Upcoming Jazz Book Releases

Several new jazz books will be released early next year, among them Fascinating Rhythm: Reading Jazz in American Writing by David Yaffe, Let’s Get to the Nitty Gritty: The Autobiography of Horace Silver by, of course, Horace Silver and The Dark Tree: Jazz and the Community Arts in Los Angeles by Steven L. Isoardi.

Fascinating Rhythm traverses through American history as Yaffe links jazz music and how it has affected 20th century literature. Musicians and writers including Louis Armstrong, Langston Hughes, Charles Mingus, Billie Holiday and Frank O’Hara are discussed in this book , which will be released Jan. 11, 2006.

Horace Silver’s (pictured) autobiography chronicles the composer, pianist and bandleader’s 77 years, from his Connecticut childhood to prominence in New York, and then his life in California after he moved to the West Coast. His second book, will be released in March 2006.

Finally, Isoardi’s book, scheduled for release in April 2006, encompasses forty years in the black Los Angeles community, where pianist Horace Tapscott founded the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. The affordable, community-oriented jazz arts group produced 300 artists, many of whom have been interviewed in the book. The purchase of the book also includes a cd by various artists.

Originally Published December 9, 2005