it onto the show.

Perhaps that's not a very big flaw in the biography of Sam; it's only a single event. Consider this. On the eighth page of the biography, there is a picture with the caption "A very young Sam Cooke". The eighth page and Guralnick makes a major mistake. It's not Sam. It's his brother, L.C. Three months after the book was released, the mistake was corrected. If Guralnick cannot properly identify a photo of the person he's writing about, what other mistakes is he prone to make in the book?

Perhaps the biggest mistake Guralnick makes is stating that the official version of events concerning Sam's death was how it went down. As I read the chapter regarding Sam's death, I seriously considered whether or not Guralnick was employed by Allen Klein, whom Sam was planning to fire. Who was Allen Klein? I don't know too much about him myself, but I do know that he swindled the Cooke family out of the royalties of Sam's catalog with help from one of Sam's daughters and his widow. I do know that he also conned The Beatles as well as The Rolling Stones. That's about it. Yet, he uses Allen Klein's and Barbara Cooke's commentary exclusively. If you do a Google search about the death of Sam, you'll find an analysis of the "official" version of events that pokes five large gaping holes into the official version of events. In addition, the coroner's inquest was a complete joke and contradicted itself numerous times. Daniel Wolff didn't believe the official version of events, Sam's fans don't believe the official version of events, and Sam's family doesn't believe the official version of events. Pretty much no one believes the official version of events other than Guralnick.

I'm not sure what Wolff does to debate what really happened that night, but Erik Greene includes a report in his book that is extremely different from the official version of events. Well, you may say that he would naturally do that, considering Sam was a member of his family. Instead of using the "facts" from the coroner's inquest and related events, Greene chooses to tackle the mystery of Sam's death via a pathology report. Scientifically speaking, I believe that it's quite accurate.

Here's the rather discerning part. Peter Guralnick is known as the definitive biographer of Sam Cooke. But of course, no biography doesn't have its flaws. However, keep in mind that I do not cite all the mistakes made in Dream Boogie. I can probably cite four or five more off the top of my head. But I think I've trashed the book enough. What's the worst part? The flaws in Dream Boogie, known as the Sam Cooke Bible, could be perhaps passed off as truth by a less-than-familiar (historically speaking) Sam Cooke fan, and are blatantly obvious to the die-hard fans of Sam Cooke.

If you want a good biography of Sam that is entertaining, through, and truthful, either check out Wolff's biography or Greene's biography, which I highly recommend, which was by a member of the family of Sam Cooke.

Sweet Voice and Good Looks.......2007-02-28

I enjoyed this book. This is one of several books I have read on Sam Cooke. Sam was very much into African American history. He gets brownie points for that.

He was a very interesting character, and just loved women. For me, his greatest and most touching song is "A Change is Gonna Come." However, I really love his voice the most when he was with the Soul Stirrers. It is unfortunate, that most great black singers have to water down their vocals to appeal to the white masses. He even said himself, that when he performed for his people, he dare not give them that water down crap. They don't want any bologna. They want some steak and potatoes.

It was sort of funny that when some radio personality or industry person messed him over, he'd sex their wives. Sam that was not nice.

A Very Good Cooke Book!.......2006-11-04

Although this book is a very thorough and comprehensive record of singing virtuoso Sam Cooke and his much-too-short life, the 700 or so pages seem to soar as effortlessly as Sam's voice over a lyric. Upon completing this read it was not exhaustion I felt from reviewing every minute detail (as recalled by nearly a hundred of first-hand witnesses) of Sam's 33 years, but a feeling of utter sadness and frustration that this monumental talent himself probably set about the chain of events that caused his demise. What thrilled me about the book the most are the details surrounding each of Sam's recording sessions, from the early gospel years, his own SAR/Derby joint venture with J.W. Alexander to produce gospel, R&B and pop artists, to his final recordings produced for his new Tracey company shortly before his untimely death. Many details of his personal appearances both in the U.S. and abroad, and his life on the road with other artists (well known, and lesser known) are provided in abundance. While Sam's previous biography, "You Send Me" (which may be currently out-of-print) was quite adequate in its content, "Dream Boogie" is the ultimate bio for Sam Cooke fans and fans of rock & roll/pop/gospel/r&b/soul music. Highly recommended!

You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke

Average customer rating:

The definitive Sam Cooke bio
Honest You Do
Flawed, But Thought Provoking, Heartbreaking Biography
WELL PUT TOGETHER
Sent Me There!

You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke
Daniel J. Wolff , S. R. Crain , Clifton White , and G. David Tenenbaum
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke - Legend
Sam Cooke Portrait of a Legend, 1951-1964
Complete Recordings of Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers
Rage to Survive: The Etta James Story

ASIN: 0688124038

Amazon.com

Decades after his death, Sam Cooke's thrilling, seductive tenor remains one of the glories of American popular music. His compositions have inspired a multitude of covers, few of which manage to lay a finger on the original versions. And Cooke's vocal mannerisms--the melismatic swooping and yodeling he applied to key phrases--are still audible every time Aaron Neville opens his mouth (not to mention a host of other singers, from Rod Stewart to Aretha Franklin). Clearly, then, it was time for a full-dress biography, and Daniel Wolff has done a superlative job. He traces the singer's transformation from gospel prodigy, who hit the road with the Soul Stirrers at the tender age of 19, to secular star. Endlessly ambitious, Cooke never quite figured out how to juggle his sacred and profane instincts, and Wolff is particularly good on this balancing act, as well as on the racial politics of the music industry.

