Black Cat Bone: The Life of Blues Legend Robert Johnson by J. Patrick Lewis; illustrated by Gary Kelley
In a life spanning 27 years, Robert Johnson recorded only 29 songs. According to legend, Johnson, considered by many to be the Godfather of the Blues, sold his soul to the devil on a Mississippi crossroad in order to obtain musical immortality. Through syncopated poetry and illustrations in shades of blues and browns that capture the essence of the blues, learn about the composer of such standards as Come On In My Kitchen, Crossroad Blues, and Kindhearted Woman Blues and a man who influenced Bob Dylan, the Allman Brothers, the Grateful Dead, Eric Clpaton and more. A must for music lovers.
Jazz A B Z: An A to Z Collection of Jazz Portraits by Wynton Marsalis; illustrated by Paul Rogers
The vibrance and color of jazz is conveyed to the reader by the vibrance and colors of the illustrations in this introduction to jazz greats. In a combination of prose and poetry, all the greats are mentioned: Armstrong, Basie, Coltrane, Fitzgerald, Gillespie, Monk. Reminiscent of an old 33 1/3 L.P., Jazz A B Z is a crowd pleaser. Brief bios, notes on the poetic forms used in the book and 26 jazz records you will enjoy round out this eye-catching, fun-to-read, introduction to jazz. A jazz newbie or a jazz lover, you will love this book, as did I.