Here are 100 books that The Contemporary Arranger fans have personally recommended if you like
The Contemporary Arranger.
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I’ve been fascinated by jazz, classical, and film music since I was in junior high school. As I grew older, I came to believe that music was a unique form of expression and that through music, I could attain a high level of spiritual awareness. While studying privately in Philadelphia and New York, I began searching for books that could help me attain greater facility with my craft. As I found myself pursuing a full-time career as a jazz musician and composer, I was drawn to the books on my list. These books became invaluable resources for me as a professional musician and educator at the Manhattan School of Music.
I love this book because it provides essential practical knowledge of jazz arranging techniques through an in-depth analysis of 8 familiar arrangements by three of the most successful jazz arrangers, Thad Jones, Sammy Nestico, and Bob Brookmeyer.
The musical analyses are particularly valuable because of the way the author presents the analyzed scores with a condensed, concert analysis of the form and structure of the music below the score. In addition to being a successful New York arranger, Ray Wright was an accomplished educator having spent many years directing the Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media Program at the Eastman School of Music.
It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.
The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…
I’ve been fascinated by jazz, classical, and film music since I was in junior high school. As I grew older, I came to believe that music was a unique form of expression and that through music, I could attain a high level of spiritual awareness. While studying privately in Philadelphia and New York, I began searching for books that could help me attain greater facility with my craft. As I found myself pursuing a full-time career as a jazz musician and composer, I was drawn to the books on my list. These books became invaluable resources for me as a professional musician and educator at the Manhattan School of Music.
I love this book because it provides many musical examples from the author’s own voluminous repertoire. The examples illustrate various arranging techniques, presented in condensed concert scores for ease of sight-reading. I love the relaxed, conversational tone of the book, which illustrates the musical techniques in the music itself without resorting to academic lists and charts.
I love the way Sammy presents the material in an informal, easy-going manner which has the effect of making the reader feel like they’re sitting in a room with the author listening to music, while various techniques and styles are illustrated from within the music.
A reference guide and how-to book that no serious student of arranging should ever be without - comprehensive, practical and versatile. Digital downloads containing 100 tracks demonstrate solo and ensemble instrumental colors, textures and styles. The presentation is thorough and logical - basics first, specific components next, then advanced techniques for putting it all together. Includes chapters on special purpose instruments, making MIDI work for you, and the symphonic band. 430-page book and examples available for download.
I’ve been fascinated by jazz, classical, and film music since I was in junior high school. As I grew older, I came to believe that music was a unique form of expression and that through music, I could attain a high level of spiritual awareness. While studying privately in Philadelphia and New York, I began searching for books that could help me attain greater facility with my craft. As I found myself pursuing a full-time career as a jazz musician and composer, I was drawn to the books on my list. These books became invaluable resources for me as a professional musician and educator at the Manhattan School of Music.
I love this book because it provides not only specific techniques for film scoring but also an overview of the lifestyle and business considerations of the film composer. This book reads like a novel but still presents a multitude of valuable information in a well-organized and anecdotal manner. It’s not an exhaustive textbook, but is a great place to start to get a feel for what it means to be a film composer.
I read the whole thing (132 pages) on a 5-hour flight from LA to New York. I love the fact that there are appendices (film/music schools, professional societies, and organizations, suggested scores to study, suggested reading, and websites) as well as a glossary of technical terms.
Scoring for film has changed dramatically over the past twenty years. With the advent of MIDI, sequencers and low-cost recording gear, just about any composer anywhere can score a film. Well-known composer Sonny Kompanek teaches this new film scoring process at prestigious New York University and now he shares his secrets within the pages of From Score to Screen. Learn about the cast of professionals you’ll work with as a film composer. Find out how to meet people in the business, network, and create a promotional demo. Learn how to compose themes and battle writers’ block. Understand how to preview…
Mia Lark is running out of options. There is only one way to change the score: the fantasy planet Revivium.
Armed with the powerful magic in the helm and the friendly AI, Hex that goes with it, Mia throws caution out the window. It’s time to find the main guildhall…
I’ve been fascinated by jazz, classical, and film music since I was in junior high school. As I grew older, I came to believe that music was a unique form of expression and that through music, I could attain a high level of spiritual awareness. While studying privately in Philadelphia and New York, I began searching for books that could help me attain greater facility with my craft. As I found myself pursuing a full-time career as a jazz musician and composer, I was drawn to the books on my list. These books became invaluable resources for me as a professional musician and educator at the Manhattan School of Music.
I love this book because it is a truly comprehensive textbook on contemporary film scoring, covering invaluable sections on musical techniques, the relation of music to film, the technology of film scoring, and the business and lifestyle of film composers. It features references to 150 films as well as interviews with many film composers.