Book Description

In 1957, already one of the biggest stars in gospel music, Sam Cooke burst onto the pop scene with the number one hit "You Send Me," the first in a string of rock & roll classics. He quickly became one of music business's first African-American entrepreneurs, as well as a role model in the early years of the civil rights struggle. Then, at age thirty-three, he was found dead, shot through the heart in a seedy motel in south Los Angeles. The circumstances surrounding his death would remain a controversial mystery for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

The definitive Sam Cooke bio.......2007-09-24

I have referred this book to others so many times over the years since it's release, but I never wrote a review, until now....

I have read this book 5 times. Each time, I still get engrossed by the amazing life of Sam Cooke. If you really want to know this man's story - get this book. Get this book along with Erik Greene's "Our Uncle Sam". These two books will be ALL you need. Trust me - I have read them all. Wolff's book takes you from Sam's beginnings with the the Highway QC's...all the way up to the tragedy of Sam's untimely death. Sam's great nephew - Erik Greene, takes you through the aftermath and beyond with "Our Uncle Sam". One thing that I love about both books is that they completely decimate the "official" version of Sam Cooke's death.

I could say more - but it has already been said....everybody cant be wrong. Get the book - you won't be disappointed.

Honest You Do.......2007-01-28

For a long time this was the only available biography on Sam Cooke. Until Peter Guralnick released his excellent 'Dream Boogie' a few years ago.

When I first read 'You Send Me' it openened my eyes to a lot of things; unlike many of his contemperaries, here was someone in complete control of everything he did. Writing his own songs, pretty much producing them himself and above all one of the first black men to own and run his own record-label (SAR).

Of course it starts during his gospel days in which, not known by everyone, for a few years as a member of the Soul Stirrers he was the number 1 soul star around. Maybe not in religious fervor, but certainly with the female part of the church. Later his way with women would haunt him, even leading to his unfortunate death at age 33.

The book is well researched, provides nice insights into the songs and into his mind as well. His constant veering between wanting to play music for white and black, but always staying himself.

This is a great introduction to the man who 'created soul' and a must for every soul lover.

Flawed, But Thought Provoking, Heartbreaking Biography.......2006-06-01

You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke is a very good rendering of the life of the classic gospel/R&B/pop superstar whose life was tragically cut short with his death in 1964.

Here you get to see the talented, complex, and at times, troubled singer throught his beginnings singing with the Soul Stirrers, through his skillful crafting of his own solo career, and ending with the ongoing mystery surrounding his death in a flophouse motel at the hands of a woman who may have had other motives for killing Cooke besides self-defense.

The only problem with You Send Me is that it at times focuses too much on the minutiae of the gospel circuit that Cooke and the Soul Stirrers traveled and details of the publishing industry that many readers will not find interesting. But in the end, this book is well worth a read, and anyone interested in Sam Cooke should not be disappointed.

WELL PUT TOGETHER .......2005-10-20

THIS BOOK REALLY PUTS INTO PERSPECTIVE WHO SAM COOKE REALLY WAS AND HOW IMPORTANT HE IS TO AMERICAN CULTURE. IF THIS ISN'T REASON ENOUGH FOR A FULL LENGTH MOVIE THEN WHAT IS? BUDDY HOLLY HAS ONE,RICHIE VALENS HAS ONE, RAY CHARLES EVEN HAS ONE! COME ON MOVIE MAKERS THE STORY OF SAM COOKE HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED; LOVE, TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH. WILL SMITH WOULD MAKE A GREAT SAM COOKE!

Sent Me There!.......2005-02-06

This was a well researched and written book. I enjoyed it because it was packed full of history on music industry, the Civil Rights Era and The Man (Sam Cooke). This book sent me there. It was so descriptive, that I felt like I was actually there viewing the events as they unfolded.

I am a Sam Cooke fan, but I did not know much about him. This book provided me with an in-depth look at the man from a personal and professional standpoint. His life was not picture perfect and his death is still surrounded by too much mystery. I appreciate the author revealing such sensitive info and in such a way that it did not tarnish my image of the singer.

This man's life had all the makings for a movie. The book left me not wanting for anything. I walked away full...no questions pending.

All Music Guide to Jazz: The Experts' Guide to the Best Jazz Recordings (All Music Guide to Jazz, 3rd ed)

Average customer rating:

A Great Resource for "Treasure Hunters!"
Tadej Tuýek, Slovenia
Almost perfect, essential for every beginner.
Useful, practical... not profound
The Definitive Review of Jazz Recordings

All Music Guide to Jazz: The Experts' Guide to the Best Jazz Recordings (All Music Guide to Jazz, 3rd ed)

Manufacturer: Backbeat Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

All Music Guide to the Blues: The Experts' Guide to the Best Blues Recordings (2nd Ed)
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings: Eighth Edition (Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings)
All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul (3rd Edition)

ASIN: 0879305304

Amazon.com

The AMG Jazz encyclopedia is the resource of choice for anything you might care to know about jazz musicians, jazz history, and jazz recordings. The print is small and there's not a lot of space wasted on photos and filler--in fact, the only non-text additions are 51 music maps, smartly illustrating which performers played in which categories of a range of topics, from accordion and big bands to vocal groups and significant fusion players. There are short essays on topics like ragtime, cool, acid jazz, jazz history, and jazz in film, plus indexes for jazz books, venues, and videos, producers, writers, and labels, and a much-appreciated comprehensive index. The bulk of this extraordinary reference, however, consists of musician profiles (more than 1,700) and reviews of their recordings (more than 18,000), arranged alphabetically from Greg Abate to John Zorn, providing biographical details of well-known figures such as Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, as well as his son T.S. Monk and more obscure artists such as Don Byas, Richard Tabnik, Oscar Pettiford, Hot Lips Page, and Chubby Jackson.

