The Arts: Music Books

AIDA (For Young People)
opera by Guiseppe Verdi. As told by Leontyne Price. Beautiful, colorful illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon. Decorated end pages. Condition: Very good. Gently pre-read 1990 Gulliver/Harcourt Brace large hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), 5th printing. Price-slipped DJ. Light loss of color DJ spine. Shelf wear bottom boards edges - cosmetically "repaired." Content: This retelling of one of Verdi's most popular works suffers from the primary problem inherent in retelling any opera. Operas are composed, first and foremost, as musical works, and character motivation tends to be expressed in the music. While Price has faithfully outlined the opera's plot--the Ethiopian princess Aida's love for the Egyptian warrior Radames; the jealousy of Amneris, the Pharaoh's daughter; Radames's ultimate execution; and Aida's sacrifice--she does not provide a plausible rationale for their actions and, in the absence of Verdi's music, the story comes across as thin. Considered individually, the Dillons' paintings make dramatic tableaux, and taken together they form a stunning, unified whole. The art focuses on overall action, not individuals, and goes a very long way to illuminating the motivations lacking in Price's text. Even with minor reservations, this Aida is lavishly packaged and strikingly designed. All ages. Questions welcome [1 copy available]
$ 4.29 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC: BLUES
by Dick Weissman. Foreword by Craig Morrison, Ph.D. B&W era photos and drawings. BB King cover photo. Condition: NEW 2006 Checkmark large soft cover, first printing. Content: Entries vary in length from one or two paragraphs to several pages, with most being of the shorter variety. Each musician's entry includes name, birth and death dates, musical role, and biographical information. There are also entries for styles, such as Holy blues. Recent artists, such as young blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Sheppard, are included. Various appendixes--a chronology, a glossary of terms, and a bibliography--follow the A-Z entries in the volume. Questions welcome [1 copy available]
$ 5.29. + $ 3.29 media shipping.

CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL: Songs of the West Indies
by Irving Burgie. Beautiful vibrant color illustrations by Frane Lessac. Afterword by Rosa Gary. Condition: NEW 1992 Tambourine hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: Thirteen popular calypso songs are featured in this colorful collection. Traditional chants and ballads from Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and elsewhere as well as Burgie's original compositions, which were popularized by singer Harry Belafonte, appear. Such selections as ``Day-O,'' ``Michael Row the Boat,'' ``Yellow Bird,'' and ``Que bonita bandera'' are included. The lyrics of the latter have been translated into English at the bottom of the page. Accompanying the arrangements are full- or double-page paintings and a title bar in Lessac's characteristic, primitive style. Her bright colors and lively scenes will attract young readers to the work, and she does a good job of showing the multiethnic heritage--African, Indian, European-- of the residents of the region. An informative afterword by Rosa Guy, which is written for adults but may be read and understood by older children, traces the origins of the songs in African tradition and in the experience of African-descended peoples in the West Indies. Words & "sheet" music. Ages 4+. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

Usborne CHILDREN'S SONGBOOK
compiled & arranged by Anthony Marks. Bright clever color illustrations by Stephen Cartwright. Condition: NEW 2004 Usborne large paperback (stapled wraps), no printing given. Connect to the internet and hear the tunes for your kids to sing along. Content: A delightful collection of 16 well-known songs such as She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain and The Grand Old Duke of York, with simple melody accompaniment to play on the keyboard or guitar. Brightly illustrated throughout, the tunes are suitable for young players and provide a fun way to practise and improve their playing. Connect to the internet and your kids can sing along. [1 copy available]
$ 4.49 + $ 2.94 media shipping.

