Books

Spanish language autobiography of Miguel Martinez, the premier mariachi trumpeter who started with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. This work would have never been completed without the important help of Jonathan Clark, who has played in mariachis for decades and has become one of the primary historians of the genre. The book not only contains of course the life and times of this amazing trumpeter, but also an index that lists all of his many compositions and who they have been recorded by. I am amazed at what a prolific composer he has been. There is also an appendix listing the huge number of Mexican movies he appeared in from 1942-1978. The only sad thing about this book, is that it is printed on relatively poor transluscent paper, which makes black and white photos appear in less than ideal quality. This edition is limited to 2000 copies, and Jonny has brought me five copies for resale. Get yours quickly! (CS)

Arhoolie 540 / Arhoolie's amazing new release! 4 CDs with a 192 page book documenting Arhoolie Records' 50th Anniversary Celebration held at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse in Berkeley in February 2011. Over 175 full color photos by premier Bay Area concert photographer Mike Melnyk, reminiscences by Chris Strachwitz with Adam Machado, reflections by many of the musicians on what Chris and Arhoolie has meant to them, and almost 5 hours of music recorded live at the three-day event, a benefit for the Arhoolie Foundation. Featured artists: Santiago Jimenez, Jr. y La Familia Peña-Govea, Peter Rowan, Ry Cooder, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, The Savoy Family Band, Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, David Doucet, Los Cenzontles, Suzy and Eric Thompson, The Goodtime Washboard 3, Toni Brown and Terri Garthwaite, The Campbell Brothers, Coutry Joe McDonald, Barbara Dane and Bob Mielke's Jazz All Stars, Treme Brass Band, The Creole Belles, Any Old-Time String Band, Maria Muldaur, and Taj Mahal.

Issue #274 / Featuring an in-depth interview with late Oakland record producer Bob Geddins, and Part 3 of The Sam Charters Story. (To inquire about Blues & Rhythm back issues, call 510-525-2129 or email us at mail@downhomemusic.com)

The Chicano Archives, Vol. 6., UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center Press 2012. / By Augustin Gurza with Jonathan Clark and Chris Strachwitz / The Strachwitz Frontera Collection is the largest repository of commercially produced Mexican and Mexican American vernacular recordings in existence. It contains more that 130,000 individual recordings. Many are rare, and some are one of a kind. Although border music is the focus of the collection, it also includes notable recordings of other Latin forms, including salsa, mambo, sones, and rancheras. More than 40,000 of the recordings, all from the first half of the twentieth century, have been digitized and are available online through the University of California's Digital Library Program. / In this volume, writer Augustin Gurza explores the Frontera Collection from different viewpoints, discussing genre, themes, and some of the thousands of composers and performers whose work is contained in the archive. Throughout, he discusses the cultural significance of the recordings and relates the stories of those who have had a vital role in their production and preservation. Rounding out the volume are chapters by Jonathan Clark, who surveys the recordings of mariachi ensembles, and Chris Strachwitz, the founder of the Arhoolie Foundation, who reflects on his six decades of collecting the music of la raza.

Edited by Les Fancourt & Bob McGrath / Published by Eyeball Productions / The Blues Discography: 1943-1970 picks up where Mike Leadbitter and Neil Slaven left off in their groundbreaking work Blues Records. This revised and expanded volume brings us closer to a complete listing of blues and ryhthm & blues records from a vital period on the genre. / Organized alphabetically by artist, and chronologically by session, listing personnel details, unissued titles and original releases, with a full cross-referenced accompanying musicians index included. 640 pages.

By Ben Sandmel / Foreword by Peter Guralnick / 137 photographs / 285 pages / Published by The Historic New Orleans Collection 2012

Texas State Historical Association 2012 / Laurie E. Jasinski, Editor / Building on the work of The Handbook of Texas Music that was published in 2003 and in partnership with the Texas Music Office and the Center for Texas Music History (Texas State University-San Marcos), The Handbook of Texas Music, Second Edition, offers completely updated entries and features new and expanded coverage of the musicians, ensembles, dance halls, festivals, businesses, orchestras, organizations, and genres that have helped define the state’s musical legacy. · More than 850 articles, including almost 400 new entries · 255 images, including more than 170 new photos, sheet music art, and posters that lavishly illustrate the text
Available Qty: 1

A Joyful Noise: A Celebration of New Orleans Music July 2000, Pelican Publishing Co. Hardover / New Condition From Jazz Journal (May 1991) Joyful Noise is primarily a photographic study of New Orleans ghetto culture. Over two decades, Smith has infiltrated the Afro-American community’s churches, clubs, funerals and street parties, and has become an intimate of the Mardi Gras Indians, the bandsmen and the many fraternal groupings which about in the city. It’s clear from folklorist Alan Govenar’s excellent introduction that Smith, a white photographer, has carved out a unique role for himself among black New Orleanians. He has returned again and again to document their activities, always giving copies of his pictures to his subjects. Through this superb book, he offers insights into the cultural mores which have influenced Crescent City music. Govenar provides a good account of the origins of social organizations which date back, in most cases, to Emancipation and cites names like the Scene Boosters Social & Pleasure Club, the Young Men’s Olympian and Money Wasters Marching Club, all presently active….They parade through black neighborhoods and Smith’s brilliant pictures, superbly reproduced, capture the musicians, the club members and the famed Second Liners. Peter Vacher

CD 518 A-D Hear Me Howling!
Blues, Ballads, and Beyond as recorded by the San Francisco Bay by Chris Strachwitz in the 1960s
Text By Adam Machado
4 CDs with a 136 page, 8 1/2 x 11" full color, hardcover book
Over 4 hours and 40 minutes of music 72 tracks, including 38 previously unissued Over 150 photographs