The profiles are well researched, short, and richly informative and entertaining. Take Bob Scobey, for example. In one brief paragraph, you learn he was a Dixieland trumpet player and band leader from Tucumcari, New Mexico, lived from December 9, 1916 to June 12, 1963, and was a popular trumpeter in his prime. He played in Watter's Yerba Buena Jazz Band in San Francisco (one of the most influential bands in the Dixieland revival), formed his own Frisco Jazz Band, opened Club Bourbon Street in 1959 in Chicago, and died four years later of cancer at 46. The profiles are reason enough to appreciate AMG Jazz, but the recording reviews are even more impressive. Following each biography is a comprehensive list of the artist's recordings, with a star rating (0 to 5), information about who plays what, how long it runs, what sort of music it is, notable high points, low points, or both, and any other songs or notes of historic or musical interest. Mesmerizingly addictive to jazz musicians, accessibly, enjoyably instructive to the novice, reliably erudite for the scholar, vastly entertaining for the browser, and irreplaceable as a CD-purchase guide, the All Music Guide to Jazz sets the standard for what a music-reference book should be. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

More than 14,000 sizzling recordings in all jazz styles are now identified in the third edition of this definitive, easy-to-use guide. 1378 pages, 6-1/8" x 9-1/4"

Customer Reviews:

A Great Resource for "Treasure Hunters!".......2002-08-08

My reasons for liking this book is probably different than most people. As an LP collector, I welcome information on vinyl no longer in print. I also like the fact that this book tells you the original title for the LP. Many CD's change the title and add alternate cuts. If I am going to purchase CD's I'd prefer the programming to be just like it was on the original LP.

As far as the reviewer's being too easy with their ratings , I've purchased nearly 600 LP's and CD's from various sources over the past year and many of them I bought at the recommendation of this book, only 1 of them was not to my taste (The World Saxaphone Quartet's Tribute to Ellington).

I've also had the opportunity to utilize the penguin guide as well others guides, I actually found the Penguin to be way to critical on some of the greatest recordings in Jazz History. The Penguin also doesn't seem to be as user friendly to vinyl fans.

One area that this book may come up short is for fans of "Smooth Jazz" it is easy to see that the author is not a fan of this genre (neither am I for that matter)!

I'd recommend this book strongly to anyone wanting to purchase a Vinyl and CD collection. I'm sure an argument can be made for the Penguin book, it is also a sound option, but as for me I'll take the AMG!

Tadej Tuýek, Slovenia.......2002-03-02

Excellent and essential book for jazz beginners. I'm looking forward to 4th Edition because 3rd one is already out of date! I hope that new one will have some european and avant jazz like Internet version does.

Almost perfect, essential for every beginner........2002-02-19

When I first began listening to jazz years ago I was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff out there. I didn't have a lot of money so I didn't want to buy albums that I wouldn't like. I wanted to get the best. This book was a god-send. Of the 100 or so jazz albums I own, I have only returned two that were recommended by this book. Most of the jazz I own was purchased after studying this book. The info is great, the reviews are usually on target and easy to read (what is so hard about the stars?). If you are just getting into jazz, or need info on an artist that you don't know anything about, get this book. ESSENTIAL.

Useful, practical... not profound.......2002-02-17

The AMG website is no doubt the best and most efficient way of finding out the basic facts about a recording, be it in circulation or not. Its printed counterpart for jazz is practical, but it lacks the depth, scholarship, style and vitality of the Penguin Guide. It also, crucially, lacks an index. However, it is helpful in that it isn't concerned -as the Penguin is- with whether a recording is available or not. That way it tantalisingly points to material that has not been reissued or is still only on vinyl. Those of us who love the hunt for rare records will be delighted by this. The writing is competent and highly informed, but stops short of erudition and wit. It's also slightly overenthusiastic, as if there were few bad recordings in jazz. Of course there are, in their thousands. And sophisticated listeners want to become discerning; they want to know why something good is good, and why something poor is poor. To become discerning you need more challenging books than this. But it remains essential as a basic reference item for its breadth alone.

The Definitive Review of Jazz Recordings.......2001-12-26

If you only want one book to guide you through the host of recordings that are/may be available then this is the one. The rating system seems to be totally objective and extremely reliable. I have bought several CDs as a direct result of the reviews and never been disappointed.