CLASSIC SONGS (Little Giant Encyclopedia)
edited by Matthew Barton. Intro by B. J. Thomas. Colored decorations. Condition: NEW 2007 Sterling very fat, small soft cover, first printing. Tiny edge wear top cover edge. 544 pages. Content: Great selection of songs from Christmas carols to Broadway show tunes to traditional songs like Greensleeves. Great reference book. Perfect for budding authors. Sing out for this encyclopedic collection of lyrics! It features some of the best-loved songs of all time from a variety of popular categories: Favorite Irish Songs, Traditional Scottish Songs, Traditional English Songs, Shanties and Sailing Songs, Stephen Foster, Civil War Songs, Favorites from the Turn of the Century, Christmas Songs, and Children’s Songs. You’ll find all the words to such classics as “O Danny Boy,” “Auld Lang Syne,” “Amazing Grace,” “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” “O, Susanna,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Give My Regards to Broadway,” and many more. It’s the perfect book for family singalongs, school choruses, and music students. NO sheet music, however. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

GOD BLESS THE CHILD
words & music by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. Warm, appropriate color illustrations by Jerry Pinkney. Condition: NEW 2000 HarperCollins large soft cover, first printing. Content: A moving visual interpretation of Holiday and Herzog's swing spiritual based on the proverb, "God blessed the child that's got his own." The song serves as the inspiration for Pinkney's depiction of the Great Migration of the 1930s. Through evocative images, the artist tells the story of one family's move north. The warm and sweeping illustrations are masterful, completely filling each spread. Although the pages are rich in detail, the well-composed paintings never seem cluttered or overwhelming. There is something new to attract readers, even after several readings. The sense of the family members as a unit, as well as their emotions of hope, anxiety, and relief, are all beautifully conveyed. While a fine choice for independent reading, this title is particularly poignant when shared with a group. An author's note provides background about Pinkney's inspirations and research. This offering makes an excellent tie-in to units on African-American history. [2 copies available]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping. Priority shipping available.

HOW THE WEST WAS SUNG: Music in the westerns of John Ford
by kathryn Kalinak. B&W movie stills, photos, and era movie ads illustrate. Condition: NEW 2007 Univ. California Press Trade Paperback, first printing. Content: James Stewart once said, "For John Ford, there was no need for dialogue. The music said it all." This lively, accessible study is the first comprehensive analysis of Ford's use of music in his iconic westerns. Encompassing a variety of critical approaches and incorporating original archival research, Kathryn Kalinak explores the director's oft-noted predilection for American folk song, hymnody, and period music. What she finds is that Ford used music as more than a stylistic gesture. In fascinating discussions of Ford's westerns--from silent-era features such as Straight Shooting and The Iron Horse to classics of the sound era such as My Darling Clementine and The Searchers Questions welcome. [2 copies available]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping. International shipping available - please use the drop-down menu.

MEDIEVAL SONG: An Anthology of Hymns and Lyrics
translated by James J. Wilhelm. Cover art by Karl Stucklen. Condition: Very good 1971 E. P. Dutton Trade Paperback, first edition. Although there is a spine crease, the interior is clean & tight with light tanning to page edges. Small "spot" fore edges. Content: 230 lyrics: Late Classical, Christian hymns, Latin hymns, Carmina Burana, Provencal, Italian, German, North French, & Great Britain (Old and Middle English). Excellent research tool. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 9.25 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

MEET THE ORCHESTRA
by Ann Hayes. Adorable color illustrations of animals playing the instruments by Karmen Thompson. Condition: NEW c. 2000 (originally published 1991) Voyager soft cover, 11th printing. Content: An attractive, well-planned book that introduces the orchestra's families (groups of like instruments) and its members. In clear and understandable prose, each instrument's function, especially as it relates to the other members of its family, and its sound are described in sometimes poetic phrases--"its song can be bright as laughter, light as air, soft as a whisper, or sad as a tear." Single- or double-page spreads feature a large watercolor illustration of an animal playing the instrument under discussion. Although most are aptly chosen for their instruments--a polar bear playing a bassoon and a lion as the conductor--some are disconcerting. The sight of a chimpanzee in a pink dress and frilly pantaloons sitting at a grand piano lessens the effectiveness of that instrument's description. Overall, however, these creatures add a lively note and enable the book to be friendly and accessible. K-3. [1 copy available]
$ 4.00 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

