2021 Book of the Year - Jazz Journalists Association\nPhil Woods was an American original. One of the greatest saxophonists of all time, he was the first call for Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and Oliver Nelson. His iconic improvisation on Billy Joel’s hit song "Just the Way You Are" is quite likely the most played instrumental solo in the world. His popularity soared while an expat in Europe during the cultural revolution of the late sixties and early seventies. Upon his return to the States, Woods formed a band that would perform together for four decades. Grammy Awards, dozens of DownBeat Readers Poll victories, and designation as a National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master would follow. Life in E Flat is the unvarnished self-portrait of an artist who loved and lived a life of bebop.\n"Phil Woods lived all the tropes of the 20th century American artist: defiant modernist, reverent traditionalist, mid-century family man, countercultural nonconformist, homebody, expatriate and road rat; young Turk and grand master. He possessed an abundance of gifts along with the determination to put the hard work in to realize every facet of them, and the great good fortune to grow up blessed by the mentorship of the most distinguished exponents of a golden age of Black American Music. His story tracks the changes of “this old world” through over three quarters of a century of music and life, informing us of what has been gained and lost, reminding us of what happened and what still needs to be done." 
– Brian Lynch, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter, composer, and educator\n"I would have to give Phil Woods’ sax solo on Just The Way You Are credit for making that a hit record." 
– Billy Joel\n"Mr. Phil Woods left an indelible impression on me as a composer, arranger, and instrumentalist. A sincere active transmitter on the stage!" 
– Eddie Palmieri, ten time Grammy Award winner and NEA Jazz Master\n"I never worked with a better musician at the same time so unpretentious about the depth, breadth, and total scope of his knowledge and his playing. You hear his unmistakable voice in both his alto saxophone and every note of his very much underrated writing. Phil Woods was a supreme singer and swinger of the music he loved and served so passionately. Equally jazz and man…" 
– Todd Barkan, Keystone Korner Baltimore and NEA Jazz Master\n"Phil Woods was a wonderful alto player, a great musician that was at home in any musical situation. His autobiography is a must-read for all jazz fans and musician alike." 
– Charles McPherson, saxophonist and composer\n"Phil was in a class of his own….musically of course. But he also had an ear for language… caustic at times, but always honest and heartfelt… truly one of a kind!" 
– Dave Liebman, NEA Jazz Master

Life in E Flat – The Autobiography of Phil Woods

Biographies & Memoirs

Woods, Phil

Panken, Ted

Arts & Literature

Cymbal Press

2021 Book of the Year - Jazz Journalists Association\nPhil Woods was an American original. One of the greatest saxophonists of all time, he was the first call for Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and Oliver Nelson. His iconic improvisation on Billy Joel's hit song "Just the Way You Are" is quite likely the most played instrumental solo in the world. His popularity soared while an expat in Europe during the cultural revolution of the late sixties and early seventies. Upon his return to the States, Woods formed a band that would perform together for four decades. Grammy Awards, dozens of DownBeat Readers Poll victories, and designation as a National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master would follow. Life in E Flat is the unvarnished self-portrait of an artist who loved and lived a life of bebop.\n"I would have to give Phil Woods' sax solo on "Just The Way You Are" credit for making that a hit record." - Billy Joel\n"Life in E Flat is a gift, a compelling and entertaining memoir by one of the leading alto saxophonists in jazz for 60 years. Woods is a charismatic storyteller-literate, funny, insightful, self-aware, with a keen eye and ear for details that reveal character and wise observations about the music business and the jazz life laced with sardonic wit." - Mark Stryker, author of Jazz From Detroit\n""Someone spotted me fondling the saxophone and misinterpreted my avaricious intent as musical interest..." So Phil Wood's lifelong journey began-a saga he relates with an irreverent, self-deprecating wit, from his earliest days in Western Massachusetts to recording timeless music and traveling the world with jazz legends. Time and again, he sets up a story like a punchline's coming, and often they do. What you always get is history rich in detail and long in feeling and self-honesty - the personal stumbles and the musical triumphs. Phil left us in 2015; this book he left us is a gift that shows how so much of him is still here." - Ashley Kahn, music historian and author of A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album & Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece\n"Growing up a New York jazz fan, Phil Woods was always a favorite. He was straight ahead, personal but in control, brimming with ideas: solid in every way. This account of the late jazz man's American journey, assembled with a loving, light touch by the always discerning critic Ted Panken, is like a Woods' gig. Full of the right information, things you thought you knew but didn't (the stories of often being the only white man in the room especially after marrying Charlie Parker's widow are instructive), heartbreaking and triumphant, Life in E-Flat is 100% solid." - Mark Jacobson, author of The Lampshade and Pale Horse Rider, former staff writer of the Village Voice and New York Magazine, and contributing editor for Rolling Stone and Esquire