Amazon.com

Whaddya know--turns out size does matter. In this stunning collection of album cover art from 1940 to 1960, it is instantly apparent that despite the advantages CDs may have in the technology or convenience departments, vinyl albums--even based on their sheer proportions--have always been way cooler. This is especially true for this particular era, when cover art was truly an art form, with talented designers handcrafting individualized jackets influenced by surrealism, cubism, and modern artists of the day. And as Tony Bennett says in his preface, "they were large enough to make you feel like you were taking home your very own work of art."

Author Eric Kohler, a graphic designer and album cover artist himself, selected these 250 gorgeous covers from his own collection of over 3,000. He offers a captivating history of the early record industry, addressing the invention of the phonograph in 1877, the near demise of the industry due to competition with radio, and the rejuvenating introduction of the jukebox in 1935. Prior to Columbia Records' release of the 33 rpm vinyl LP in 1948, music fans were restricted to 78s--easily breakable, shellac-based records that could only hold four minutes' worth of music on each side. Victor Records made a competitive strike with the 45 (hence turntables with 33, 45, and 78 options), but its success was limited. Until the 1980s, the LP ruled the land with its roomy cardboard cover--a perfect canvas for artists.

Kohler's focus is on the graphic artists themselves--revolutionaries of the industry. Previously, albums had plain covers that advertised phonograph and record companies rather than performers. But when designer Alex Steinweiss entered the scene in 1939 (at the tender age of 23) he changed the business of cover art forever. Kohler illustrates the styles of eight such prominent cover artists--Steinweiss's trademark curly-scrawl script, Jim Flora's cartoonish images recalling Joan Miró and Paul Klee--with such accuracy that readers are able to immediately recognize and differentiate their work. Although the sun shone on these artists for only a brief time (the advent of photographic covers in the late 1950s all but obliterated their influence), these 20 years paint a fascinating portrait of popular music, modern art, and even business development. Best of all, Kohler serves up page after glorious, glossy page of big, beautiful album covers. --Brangien Davis

Book Description

What the much-admired Blue Note: The Album Cover Art and Blue Note 2 did for jazz, In the Groove does for the sounds of the '40s and '50s, when swing and bebop took off. Selected for their noteworthy design and wonderful illustrations, these visual stunners range from jazz to popular tunes to classical and Latin styles. But it's the lounge vibe that truly runs wild as we tour more than 300 sensational album covers, including seldom-seen issues from Decca, Blue Note, and other labels. A brief text explains what design was like before the photograph took over and how the invention of the LP changed the record business forever. Author Eric Kohler also introduces the stand-out designers and key labels of the period. Cole Porter, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Desi Arnaz, Carmen Miranda their best album covers are all here, and they're all sizzlin' in the heyday of hip. Easy on the eyes, In the Groove is the real thing: the great covers created by the great designers for the musical greats of yesteryear.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book, poor binding.......2005-10-04

This is a fantastic book for album cover designs. But as I was warned, the glue on the binding really does gives out after the first reading. But the content is so incredible, it's worth purchasing this book...just be sure to handle it carefully so you don't loose your pages.

Sound pictures........2002-12-14

Mr Kohler presents two hundred and fifty covers (from his large collection) which he rightly thinks show the best of album design in the early years of the LP. He features eight artist/designers who created some of the most distinctive work in cover art. Two of them are my favorites, David Stone Martin who gave Norman Granz's Clef label some beautiful cover illustrations (twenty are shown) and Reid Miles who created the east coast look to Blue Note Records. Unfortunately only four of his covers are shown but you can see dozens more in the two books by Graham Marsh: The Cover Art of Blue Note Records and The Cover Art of Blue Note Records, Vol.2. The other six designers range from the unique illustrations of RCA's Jim Flora to the work of Swiss born designer Erik Nitsche and his semi abstract work for Decca. Record companies are also featured and you can see the beginnings of the Capitol Records house style, I think they were the only major company to produce consistently well designed covers with excellent photography and typography.

Though all these covers are interesting to look at I don't think too many work as complete design units, that is image and text complement each other, mostly they are images with text added later. One cover that I like is on page eighty-one, it shows a file-card box and the albums title, 'Guide to Jazz' is typed on a card which is resting against the box, the tabs of the other cards have musical instruments on them, a simple creative idea that works. Strangely the designer is unknown.

I doubt you will see as good a coverage of the early years of the LP as this (well produced) book but have a look at this title that concentrates on jazz covers from the fifties and sixties, Jazz West Coast: Artwork of Pacific Jazz Records. It has dozens of examples of creativity on paper twelve inches square, somehow CD covers just can't compete with that.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer image' under the cover.

"Groove"y Covers.......2002-06-05

Being a music lover, I've never been partial to one type of music only--I have a passion for everything from rock to classical, pop to country, even from jazz to techno. Something in all of these styles intrigues me. And how intriguing is this incredible book by Eric Kohler. I never thought I'd "get into" a book dedicated solely to album covers from 1940-1960, but I was wrong. The music lover in me kicked in, and I found myself fascinated with the glorious color photos, the revealing and well-researched text, and with the artists themselves. This album cover artistry really has diminished with the advent of the much-smaller compact disc (which is a truly disappointing fact), but Mr. Kohler's book rapturously captures the vividness of the times, the artists, the moods, and the music of those two decades. It took me back to the time when I myself used to stare at the covers of my records for hours while playing them over and over again - this classic book uncovers that wonderful feeling inside you once more. And to top it all off, Mr. Tony Bennett himself writes an introduction that's both classy and sentimental. This is a great book for any music lover with a coffee table -- and an open mind towards how art has influenced music (and vice versa) in so many ways.

