Austin City Limits, Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos and Alice Coltrane are just some of the A-listers heading for your reading list. Let’s dive under the covers:
Screen to Screen: The Poster Art of Austin City Limits
By Austin City Limits
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “From Billie Eilish to Cassandra Wilson, Elvis Costello to Pearl Jam, many of the world’s most beloved musicians have entertained us on Austin City Limits. And for the past couple of decades, each performance recorded on the ACL stage has inspired a special bonus: An original, eye-catching screen-printed poster, commissioned by the show’s producer, Austin PBS, and designed by some of their favorite graphic artists from all over the world. Screen to Screen celebrates the 50th anniversary of Austin’s premier gig, presenting every poster in brilliant full color alongside dazzling ACL concert photography and reminiscences from Neko Case, Leon Bridges and other luminaries. Exciting, evocative, and always unique, the posters are accompanied by insightful creative discussion from several designers, including Mark Pedini and Diana Sudyka, and the book itself is designed by the award-winning, Austin-based firm Preacher Co. Introduced by long-time ACL producer Terry Lickona and with a foreword from Willie Nelson — whom you might remember from the pilot episode, taped half a century ago — this collection brings a piece of Austin and music history to life in vivid color.”
Rockin’ the Bronx
By Larry Kirwan
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Discover the untold story of 1980s Irish New York, where love, politics, and rock ‘n’ roll collide in a gritty urban tale that’s as passionate as it is poignant. Rockin’ The Bronx vividly transports readers to the vibrant and chaotic world of 1980s Bronx, where Irish immigrants forged a new community amidst the backdrop of political upheaval and cultural transformation. Larry Kirwan, leader of the revolutionary band Black 47, blends drama, passion, and musical evolution into a narrative that captures the essence of an era defined by its challenges and triumphs. Through the eyes of characters like the groundbreaking gay hero, a book-loving, hard-hitting immigrant with IRA roots, and the central couple, Seán and Mary, who navigate this raucous landscape, Kirwan explores the intersecting worlds of personal identity and communal struggle. Set during significant historical moments ― the deaths of John Lennon and Bobby Sands, the AIDS crisis, and the birth of new musical movements ― Rockin’ The Bronx is more than a novel; it’s a chronicle of a time when being Irish in New York could mean everything from strapping on a Stratocaster to knocking down walls both structural and cultural.”
Evanira Mendes: A Voice From The Brazilian Folklore Movement
By Eric A. Galm
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This compilation of Evanira Mendes’s biography and translated publications offers for the first time in English an opportunity to revisit the music and culture of 1950s Brazil. Examining the trajectory of the Brazilian folklore movement, this book provides a new perspective on contemporary accounts that have overlooked the participation of women scholars from that era and seeks to grant Mendes the recognition she so richly deserves. Growing up on a farm in rural São Paulo State, Mendes (1929–2022) exhibited an early love of folklore, cultivated through the stories, songs, and gossip of wandering travelers in exchange for food and shelter. As she got older, she entered the Conservatório Dramático e Musical de São Paulo to study piano, but her love of folklore persisted, and she was invited to work in the school’s folklore archive and later as a folklore researcher for the São Paulo Folklore Commission from 1949 to 1959. There, she won awards such as the national Sílvio Romero Medal; won second place in a national folklore monograph competition; helped to organize the folklore pavilion at the IV° Centenário de São Paulo; and worked closely with important names of the era. Despite these accomplishments, she has essentially been forgotten.”
Why Alanis Morissette Matters
By Megan Volpert
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The 1990s hardly saw a bigger hit than Jagged Little Pill. Alanis Morissette’s defining album won Grammys, dominated the Billboard charts, and sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. It left a deep mark on the psyches of countless listeners. Three decades later, Megan Volpert checks in with Morissette, probing her rich and varied post-JLP career and bearing feminist witness to the existential anger that ties her recent work to enduring classics like You Oughta Know, One Hand In My Pocket and Ironic. Why Alanis Morissette Matters builds a bridge from Jagged Little Pill to the fascinating life and subtle intellect of its creator, exploring how the artist’s philosophical interests and personal journey are reflected in each track. Morissette’s struggles with censorship, mental health challenges, and Catholicism; her queer allyship, spiritual skepticism, zealous fandom, and philanthropic passions-all are carefully observed by a critic whose own life was touched by Jagged Little Pill. In the album’s wake, Morissette has evolved as an artist and global citizen. With sensitivity and a profound love for the music, Volpert guides readers through the case for Morissette’s enduring cultural relevance and creative impact.”