Life in E Flat - The Autobiography of Phil Woods

Jazz Dialogues

Review "Jazz Dialogues is a rarity among books about jazz: It's a book about people--the individual creators who devote their lives to the making of this profoundly individualistic art. It took a writer who's a first-call musician himself to capture the way jazz artists think and feel, on the bandstand and off. From Cab Calloway and Doc Cheatham to Maria Schneider and Steve Wilson, Jon Gordon brings us face to face, mind to mind, heart to heart, with dozens of fascinating musicians. Like a great player in a jazz band, Gordon knows not only how to play, but how to listen." David Hajdu, author of Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn"In this singular collection of conversations and anecdotes, which features a remarkably diverse group of major artists, Jon Gordon creates a rarified atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, allowing each artist to speak directly from their essence. He writes with style, humor, and elegance. Gordon honors the music, friendships, and artists he loves with the highest respect, humility, and passion." Bill Charlap, Grammy Award-winning pianist & Director of Jazz Studies, William Paterson University Product Description Backstage, on the bus, or in the studio, saxophonist Jon Gordon, winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone competition, chats with several generations of great musicians. From Jay McShann to Renee Rosnes, Jazz Dialogues lets the reader hang out with dozens of jazz artists to learn about their careers, influences, and the dues they’ve paid. These candid, poignant, and often hilarious conversations paint a first-person portrait of jazz history.Artists include: Jay McShann, Eddie Locke, Cab Calloway, Maria Schneider, Jan Garbarek, Ken Peplowski, Tim Hagans, Mark Turner, Hank Mobley, Bill Easley, Doc Cheatham, Scott Robinson, Eddie Bert, Phil Woods, Danny Bank, Billy Drummond, Ben Monder, Charles McPherson, Milt Hinton, Ben Riley, Bill Stewart, Art Blakey, Jon-Erik Kellso, Eddie Chamblee, Jimmy Lewis, Chuck Redd, Bill Charlap, McCoy Tyner, Melissa Aldana, Ronnie Mathews, Kevin Hays, Jim McNeely, Steve Wilson, Red Holloway, Barney Kessel, Joe Williams, Quincy Davis, Bob Mintzer, Dick Hyman, Lee Konitz, Leroy Jones, Renee Rosnes, David Sanborn, Gil Evans, Don Sickler, Sean Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Derrick Gardner, Sylvia Cuenca, Harold Mabern, Gene Bertoncini, Mike LeDonne, Essiet Okon Essiet, Bill Mays, and Joe Magnarelli. From the Inside Flap This intimate account of the inner lives of great musicians extends the tradition of books like Arthur Taylor's classic, Notes and Tones. Jazz Dialogues captures the lives, loves, wisdom, and craft of musicians spanning much of jazz history.

Gordon, Jon

Backstage, on the bus, or in the studio, saxophonist Jon Gordon, winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone competition, chats with several generations of great musicians. From Jay McShann to Renee Rosnes, Jazz Dialogues lets the reader hang out with dozens of jazz artists to learn about their careers, influences, and the dues they've paid. These candid, poignant, and often hilarious conversations paint a first-person portrait of jazz history.\nArtists include: Jay McShann, Eddie Locke, Cab Calloway, Maria Schneider, Jan Garbarek, Ken Peplowski, Tim Hagans, Mark Turner, Hank Mobley, Bill Easley, Doc Cheatham, Scott Robinson, Eddie Bert, Phil Woods, Danny Bank, Billy Drummond, Ben Monder, Charles McPherson, Milt Hinton, Ben Riley, Bill Stewart, Art Blakey, Jon-Erik Kellso, Eddie Chamblee, Jimmy Lewis, Chuck Redd, Bill Charlap, McCoy Tyner, Melissa Aldana, Ronnie Mathews, Kevin Hays, Jim McNeely, Steve Wilson, Red Holloway, Barney Kessel, Joe Williams, Quincy Davis, Bob Mintzer, Dick Hyman, Lee Konitz, Leroy Jones, Renee Rosnes, David Sanborn, Gil Evans, Don Sickler, Sean Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Derrick Gardner, Sylvia Cuenca, Harold Mabern, Gene Bertoncini, Mike LeDonne, Essiet Okon Essiet, Bill Mays, and Joe Magnarelli.

