Music and Performing Arts from our 2017 Winter Newsletter

While longtime admirers of Stevie Nicks won’t find any new revelations within these pages, the book is still a lovingly crafted biography about the goddess of rock. Respected music biographer Stephen Davis (who cowrote Fleetwood with Mick Fleetwood) follows all the heartbreaks, drama, drugs, and magic that fueled Nicks and her songwriting. Gold Dust Woman documents how Nicks used her talent to create the life of fame and success in which she continues to reign. - Kelly

One of the living masters, Francis Ford Coppola intends to turn us toward the future in Live Cinema—a fusion of film and television already being shown (such as Grease Live!) and movie theater broadcasts of opera, ballet, and theater. Although Coppola wrote this as a critical manual of a burgeoning form, he also shares insights about film overall and draws on anecdotes and stories from his own life. A must for the film nerd. - Jocelyn

What do you know about conductors—the women and men whose finger and baton tips somehow tie together dozens, even hundreds, of musicians to make the music we love? John Mauceri gives a breakdown of the techniques and passions of an almost undefinable art. He weaves the history of conducting into that of classical music, with stories and critiques of composition and performances that any music lover will find fascinating. - Jocelyn

A celebration of great vocalists—including Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, and Nat King Cole—and their greatest work! “With verve and an infectious love of music, jazz critic Friedwald tells the stories of 57 jazz and pop albums that have become benchmarks by which subsequent records have been measured…. His passionate description of each album in this indispensable guide will drive readers to listen to the albums once again, or for the first time.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Year by year, date by date, this book collects the album drops, platinum hits, collaborations, deaths, and holograms that have formed the rich and thriving history of rap and hip-hop in the United States. With beautifully written contextualizing commentary from Chuck D and terrific art from the artist collective mADurgency, this is the perfect gift for lovers of contemporary American music. I’m now waiting for Chuck D to write a prose book…. - Jocelyn

Joni Mitchell has played with some of the greatest musicians in the world and her music has inspired even more. She’s best known for her incredible lyrics and beautiful, lilting voice (seriously, where is her Nobel Prize?), but she has lived an incredibly full life beyond her music, which David Yaffe chronicles in his new book. - Ivy

As I perused the pages—which are packed with pictures, slayer vocabulary, and tons of Buffy trivia—I was transported back to the summer I spent binge-watching Buffy in my bedroom. Even if you think you already know everything there is to know about the Buffyverse, this tome, a true treasure for any Buffy fan, will put your knowledge to the test. - Jade

Singer-songwriter Dar Williams tackles the sensitive issue of rampant gentrification in the United States in her new book. Using the knowledge she has acquired over her many years touring the country and her experiences in her own community, Williams offers strategies for building a happy, healthy town. She takes the reader all over the country, telling stories from cities that have made strides toward reducing gentrification and detailing the different ways that they are doing so. - Jade