The extensive practical information on musical techniques and technology, as well as the relation of music to picture and drama, are timeless and still valid in today’s world. I also love the way this book presents a wealth of information on the relation and interaction of the composer and filmmaker.
On the Track offers a comprehensive guide to scoring for film and television. Covering all styles and genres, the authors, both noted film composers, cover everything from the nuts-and-bolts of timing, cuing, and recording through balancing the composer's aesthetic vision with the needs of the film itself. Unlike other books that are aimed at the person "dreaming" of a career, this is truly a guide that can be used by everyone from students to technically sophisticated professionals. It contains over 100 interviews with noted composers, illustrating the many technical points made through the text.
I've been passionate about music for almost my entire life. Jazz music in particular speaks to me but not just jazz. I love music, full stop. I really discovered jazz when I attended a jazz club workshop in London and there, I had to join in or leave. I chose to join in and since then I have never looked back. I was introduced to more jazz musicians and now write about music for three major columns as well as Readers’ Digest. My Women In Jazz book won several awards. I have been International Editor for the Jazz Journalist Association and had my work commissioned by the Library of Congress.
This was my ‘go to’ book for years when I first began to write about music and jazz music in particular.
Cooke explains many things that until then, I had only heard about. The history of jazz music is explained clearly. From Be-bop and hard bop to free jazz and the avante garde. His writing allowed me to put names to music styles I found fascinating and it was as if an author was truly speaking my language. He introduces some well-known jazz musicians and their impact on jazz music
A year-by-year history of people and events, this lively multi-layered account tells the whole story of jazz music and its personalities. The Chronicle of Jazz charts the evolution of jazz from its roots in Africa and the southern United States to the myriad urban styles heard around the world today, Mervyn Cooke gives us a narrative rich with innovation, experimentation, controversy, and emotion. The book is completely up to date, exploring the exciting recent developments in the world of jazz, from the rise of modern Big Bands and the renaissance of the piano trio to the popular appeal of Jamie…
I have been fascinated by James Ellroy’s life and writing since I first discovered it as a lonely teenager on a rainswept family holiday. He went through dark times; the unsolved murder of his mother and his subsequent struggles with addiction. But how he overcame this to become one of America’s greatest writers is an inspiring story and has inspired me to get through my own personal turmoil. Indeed, many Ellroy readers will attest to how his life story and writing helped them overcome their struggles. Now as Ellroy’s biographer, I am continually drawn back to his work. Reading just a few pages allows me to contemplate what Ellroy calls ‘the Wonder’.
Ellroy at his most avant-garde. The plot is familiar territory for Ellroy fans; murder and political corruption in 1950s LA. But the experimental prose style, including the most pared-down clipped sentences, started to alienate some of his readers. Personally, I regard the book as Ellroy’s masterpiece and the experimentation is justified as it helps to deliver a lightning-fast pace.
The internationally acclaimed author of the L.A. Quartet and The Underworld USA Trilogy, James Ellroy, presents another literary noir masterpiece of historical paranoia.
Los Angeles, 1958. Killings, beatings, bribes, shakedowns--it's standard procedure for Lieutenant Dave Klein, LAPD. He's a slumlord, a bagman, an enforcer--a power in his own small corner of hell. Then the Feds announce a full-out investigation into local police corruption, and everything goes haywire.
Klein's been hung out as bait, "a bad cop to draw the heat," and the heat's coming from all sides: from local politicians, from LAPD brass, from racketeers and drug kingpins--all of them…
Winner of the 2024 New Mexico - Arizona Book Award.
In this deeply researched novel of America's most celebrated outlaw, Mark Warren sheds light on the human side of Billy the Kid and reveals the intimate stories of the lesser-known players in his legendary life of crime. Warren's fictional composer…
I've been passionate about music for almost my entire life. Jazz music in particular speaks to me but not just jazz. I love music, full stop. I really discovered jazz when I attended a jazz club workshop in London and there, I had to join in or leave. I chose to join in and since then I have never looked back. I was introduced to more jazz musicians and now write about music for three major columns as well as Readers’ Digest. My Women In Jazz book won several awards. I have been International Editor for the Jazz Journalist Association and had my work commissioned by the Library of Congress.
This book opened up jazz music for me and changed how I viewed it. It is a history book, a storybook, and a narrative on social change, and the author is both knowledgeable and intuitive in his approach.
Insights into nearly all forms of jazz are given, along with their origins. Free jazz and improvised music are explored and in the final pages, Finkelstein gives some wonderful insights into what the future of jazz might look like from the American viewpoint. Masterful writing and a glorious journey into and through the jazz genre and its development.
I felt like Finkelstein was speaking directly to me in some places. An accessible and informative read.