THE ORIGINAL JELLY ROLL BLUES: The Story of Ferdinand LaMothe AKA Jelly Roll Morton, The Originator of Jazz, Stomps and Blues
by William J. Schafer. Preface by Howard Mandel. B&W era photos illustrte. Condition: NEW 2008 Flame Tree Trade Paperback, first printing. Tiny edge wear. Content: The self-styled 'Originator of Jazz', Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton was a virtuoso pianist, composer and band leader. His many famous songs include 'Wolverine Blues', 'Shake It' and the virtual anthem of the Swing Era, 'King Porter Stomp'. A man of many parts, he was a visionary artist - whose music announced an era of vibrancy and sweeping societal change - and also a conflicted husband and lover, a gambler, a dandy and much more. A must for any Jelly Roll or Jazz enthusiast. [2 copies available]
$ 9.29 + $ 3.19 media shipping. International shipping available.

RING OF FIRE: A Tribute to Johnny Cash (CD Included)
by Brian Mansfield. B&W photos by Les Leverett. Condition: NEW 2003 Rutledge Hill small hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first ediiton, first printing. Includes CD of Cash singing "Ring of Fire." Content: For more than 50 years, Johnny Cash entertained audiences of all ages. His winsome approach to music, combined with a raw honesty, has endeared him to legions of fans all over the world. Cash was as popular at the time of his death as ever was. His unique brand of country, folk, and rock music is currently being heard (and purchased) by young teens, as well as by his older fans, perhaps due to his steady presence on MTV, VH1, and CMT. This book contains brief stories about Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter on the road, in their religious life, their friendship offered, and their appeal. Nice book! [1 copy available]
$ 3.79 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

TEXAS TALES IN WORDS AND MUSIC [Music CD Included]
by Larry Hodge and Michael Stevens. B&W era photos and artwork reproductions. Condition: NEW 2001 Republic of Texas soft cover, first printing. Content: Hodge has given us a lively and accurate fresh new look at early Texas heroes and heroines as well as legendary tales of the famous trails, ranches, and events in Texas's long history. Musician/poet Michael Stevens set out to bring these stories to life in music. Together the two have created a collaborative work that combines traditional favorites and original songs with the historical background of each story. A few of the stories: Old Chisholm Trail; Fort Griffin; Battle of Adobe Walls; Cynthia Ann Parker; Old Blue & Sancho; Butterfield Overland Mail; and Texas Gunfighters. Questions welcome & answered. [1 copy available]
$ 5.00 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

WILDERNESS: The Lost Writings of Jim Morrison, Volume 1
by Jim Morrison. B&W photos throughout. Condition: UNREAD 1990 Vintage Trade Paperback, 10th printing. Tiny edge wear with light shelfwear to the top corners of 3 pages. Content: Compiled from the literary estate of the singer who brought a wildly lyrical poetry of the damned to the world of rock 'n' roll. Includes unpublished poems, drawings, photos, and a candid self-interview. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.29. + $ 3.09 media shipping. Priority shipping available.

HEAVY METAL BOOKPLATES
art by Baks. Condition: NEW package of 12 bookplates made by pacaritambo books. The peel-off label stock is heavier than most bookplate materials and is glossy. They are as perfect as possible, and we feel the subject matter is much different than you can get anywhere else. 3.0 wide x 4.0 high. Content: White and gray skulls with a purple and black guitar on a purple and white background. Scollaped edges. We can personalize your bookplate (the font is Snell Blk BT) - just email us the name. Any questions, click here to email us.
$ 4.00 + $ 2.85 first class shipping. International shipping available.

WHITE GUITAR BOOKPLATES
art by Baks. Condition: NEW package of 12 bookplates made by pacaritambo books. The peel-off label stock is heavier than most bookplate materials and is matte and not glossy. They are as perfect as possible, and we feel the subject matter is much different than you can get anywhere else. 2.5 wide x 4.0 high. Content: Stunning white and purple guitar on white background with colorful designs. We can personalize your bookplate (the font is Snell Blk BT) - just email us the name. Any questions, click here to email us.
$ 4.00 + $ 2.85 first class shipping. International shipping available.