Jazz

I started reading this book in preparation for my A2 Music studies as this is one of the topics we will be studying and have found this very informing and enjoyable! It starts off in the late 1880s discussing the black slave workers in the south USA and the creations of 'The Blues', it then takes you through the early stages of Jazz in Harlem, through the New Orleans and Chicago (the main bulk of the book talking about Louis Armstrong and his influence on Jazz), but also discusses other key figures in Jazz such as Duke Ellington, Bix Beiderbecke, Benny Goodman and others. This book has several chapters including, the biography of Jazz, Key figures of Jazz, Key pieces of Jazz and other related topics and chapters.

The Real Frank Zappa Book

Am halfway through 'The Real Frank Zappa Book', which is a semi-autobiography by Frank Zappa and Peter Occhiogrosso. It is semi-autobiographical in the sense that it is not documenting his life and what he did at the age of 10, then 11, then 12 etc etc, but instead tells stories of his family, his band, his politics, his music but tells THOSE stories in chronological order. It is a very funny read and am thoroughly enjoying it!