Music & Movies

Winner of the PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles AwardWinner of the MAAH Stone Book AwardA Rolling Stone Best Music Book of the YearA Pitchfork Best Music Book of the Year   "Brooks traces all kinds of lines, finding unexpected points of connection.....

An authoritative history of the groundbreaking syndicated television show that has become an icon of American pop culture, from acclaimed author and filmmaker Nelson George, "the most accomplished black music critic of his generation" (Washington Post...

Jazz, Rags & Blues, Book 1 contains original solos for late elementary to early intermediate-level pianists that reflect the various styles of the jazz idiom. An excellent way to introduce your students to this distinctive American contribution to 20th...

Welcome to this exploration of the Roots of hip-hop. The roots of hip-hop, as in: the Roots--a story of one of the most enduring, multi-talented, and successful groups of the past thirty years in any genre--and the story of the roots of hip-hop, that is,...

Experience a cool splash of music history from the Bayou State! This intensely personal and entertaining account is a snapshot of Blues from an outsider welcomed into the inner circles of Southern Blues icons. Englishman Julian C. Piper spent a year...

Little Willie John lived for a fleeting 30 years, but his dynamic and daring sound left an indelible mark on the history of music. His deep blues, rollicking rock 'n' roll and swinging ballads inspired a generation of musicians, forming the basis for...

The definitive biography of Chuck Berry, legendary performer and inventor of rock and roll Best known as the groundbreaking artist behind classics like "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "You Never Can Tell" and "Roll Over Beethoven," Chuck Berry was a...

The long-awaited memoir of Booker T. Jones, leader of the famed Stax Records house band, architect of the Memphis soul sound, and one of the most legendary figures in music. From Booker T. Jones's earliest years in segregated Memphis, music was the...

Whitney Houston was certified as the most awarded female artist of all time by Guinness World Records and sold over 200 million records worldwide. Houston released seven studio albums and two soundtrack albums and is regarded as one of the greatest...

"The power of song in the struggle for Black survival--that is what the spirituals and the blues are about." James H. Cone revolutionized American theology with the publication in 1969 and 1970 of his first groundbreaking works on Black Liberation...

Come to My Garden (1970) introduced the world to Minnie Riperton, the solo artist. Minnie captivated listeners with her earth-shattering voice's uncanny ability to evoke melancholy and exultance. Born out of Charles Stepney's masterful composition and...

From T. J. English, the New York Times bestselling author of Havana Nocturne, comes the epic, scintillating narrative of the interconnected worlds of jazz and organized crime in 20th century America.[A] brilliant and courageous book. --Dr. Cornel...