Long, lost days of style........2001-08-01

As a graphic designer, I get so flustered when I see the same old CD covers now: a photo of the artist or band, and their name scribbled on top, or a really un-inspired text treatment, most likely using some wretched Photoshop tool like, alien skin or eye candy- blech! Perhaps modern day CD's skimp on the design work of the covers because they are so much smaller now. But back in the days of LP's and 45's art was generously splashed on covers. Full-colored, stylized and oh, so hip! Each one fit to be framed and displayed. "In the Groove: Vintage Record Graphics, 1940-1960" effectively chronicles the history of this long, lost art-form in a picture-book style. I say picture-book, because of the lack of background information on many of the pieces, in fact there are quite a few pieces that are listed as "unknown designer", how unfortunate! Some poor old designer dedicated his or her life to creating some stunning art to attract music lovers' eyes to this or that particular record, and now they're the "unknown designer". Eric Kohler did his best grouping together styles of record graphics, so seeing the evolution of style was very nicely mapped-out. Nice quality paper, nice printing... would've been nicer in hardback. Still, this is one of my favorite books!

Cool Collection of overlooked medium.......2001-02-21

I liked this book so much that I bought a copy for my record-collecting boyfriend and a DJ friend with a varied and ecclectic vinyl collection.

When I thought of record cover art, I thought of those fantasy-styled "YES" covers, or the metal band covers of the 80's. I had no idea about how many cool vintage record covers were out there.

The book focuses on covers from 1940-1960. You'll find many jazz, swing and vocalists represented here. The reproductions are excellent and the variety is impressive. While most covers are reproduced in 3x3inches, quite a few are refresented as full pages which is about a 9-inch square. It is organized by artist and record company, showing you how the artist's style influenced the cover.

I highly recommend it for record collectors, vintage enthusiasts, graphic designers/illustrators and those who love old things. It made me miss the 12-inch vinyl covers all the more and has inspired me to track specific albums down. CDs can never match the emotional connection that vinyl did.

Blue Note: Album Cover Art
Average customer rating:

Classic

excellent book; makes a great guide to blue note records

Compact size - great content

Blue Note: Album Cover Art
Graham Marsh , and Glyn Callingham
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Pop Culture | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Composers & Musicians | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Jazz | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Blue Note: The Album Cover Art

Blue Note: Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff

In the Groove: Vintage Record Graphics 1940-1960

The Blue Note Years: The Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff

For the Record: The Life and Work of Alex Steinweiss

ASIN: 0811836886

Book Description

Smaller in trim size, greatly expanded in content, this compendium of Chronicle’s classic Blue Note books (50,000 copies sold) is now an appealingly chunky paperback. Blue Note remains one of the most influential jazz labels of all time, and its cover art is a virtual time-capsule of cool. Now comprehensive, Blue Note: Album Cover Art gathers nearly 400 of the legendary covers, spanning the ’40s to the ’70s, and features the greatest work of legendary Blue Note art director Reid Miles. Simple and sophisticated, moody and alluring, these covers continue to influence designers and excite jazz aficionados today. "One glance," as Esquire said of the original edition, "and you’ll know where the essence of cool remains."

Customer Reviews:

Classic.......2004-06-21

Blue Note Records not only released Classic Albums but also had Classic Album Covers that covered so much more.the Book displays the many images&stylings.if you get a chance watch the special on Blue Note Records which goes into full depth about the Music,Artists,Owners of the Label&those Classic album covers. enjoy.

excellent book; makes a great guide to blue note records.......2003-11-07

This compact book gives examples of some of the greatest album covers, to some of the finest albums, and now cds, issued by the label. It also makes a great guide for albums to check out, to see if they are still in print; which many of them are. Even for the out of print ones, it provides a nice collection for information purposes, and is reasonably priced. I look forward to finding and buying volume 2.

Compact size - great content.......2003-01-15

I have the two other editions of the Blue Note album covers (the ones that are the size of an album) and I love to look at them. The only problem is that they are a little too big to sit and flip through. The size of this book- "Blue Note: Album Cover Art" is perfect for flipping through. It looks small but packs a wonderful punch. I couldn't believe how many album covers were in this book. This book fits nicely on a coffee table or end table. If you are like me, you'll find yourself looking at it daily - in amazement of the style and class that embodies the Blue Note image.

All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul

Average customer rating:

All The Soul Info You'll Need From Brother Ray To Beyonce'
Tons of useful information but print way too small

All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul
Vladimir Bogdanov , Chris Woodstra , and Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Manufacturer: Backbeat Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues
All Music Guide to Jazz - 4th Edition
All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap and Hip-Hop
All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul (3rd Edition)
All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music (All Music Guides)

ASIN: 0879307447

Book Description

This comprehensive guide is a must-have for the legions of fans of the beloved and perennially popular music known as soul and rhythm and blues. The latest in the definitive All Music Guide series, the All Music Guide to Soul offers nearly 8,500 entertaining and informative reviews that lead readers to the best recordings by more than 1,500 artists and help them find new music to explore. Informative biographies, essays and "music maps" trace RandB's growth from its roots in blues and gospel through its flowering in Memphis and Motown, to its many branches today. Complete discographies note bootlegs, important out-of-print albums, and import-only releases. "Extremely valuable and exhaustive." - The Christian Science Monitor