Fusion!: From Alice Coltrane to Moor Mother
By Alex Coles
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “From music writer Alex Coles, Fusion! From Alice Coltrane to Moor Mother traces the origins and legacy of blended musical genres by focusing on 12 dynamic collaborations. From Coltrane working with Carlos Santana in 1974 to Moor Mother sharing the mic with Wolf Weston in 2022, the collaborations-cum-chapters reveal how musicians pursue fusion as a process. With sonic fusion always premised on cultural fusion, each of the collaborations find musicians using the mixing of genres to explore fusions of generations, eras, philosophies, sensibilities, idioms, histories, and even continents. When the musicians hail from contrasting musical genres their collaboration leads to a dynamic tension, typified by free jazz trumpeter Don Cherry recording with Lou Reed, Kendrick Lamar cutting tracks with saxophonist Kamasi Washington, Miles Davis playing with electric guitarist John McLaughlin and synth player Danalogue joining Shabaka Hutchings and Max Hallett to form The Comet is Coming. Fusion! pushes the music of overlooked musicians — such as post-punk singer and saxophone player Lora Logic — to the fore while emphasizing overlooked aspects of the oeuvres of better-known figures such as Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Neneh Cherry and FourTet. To characterize their unique approach to fusion, each of the examples Coles explores are driven by a dynamic sonic principle coined by the musicians themselves.”
Stan Levey: Jazz Heavyweight
By Frank R Hayde
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Stan Levey is one of the most influential drummers in the history of modern jazz. During his extraordinary career, the self-taught Levey played alongside a who’s who of 20th century jazz artists: Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, Art Tatum, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Lester Young, Thelonius Monk, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Ella Fitzgerald… the remarkable list goes on and on, and includes dozens of the most distinguished names in the annals of jazz and popular music. Jazz Heavyweight follows Levey’s prolific and colorful life, from his childhood days in rough-and-tumble North Philadelphia, to his first gig as a drummer for Gillespie at the tender age of 16, to his meteoric rise as one of the most sought-after sidemen in the world of bebop, to his membership in the Lighthouse All-Stars. Jazz aficionados will relish Jazz Heavyweight for its new, never-before-published information about such hugely influential musicians as Parker, Gillespie, and Davis, while jazz neophytes will find a fast-paced, colorful encapsulation of the entire history of modern jazz. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking an up-close-and-personal look at jazz in the latter half of the 20th century.”
Thank You For The Days: Fans Of The Kinks Share 60 Years Of Stories
By Chris Kocher
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Kinks burst on to the British music scene in 1964, propelled by the historic guitar riff of You Really Got Me ― a progenitor of both heavy metal and punk. Sixty years later, the band’s impressive songbook is among the most literate, empathetic, humorous, and melodic in the rock canon. In Thank You For The Days, fans from around the world share how The Kinks have inspired and shaped their lives. Here are their stories, from unforgettable concerts and offstage encounters to enduring friendships forged through a shared love of the music. Among the contributors are songwriters Ron Sexsmith and Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding) as well as Crouch End Festival Chorus musical director David Temple and other collaborators who have worked with The Kinks behind the scenes. Band members Ray Davies, Dave Davies and Mick Avory even offer up some words of gratitude to the fans for their loyalty over the years. Whether you’re a dedicated follower, a casual fan or simply a lover of rock history, you’ll find something in Thank You For The Days that will inspire you, make you laugh, or tug at your heart ― much like The Kinks‘ music does.”
Tori & The Muses
By Tori Amos & Demelsa Haughton
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “From the Grammy-nominated and multiplatinum singer-songwriter and New York Times bestselling author Tori Amos comes Tori And The Muses, a thoughtful and sprightly tale of young Tori navigating the magical world of inspiration in all its forms. Tori is no ordinary child — her musical inspirations and talents are clear from a young age. But when her dad forces her to rehearse for her recital, Tori is unhappy. She wants to play what she wants to play! And though they don’t see eye to eye, Tori has a secret: 11 Muses who have visited her since she was a baby and inspire her to write and make her own beautiful music. These fairy godmother-like Muses remind Tori that inspiration is everywhere, and perhaps in helping others find their own Muses — including Dad — she may better understand her own inspirations. So, Tori takes her brand-new floating pink piano — a gift from the Muses — to see what might inspire others, in hopes of understanding what her dad’s Muses might be. And she is surprised at what she finds. Filled with joy, curiosity, and imagination, this debut picture book written by Amos with otherworldly illustrations by Demelsa Haughton will inspire, encourage, and most importantly, remind young readers to find inspiration in the things they love, and to listen to their own Muses.”