Jazz: A People's Music is a comprehensive book written by Sidney Finkelstein that delves into the history, culture, and significance of jazz music. The book explores the origins of jazz in African American communities in New Orleans and traces its evolution through the 20th century. Finkelstein examines the key figures in jazz, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Charlie Parker, and explores the social and political contexts in which they created their music. The book also explores the influence of jazz on other genres of music, such as rock and roll and hip-hop. Jazz: A People's Music is a must-read…
I am a former history major and teacher who has always loved to read histories and mysteries and then went on to write them as well. I have two mystery series of four books each (so far), the Mainely Mysteryand Clay Wolfe/Port Essex series.I’ve also written three historical fiction books about the diverse topics of Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution, Joshua Chamberlain and the Civil War, and New Orleans during Reconstruction. I’ve decided to combine my passion for histories and mysteries into a historical PI mystery set in 1923 Brooklyn,Velma Gone Awry.
This is a fun-filled mystery set in 1920s London. Cozies are not usually my thing, but I recently gave this a go as I am also writing a series in that exact time period and thought I’d see how Kinsey set about it. The historical beautifully captures the exuberance of the time period after World War I. Women have emerged from behind closed doors to interact on equal status as men, jazz music parades the pages with wild abandon, and the slang of the characters is spot on. The twists, turns, and action are blended in with the rich description to make this a delightful read.
Missing diamonds. Mysterious deaths. And all that jazz.
London, 1925. With their band the Dizzy Heights, jazz musicians Ivor 'Skins' Maloney and Bartholomew 'Barty' Dunn are used to improvising as they play the Charleston for flappers and toffs, but things are about to take a surprising turn.
Superintendent Sunderland has had word that a deserter who stole a fortune in diamonds as he fled the war is a member of the Aristippus private members' club in Mayfair-where the Dizzy Heights have a residency. And the thief is planning to steal a hoard of jewels hidden there under the cover of…
I’ve been the pianist for the Heath Brothers and the Jimmy Heath Quartet for over 20 years. Since moving to NYC in 1996, I’ve had the honor of playing and recording with an assortment of jazz luminaries including Charles McPherson, Roberta Gambarini, Lewis Nash, Winard Harper, Rodney Green, Michael Rodriguez, David Wong, among many others. During that time, I’ve also been actively involved in teaching, arranging, and writing, having three books published by Chuck Sher since 2013, An Approach to Comping Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 and Introduction to Jazz Piano, A Deep Dive.
First of all, the compositions are incredibly beautiful. Kenny Dorham is the ultimate romantic. As an added bonus, Walter Davis arranges these often complex tunes in a way that is accessible for the intermediate pianist. The simple and economical voicings offer insights that you just can’t get from fake books.
Kenny Dorham: jazz legend, master composer, arranger and performer. His unique and compelling voice on trumpet is well documented on recordings. Now K.D.'s music is presented in print, through the eyes, ears and heart of pianist Walter Davis, Jr. All 30 compositions have been recorded by major jazz artists. Complete with recording credits, chord symbols and instructions for expanding the arrangements to include improvised solo choruses. Contents include: Escapade + The Fox + Karioka + La Mesha + Night Watch + An Oscar for Oscar + Philly Twist + Whistle Stop + Windmill + Una Mas + and 20 others.…
Ramon Ramirez’s Dog is a collection of essays written over the years about the adventures and misadventures, mostly outside but occasionally inside the diplomatic career of a U.S. ambassador. Common threads weaving the stories together are a desire for a life well-lived, balancing career with family and friends, keeping physically…
I’ve been the pianist for the Heath Brothers and the Jimmy Heath Quartet for over 20 years. Since moving to NYC in 1996, I’ve had the honor of playing and recording with an assortment of jazz luminaries including Charles McPherson, Roberta Gambarini, Lewis Nash, Winard Harper, Rodney Green, Michael Rodriguez, David Wong, among many others. During that time, I’ve also been actively involved in teaching, arranging, and writing, having three books published by Chuck Sher since 2013, An Approach to Comping Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 and Introduction to Jazz Piano, A Deep Dive.
I love the way Mr. Mathews retains Monk’s personal and instantly recognizable sound while presenting very playable and economical jazz piano arrangements. I would recommend this to jazz piano students looking for a way to play Monk’s music as solo piano pieces. It's nice to be able to reference how to voice these tunes from a master who actually exchanged ideas with Monk himself. The collection includes some of the most popular Monk compositions along with some lesser-known gems.
(Artist Transcriptions). Now the intermediate-level pianist can play and study the music of this jazz giant! This collection includes 14 tunes Monk made great, arranged by T.S. Monk band member Ronnie Mathews. Songs include: Brilliant Corners * Criss Cross * Hackensack * Pannonica * 'Round Midnight * Thelonious * Well You Needn't * and more. Also includes a biography, discography, performance notes and more.
