Music & Movies

Since the 2004 publication of The Mischievous Art of Jim Flora, the once-forgotten illustrator has gained recognition as one of the foremost pioneers of a raucous, cartoonish style of commercial art that defines the Mid-Century aesthetic. Two follow-up...

The Dave Brubeck Quartet's 1959 album Time Out changed the sound of jazz and American music. Brubeck's experimentation with meter, harmony and even Turkish rhythms eventually earned him the cover of Time Magazine; the first jazz musician to achieve such...

Through in-depth analysis, detailed transcriptions and album references, author John Ramsay gives us an insider's view of Art Blakey's unique drumming style. The book includes examples of Art's philosophies and wisdom as told by some of the great alumni...

The electrifying sounds of groovin' jump blues, Southern-fried rock 'n' roll, fervent black gospel, and the simmering sounds of the Louisiana swamp came bursting out of Nashville, Tennessee in the early 1950s courtesy of Excello Records and its sister...

Boogie, blues, ragtime, swing and other jazz styles are irresistible to most pianists, but not always accessible to student pianists. Composer Robert Vandall has removed all barriers to successful student performances, by making sure that each jazzy solo...

The first biography of soul pioneer Isaac Hayes, whose groundbreaking music provided the foundation for hip-hop and a new racial paradigm. "Black men could finally stand up and be men because here's Black Moses; he's the epitome of Black masculinity...

This new bersion includes a new Fly comic zine about Times Up! and 6 new bonus shorts including Dooring PSA, Gears for Fears, Hit a Frog, Congestion Pricing, Unconventional Critical Mass, uncut Chris Carlson Interview, and Memorial Ride. This...

Joe Biel's collection of talkies perfectly embodies the DIY documentary mantra of just get out there and shoot it. Consisting of five films, ranging from 11 to 40 minutes, Biel injects each film with a political and socially conscious agenda. Two films...

Writing to his brother, G'Ra Asim reflects on building his own identity while navigating Blackness, masculinity, and young adulthood--all through wry social commentary and music/pop culture critique How does one approach Blackness, masculinity,...

Literary Nonfiction. Art. Film. Music. Twenty years after the murder of The Notorious B.I.G., THE MAN ON HIGH melds the creative and the critical, and questions what legacy means in the 21st century. Contemplating Biggie through the lens of both...

This beautifully illustrated unofficial retrospective celebrates the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, and reflects on her life, music, and legacy. Aretha Franklin's voice was legendary, unforgettable: deeply rooted in gospel, yet versatile enough to...

The long journey of an American song, from its enormous success in the early 1850s, written by a white man, considered the father of American music, about a Black man being sold downriver, performed for decades by white men in blackface, and the song, an...