From Cherry and Korn to Tangerine next week’s new books come in many different flavours. Toss in a couple of jazzy tomes and some trips back to 1970 and you’ve got a real musical buffet: Read all about ’em:
All That Glitters: The Ava Cherry Story
By Lisa Torem & Ava Cherry
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Former fashion model, charismatic vocalist and devoted lover of David Bowie during his 1970s golden era, Chicago-born Ava Cherry waited for just the right moment to tell her story, and that moment is now. The free-spirited Ava finds an early path into the world of fashion and entertainment as a young model. Fast forward to a New York after-party, where Ava’s then-manager introduces her to flame-haired David Bowie; he’s attracted to Ava’s short-cropped, dyed hair and down-to-earth persona. Ultimately, Ava and Bowie have a multi-year affair during which time Ava influences Bowie’s career. In the 1980s, Ava becomes a Versace-clad backing singer for Luther Vandross. Finally, Ava returns home to embark on her debut recording project Ripe, helmed by Curtis Mayfield (Super Fly). Throughout this memoir, Ava recounts fascinating tales of memorable times spent in the orbit of a multitude of artists such as Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon and Yoko Ono and Bob Marley, among many others. She also has a heartwarming moment with Frank Sinatra and a humorous encounter in England with the Queen Mother. What will quickly become apparent to the reader is Ava’s resilience, as she branches out into rap and contemporary dance music. As Ava’s contemporary dance records continue to soar up the charts, she enjoys reconnecting with her longtime fans as well as inspiring the next generation of artists.”
Duke Ellington: The Notes the World Was Not Ready to Hear
By Karen S Barbera & Randall Keith Horton
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Karen Barbera and Randall Keith Horton were strangers who met on a train. A cordial conversation led to an eight-year collaboration to tell new and enlightening stories about Duke Ellington and to bring his forgotten masterpieces back to life. The results are concerts and this book-a biography of both Ellington and Horton centered on their unique relationship and the musical and cultural importance of Black, Brown and Beige and Sacred Concerts.”
Ugly Beauty: Jazz in the 21st Century
By Philip Freeman
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “What does jazz mean 20 years into the 21st century? Has streaming culture rendered music literally meaningless, thanks to the removal of all context beyond the playlist? Are there any traditions left to explore? Has the destruction of the apprenticeship model (young musicians learning from their elders) changed the music irrevocably? Are any sounds off limits? How far out can you go and still call it jazz? Or should the term be retired? These questions, and many more, are answered in Ugly Beauty, as Phil Freeman digs through his own experiences and conversations with present-day players. Jazz has never seemed as vital as it does right now, and has a genuine role to play in 21st-century culture, particularly in the U.S. and the U.K.”
Korn: Every Album, Every Song
By Matt Karpe
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rising to prominence in 1994 on the back of their eponymous debut album, Korn ushered in a new sound within heavy metal which many would try and imitate in the years that followed. Earning themselves the title of ‘The Godfathers of Nu Metal,’ the Bakersfield quintet have sold well over 40 million records, they have topped charts all around the world, and they have also won multiple awards which include two prestigious Grammys. Still firing on all cylinders after three decades, Korn continue to produce powerful and accessible anthems in the present day. Korn On Track covers all the band’s studio releases thus far, from their 1993 demo tape, Neidermayer’s Mind, to their 13th studio album The Nothing, released in 2018. Reviewing every track and delving into the stories behind many of them, also discussed is Korn’s largely unheralded unreleased material, and B-sides which also include songs exclusively featured on movie soundtracks.”