Customer Reviews:

All The Soul Info You'll Need From Brother Ray To Beyonce'.......2006-11-10

Only one thing needs to be said here-there have been some tremendous innovations in R&B since this book was written (John Legend for example arrived just a year too late for a mention in this book)but it is wonderful to see R&B get the press that All Music Guide as given to classical,rock,blues and jazz music over the years.This covers everything from the early jump blues R&B of the late 1940's all the way up to the first CD's by Alicia Keyes,Jill Scott and Justin Timberlate-treating all genres with a great degree of respect.Even disco-albums by the genre's greatest innovators Chic,Giorgio Moroder,Donna Summer and Sylvester all get glowing,respectful reviews that showcase their gigantic musical influence.By explainging contemporary R&B in context with more classic material this volume has actually helped me great to flush out my collection of newer music such as the final album by Aaliyah.There are a few flaws in this volume-the print is small yes but forgivable.But as with all All Music Guide volumes,to save space some albums are listed but considered too insignificant to merrit a review so are presented only as an item in an artists discography.The other flaw is the critics-Stephan Thomas Erlwhine seems to have more rock expertise and refers to P-Funk,the most anti disco of the classic funk bands as,you got it:a disco funk group.Ron Wynn obviously has far more knowledge and experience with R&B,soul,funk and other styles.Those little foibles aside the All Music Guide to R&B presents a genuinely non biased primer to those who want to start collecting or expand there R&B collection.It should also be noted that some older albums in here,even if they got excellent reviews and come highly recommended are out of print will take some time to locate in used record stores (some of Heatwave's and Motown's late 70's material for example)but this book often points that out and trust me:in all these cases it's well worth the search.

Tons of useful information but print way too small.......2004-04-04

I had never owned an All Music Guide and I have been told by fellow music collectors that they are really terrific. Seeing that All Music had just recently published their new guide to R & B and Soul I decided to give it a try. I must say I was impressed by the extensive detail given to each entry in this book. You would not only learn the history of an artist or group, but in many cases you got an update as to what the artist was doing nowadays. This was impressive and distinguishes this book from others I have seen on the market. The book covers a wide array of genres including rhythm and blues, soul, funk, disco and one of my personal favorites doo wop. There is one major problem however. The print is so small that I got a headache trying to read it. Try as a might I just could not get past this major flaw. I wound up sending it back. Too bad. I suspect anyone over the age of 40 will encounter the same problem. It seems to me that it would have been much wiser to divide this into 2 volumes with print that you could actually read. I would have gladly paid the difference.

Goldmine Standard Catalog of Rhythm & Blues Records (Goldmine Price Guide to Collectible Record Albums)

Average customer rating:

very detailed
a quick word

Goldmine Standard Catalog of Rhythm & Blues Records (Goldmine Price Guide to Collectible Record Albums)
Tim Neely
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Records | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Reference | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Catalogs | Catalogs & Directories | Reference | Subjects | Books
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Goldmine Jazz Album Price Guide
Goldmine Record Album Price Guide
Goldmine Price Guide to 45 Rpm Records
American Premium Record Guide 1900-1965 (American Premium Record Guide)
Warman's American Records: Identification and Price Guide, 2nd Edition

ASIN: 0873494350

Book Description

The record collecting community has been clamoring for a book such as this for more than two decades, and at last, it's here. The most comprehensive collector's guide to post-World War II rhythm & blues records ever.

Focusing on classic R&B from 1946-71, the Goldmine™ Standard Catalog of® Rhythm & Blues Records contains more than 40,000 entries in all record formats—78s, 45s, extended plays, albums, and 12-inch singles. More recent releases are also featured. Pricing is included for each listing in up to three grades of condition. More than 100 photos of rarely seen and popular R&B records adorn the pages of this groundbreaking volume.

Author and record expert Tim Neely is a regular contributor to Goldmine™ magazine. This is his 17th record price guide.

• First readily available price guide to R&B records in more than 20 years

• The most comprehensive price guide to post-World War II R&B and related musical forms ever

• Written by record expert Tim Neely, author of the best-selling Goldmine™ Standard Catalog of® American Records series

Customer Reviews:

very detailed.......2004-09-19

Goldmine is to Music like what sports Card Magazines are to there Sports.very detail&tell you what to look for&how certain covers or records are more valuable than others.I've always dug Goldmine&this along with other collections from them is a must have.

a quick word.......2003-03-14

being that there are no other books of this type out there to choose from, this book is essential for the discography information. gripes: 1st: there's too much recent muck listed in with the good stuff . 2nd: as usual, some of the prices these guys come up with are extremely debatable - but then, these guides are SUPPOSED to be a rough "guideline" to appraise lp's . 3rd: didn't find much on the rare soul and funk 45's & lp's i bought this book for. 4th: got a question: why are EXTENSIVE elvis presley and beatles discographies in every one of these price [...]guide books? geez! get over it already! both of those artists ALREADY HAVE THEIR OWN PRICE GUIDES and tons of books out there already covering every thought in their drug addled brains. i would have rather seen reproductions of some rare or unusual picture sleeves or lp covers. thank you. p.s. wouldn't all the price guide books be excellent if they were just music discography books instead of [...]price guides? yes, they would.