The Jazz Book of Two Lifetimes 
NEA Jazz Master saxophonist Dave Liebman and pianist Richie Beirach have enjoyed a fifty-year friendship on and off the bandstand. They’ve performed with Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, and their own bands. Ruminations and Reflections takes readers on a rollicking journey through their musical lives. Along the way, they share their views on jazz education, prominent musicians, and musical preparation. Liebman and Beirach pay tribute to their musical mentors, tour their discography, and suggest essential recordings to study. The book’s conversational style will delight students, professionals, and music lovers alike.\n"We really don’t have an exact name for musicians like Dave and Richie. Across decades of recordings and concerts, their aspirations obliterate the definitions of any single genre. This volume reveals the deep insight and wisdom required to resolve their shared quest for meaning in music. Both are master players who continue to strive for what goes beyond and what lies beneath. Reading their words and following their stories in this wonderful book affirms the feeling that they share on the bandstand as one of the great long-term partnerships in this music." – Pat Metheny\nA masterclass in the art and skill of jazz 
Ruminations and Reflections is more than just a jazz biography, it is a masterclass in how to improvise, jazz theory, how to listen to jazz, and the business of being a musician in today’s world. Never shy, these two friends share fascinating and revealing stories of growing into their musical selves, late night hangs with legendary musicians, and the jazz life.\nKnown for their virtuosity and playing free, Liebman and Beirach share their secrets for preparing for the ultimate exercise of musical improvisation. Both musicians use their deep devotion to classical music as a basis for improvisation, crossing genres and boundaries to create spontaneous and beautiful musical experiences.\nAs veteran educators, Dave and Richie share their wisdom and life lessons to keep the legacy of jazz improvisation and free jazz alive. Jazz musicians and students will find value in their masterful analysis of duo playing, comping, and musical leadership.\nFor fans of jazz masters and legends 
Ruminations and Reflections showcases never before told anecdotes and opinions about musical legends including, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Jack DeJohnette, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Chick Corea, Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, and Wynton Marsalis. Jazz fans will delight in the in-depth analysis of over twenty of this duo’s best recordings, providing insight and history to this important discography.\nA journey through modern jazz history 
Jazz aficionados will enjoy the personal accounts of their formative years in Brooklyn, developing a passion for music that has lasted a lifetime. A road trip through Brooklyn and Manhattan sets the scene for reminiscences about the New York City jazz scene today and in days gone by. Jazz clubs like Birdland and the Village Vanguard come to life with tales of the musicians who played there.\nRuminations and Reflections chronicles the intersection of jazz and rock and roll in the fertile early 1970’s New York loft scene. Beirach and Liebman were pioneers in the jazz fusion era and recount tours, jam sessions, and recordings with their bands Lookout Farm and Quest. They continue to marvel audiences in any musical setting.\nAlong their journey, Liebman and Beirach have created a legacy of excellence and dedication to fans, fellow musicians, and the music. This book is a celebration of musical lives well-lived and a gift to us all.

Ruminations and Reflections - The Musical Journey of Dave Liebman and Richie Beirach

Arts & Photography

Beirach, Richie

Liebman, Dave

History & Criticism

The Landfill Chronicles - Unearthing Legends of Modern Music

Ouellette,Dan

Pity the Genius: A Journey through American Guitar Music in 33 Tracks

Harrison, Joel

The Jazz Omnibus: 21st-Century Photos and Writings by Members of the Jazz Journalists Association

The Jazz Omnibus: 21st-Century Photos and Writings by Members of the Jazz Journalists Association is a spectacular anthology of works by 90 international experts in jazz and related music.90 contributors represent the finest music writers and photographers alive todayTheir skill, wisdom, insight, and generosity converge to produce a timeless contribution to music criticism, history, and scholarship. The Jazz Omnibus captures the expansive breadth of jazz-its past present, and future-through the ears of its great artists and the pens and cameras of its most admired journalists.As jazz embarks on its second century, this book stands alone as a compendium of reportage and analysis of an art form offering pleasure and insights while building communities that celebrate creative individuality and ensemble play.A few examples of what readers will find in The Jazz Omnibus* Ted Panken on Sonny Rollins* Michael Jackson interviews Keith Jarrett* Jordannah Elizabeth on Amina Claudine Myers* David R. Adler on Meshell Nedegeocello* Nate Chinen on Sun Ra* Debbie Burke on Jewish women songwriters* Willard Jenkins on becoming a jazz journalist* Rob Shepherd speaks with Mary Halvorson* Deanna Witkoswki on Mary Lou Williams* Ashley Kahn surveys the new American expatriates* Ted Gioia on Amy Winehouse, jazz singer* Howard Mandel at Ornette Coleman's birthday party* Larry Blumenfeld on Arturo O'Farrill in Cuba* Suzanne Lorge on Carla BleyThe Jazz Omnibus: 21st-Century Photos and Writings by Members of the Jazz Journalists Association is an indispensable resource for curious newcomers to jazz, casual listeners, aficionados, educators, students and researchers.

Music

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Cymbal Press publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Cymbal Press

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Cymbal Press publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Life in E Flat – The Autobiography of Phil Woods

Life in E Flat - The Autobiography of Phil Woods

Jazz Dialogues

Jazz Dialogues

Ruminations and Reflections - The Musical Journey of Dave Liebman and Richie Beirach

The Landfill Chronicles - Unearthing Legends of Modern Music

The Landfill Chronicles - Unearthing Legends of Modern Music

Pity the Genius: A Journey through American Guitar Music in 33 Tracks

The Jazz Omnibus: 21st-Century Photos and Writings by Members of the Jazz Journalists Association

The Jazz Omnibus: 21st-Century Photos and Writings by Members of the Jazz Journalists Association