Electric Light Orchestra: Every Album, Every Song
By Barry Delve
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the first Electric Light Orchestra album. The ELO story is one of continued success for over 50 years. From inauspicious beginnings in 1971, where live audiences barely reached double figures, ELO would become one of the most popular bands in the world by the end of the decade, thanks largely to the songwriting and production talents of Jeff Lynne; hits such as Evil Woman, Mr. Blue Sky and Don’t Bring Me Down; multi-platinum albums like Out Of The Blue and Discovery, and, of course, their spectacular stage shows. Although ELO finally called it a day in 1986, they re-emerged in 2014 as Jeff Lynne’s ELO, playing a triumphant comeback concert at London’s Hyde Park. Since then, they haven’t looked back, releasing further albums to critical and public acclaim, culminating in ELO’s biggest ever live show in front of 70,000 fans, at Wembley Stadium and 2019’s chart topping album From Out Of Nowhere. As well as examining all of ELO’s recorded catalogue, the author has spoken to many people who have been involved with the band over the decades, uncovering along the way previously unseen photographs and new information about the group and their recordings, making this one of the most comprehensive guides to ELO ever published.”
Status Quo – The Frantic Four Years: Every Album, Every Song
By Richard James
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “ ‘Status Quo? All their songs sound the same and they only know three chords’ Really? This retrospective of one of Britain’s most successful bands takes this lazy criticism and puts it to the sword. Spanning the period 1970 to 1984, the creative peaks and troughs of all the songs recorded by The Frantic Four are examined in detail by a fan who can play guitar a bit, and also knows his Bach from his byte. Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster and John Coghlan withstood the slings and arrows of unending criticism to become a national institution, even playing to royalty along the way. After their early, psychedelic-influenced and fleeting pop success, Quo underwent a dramatic and natural re-invention, unleashing a series of innovative albums and hit singles, such as Down Down and Rockin’ All Over The World that established their unique sound and style. Relentless touring, changes in musical direction, unwise choices of producer, substantial substance abuse, and personality clashes, all played their part in the collapse of the classic lineup before a brand relaunch in 1986 that enjoys continued success to the present day. Status Quo – The Frantic Four Years examines the band’s groundbreaking first era with critical detail and honest opinions.”
Tangerine Dream in the 1970s: Decades
By Stephen Palmer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Long, unfurling tracks; huge stacks of gear; music like that of no other group; trailblazing live gigs based on improvisation. This is the legacy of Tangerine Dream, the legendary German group piloted by Edgar Froese, whose impact on music, and electronic music in particular, has been profound. Formed in the Summer of Love, and at the beginning a group of rock musicians who liked to improvise, they went on to record and release a series of ground-breaking synthesiser albums with their native Ohr Records and with Richard Branson’s fledgling Virgin Records. With the support of underground DJ titan John Peel, their star ascended through the seventies. This book covers that glorious, extraordinary decade, focusing on the music but also telling the group’s tale. Albums recording by the band included the classic Phaedra, its hugely popular follow up Rubycon and they ended the decade with the powerful Force Majeure. The book includes new interviews with Steve Jolliffe and also with early member Steve Schroyder, who was there alongside Froese in those very early days.”
1970: A Year In Rock: The Year Rock became Mainstream
By John Van Der Kiste
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “1970 was a year of change in pop and rock music, with divisions between both becoming ever more blurred. More ambitiously constructed epics, heavy rock numbers and contemporary folk songs competed with mainstream and easy listening fare on Top of the Pops and in the Top 30 singles, while progressive and jazz-rock took their bow in the album charts. Some acts disbanded, notably The Beatles, all of whom relished their freedom and launched solo careers, and Simon & Garfunkel, or else parted company and partially regrouped under new names. Festivals came into their own, particularly in Britain where the first Glastonbury event was launched, as did live albums, notably from The Rolling Stones and The Who, partly to combat the market in bootleg recordings; several singer-songwriters found major acceptance; the death of Jimi Hendrix was widely mourned; and the likes of Marc Bolan, Elton John, Rod Stewart (as a soloist, and as front man of The Faces), Lindisfarne and Hot Chocolate achieved their initial successes. By the end of the year, many a critic and music fan could look back on a 12-month period in which their landscape had altered almost beyond recognition. This is the story of that year and the key albums that helped define it.”