Average customer rating:

Thank God I didn't buy this for myself!
Well written and informative
Concise chronological account
A Clip Job
I have read this before!!!!!!

Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power
Gerald L. Posner
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Business | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Temptations, Updated
The Motown Music Machine
Dreamgirl & Supreme Faith, Updated Edition: My Life as a Supreme
Call Her Miss Ross: The Unauthorized Biography of Diana Ross
Motown : The Golden Years: The Stars and Music That Shaped a Generation

ASIN: 0375500626
Release Date: 2002-12-24

Book Description

In 1959, twenty-nine-year-old Berry Gordy, who had already given up on his dream to be a champion boxer, borrowed eight hundred dollars from his family and started a record company. A run-down bungalow sandwiched between a funeral home and a beauty shop in a poor Detroit neighborhood served as his headquarters. The building’s entrance was adorned with a large sign that improbably boasted “Hitsville U.S.A.” The kitchen served as the control room, the garage became the two-track studio, the living room was reserved for bookkeeping, and sales were handled in the dining room. Soon word spread that any youngster with a streak of talent should visit the only record label that Detroit had seen in years. The company’s name was Motown.
Motown cuts through decades of unsubstantiated rumors and speculation to tell the true behind-the-scenes narrative of America’s most exciting musical dynasty. It follows the company and its amazing roster of stars from the tumultuous growth years in Detroit, to the drama and intrigue of Hollywood in the 1970s, to resurgence in 2002.
Set against the civil rights movement, the decay of America’s northern industrial cities, and the social upheaval of the 1960s, Motown is a tale of the incredible entrepreneurship of Berry Gordy. But it also features the moving stories of kids from Detroit’s inner-city projects who achieved remarkable success and then, in many cases, found themselves fighting the demons that so often come with stardom—drugs, jealousy, sexual indulgence, greed, and uncontrollable ambition.
Motown features an extraordinary cast of characters, including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder. They are presented as they lived and worked: a clan of friends, lovers, competitors, and sometimes vicious foes. Motown reveals how the hopes and dreams of each affected the lives of the others and illustrates why this singular story is a made-in-America Greek tragedy, the rise and fall of a supremely talented yet completely dysfunctional extended family.
Based on numerous original interviews and extensive documentation, Motown benefits particularly from the thousands of pages of files crammed into the basement of downtown Detroit’s Wayne County Courthouse. Those court records provide the unofficial—and hitherto largely untold—history of Motown and its stars, since almost every relationship between departing singers, songwriters, producers, and the label ended up in litigation.
From its peaks in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when Motown controlled the pop charts and its stars were sought after even by the Beatles, through the inexorable slide caused by their failure to handle their stardom, Motown is a riveting and troubling look inside a music label that provided the unofficial soundtrack to an entire generation.

Download Description

Is there any truth to the rumor that the Mafia grabbed control of Motown after Berry Gordy ran afoul of violent loan sharks? Which Motown star had a violent fight with Gordy on the day JFK was assassinated?

Here is the book that answers these and other questions about the Motown nobody knows:

Which Motown diva was almost run down by a station wagon after a blowout with a rival?
How did Hollywood and the film industry sink Motown's film business after the tremendous promise of Lady Sings the Blues?
What famous star hid from Gordy that he was the father of her first child?
What was the secret scheme one former executive says the company developed to steal millions of dollars in "suitcases of cash" from artists and songwriters?
Was the death of the Temptations' Paul Williams by a single gunshot a suicide, as ruled by coroners, or a murder to silence him, as suspected by some colleagues?

Customer Reviews:

Thank God I didn't buy this for myself!.......2007-07-24

This book was nothing more than a collection of excerpts from other peoples (auto)biographies.That's it. Since he was unable to obtain interviews with any of the subjects,perhaps the author thought that putting in court documents would give the book some credibility....uh, no!

I'm happy that I didn't spend the money to buy it in its Hardcover edition(it was a gift), though I have to live with it collecting dust in my cellar!

Well written and informative.......2007-06-23

I see from a number of reviewers for this book that one of the complaints is that this book is a rehash of the same information available elsewhere - ie. legal documents, books from other authors, etc.
Well, many of the books cited as reference are no longer available. Legal documents might be available for public viewing - if you have the time and resources to do your own investigation. I think the author did an excellent job of compiling the information and presenting it in an enjoyable to read format.
I read this book and "The Motown Music Machine" at the same time. Though the other book might be considered more authoritative based on the authors personal experience within Motown, I don't believe that it tells the full story. Afterall, how can one man know all about the business and employees? He can't, which makes Mr Posner's book that much more interesting. It's told from an overall perspective with input from many sources.
Many readers have seen the information in this book in other books or articles. Well I haven't and I enjoyed reading about it in one handy, convenient place.

Concise chronological account.......2005-12-04

For someone who has not read any other book on Motown, this book is provides a tremendous insight into the mega corporation: it's rise, power, entertainers, unsavory practices, lawsuits, legalities and the end of Motown.

Chronological timeframe
What you get here is a complete timeframe from the "Hitsville" building, the upstart of performers, the maintenance, the drugs, alcohol, bickering of performers and executive staff. There is an insight and understanding how the music industry works, how songs are selected for "hits"; We are educated on the distribution of records and its practices. It seems clear that if a record company was not gypping entertainers, something was not done right.

Lawsuits, battles, downfalls
Also explained is how and when entertainers and staff deflected to other companies. We are given a clear explanation of the struggles within the Supremes and the birth of the supergroup, The Jackson 5, the rise and fall of Marvin Gaye, success of Stevie Wonder, Berry Gordy's bond with Smokey Robinson of the Miracles, infighting, lawsuits, etc., etc.

Much is written about the love affair of Diana Ross and Berry Gordy, and her bitter relationship with other Motown performers.

The book also details the trials and tribulations of the 25th Anniversary Television show, where Michael Jackson performed the moon walk and made history.

Motown movies
It's clear that when Berry Gordy had a quest for the movie business, it would ultimately lead to neglecting the music business.

What about the SOUND of Motown
I did have one question: The Funk Brothers - the sound of Motown! There is almost nothing on the Funk Brothers.

Although receiving negative reviews for what readers called "many mistakes", I don't care if so and so had this hit first before such and such hit, or so and so went to bed with so and so instead of so and so.... I don't care if details aren't precise! A hundred years from now, I won't remember anyhow, better make that 5 minutes from now.

What mattered is that I was given a complete and chonological timeframe about the legacy of Motown. I had not read another book, and may not read another book. Simple as that!...MzRizz

A Clip Job.......2005-10-29

Mostly compiled from the work of other writers, this Motown history is notable for Posner's use of old legal files to detail the many lawsuits against Berry Gordy and the Motown label by stars who later became disgruntled. A better writer when he takes on assassinations (JFK and MLK), Posner is out of his depth when writing about music. He lacks a certain appreciation for how these songs changed American pop culture. Still, the book is useful if you haven't read any others, and could be revelatory for the younger generation unfamiliar with the various Motown stars and their early days.

I have read this before!!!!!!.......2005-04-14

I say that as a title because while reading the book I felt like I was re-reading other books that I have read before on Motown. It was almost quoted word for word in many stories which made it difficult to keep my interest. I enjoyed parts of it because I am always interested in new information that I didn't know which is what I though the book would reveal. I love finding out information on business practices and how a company became successful. The section on the royalties, sales and payments was by far the most interesting to me. Overall Gerald Posner didn't do a bad job, I just think that the story has been told so many times by so many people that it is really hard to come up with anything new or original without referencing previously published material. From a die hard Motown fan and I would dare to call myself a self proclaimed Motown historian the book also had questionable facts. However, someone else who doesn't know the history of the company as much as I do may find it good reading. Before you take it at face value I suggest you do some cross referencing and basically do your homework regarding the facts in this book.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful, but the binding is lousy
The Originals
A MUST for the BLUE NOTE fan !!
Classic inovating design
Blue Note: Best Jazz & Best Jazz Album Covers

Blue Note: The Album Cover Art
Graham Marsh
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Business | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Blue Note: Album Cover Art
Blue Note: Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff
For the Record: The Life and Work of Alex Steinweiss
In the Groove: Vintage Record Graphics 1940-1960
The Greatest Album Covers of All Time

ASIN: 0811800369

Book Description

Music lovers have been attracted to the distinct style and sleek sound of jazz since its birth at the turn of the century. The album covers collected in this comprehensive volume under the well-known Blue Note record label embody classic design and pioneering typography. Two hundred color photographs of the album sleeves, an informative history of the Blue Note record company, and a portrait of Reid Miles, who designed nearly 500 album covers, capture the integrity of this distinctive record label. Sophisticated jazz connoisseurs and young listeners alike, as well as those with an interest in style and graphic design, will enjoy this exciting book of jazz memorabilia.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful, but the binding is lousy.......2002-01-31

...the contents are great but after a month the binding has already come apart. The individual pages are bound together seperately, but the cover and spine has seperated from them. Otherwise, I would give this 5 stars. Great reproductions, the colors are fantastic. This makes a great coffee table book.

The Originals.......2001-07-16

It's funny how history repeats itself. As one flips through this well published book. You can see where several artist (mostly hip hop) got their album cover ideas from. The photography (artist name escapes me now) is brillient! These covers legendary and why Blue Note has always set the standard of classic album covers. If you love jazz this is a must have.

A MUST for the BLUE NOTE fan !!.......2001-04-29

Great cover photos for most of the interesting Blue Note LPs.The covers are of the original lp's but sometimes of later releases: Page 10: "Sonny Rollins / A night in the village vanguard" has later "liberty" cover Page 22: Bud Powell 2 lps down the page have later covers.

This is a little problem.

All in all a great fun for the jazz Blue Note fan !!!!

Classic inovating design.......2000-08-18

Found the book great stimulation for page layout design and for revisiting a classic look. Great use of colors. Quite simplistic.

Blue Note: Best Jazz & Best Jazz Album Covers.......2000-08-12

Poor your favorite beverage; play your favorite jazz album; then sit down and enjoy this wonderful collection. If jazz were a book, this would be it! The artwork is stunning and the layout is exceptional. The covers tell a history of jazz that words cannot convey, a story of innovation, rhythm, and of music that comes from the heart.

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