Book and Video Reviews: Dirty Linen

Here's just a few of the book and video reviews in the current issue of Dirty Linen.

Classic Guitars of the 50s:
The Electric Guitar & the Musical Revolution of the 50s
Miller Freeman Books
Some people drool over Playboy, Penthouse, and other such mags, pulling out the centerfolds. For me, this book will do just fine. A brief history of the electric guitar and its place in the music of the decade, then lots and lots of pictures. Guitars to make you sigh, guitars to make you wish you’d kept yours, and guitars you’ve simply never seen before, along with some descriptions — as well as the prices. But it’s more than a simple history of the electric guitar. This book takes the extra step and shows the way the decade influenced designs (tail fins and the Flying V, for example) that make it more than something to keep at the bedside, but actually read as well. If only it came out monthly and had a letters page, I think I’d be in heaven.
— Chris Nickson (Seattle, WA)

Learn to Play Celtic
& Old Time Music
byTom Parker
Tom Parker (1996) CD & Book
This is essentially a CD and music notation package to help learners fill the gap between practicing alone and playing with others. There is no real instruction in the booklet, only some tips on how to use the materials. There is notation for 17 tunes, many of which are session standards (“Flowers of Edinburgh,” “Swinging on the Gate,””Soldier’s Joy”) and some others (the Scottish strathspey “Tullochgorum,” the traditional French “Waltz of the Little Girls” and Jay Ungar’s “Ashokan Farewell”). All of these tunes are on the CD, most of which are played at four different speeds(very slow, slow, medium and fast). This allows the novice to play at the speed at which they are competent. However, the recording itself was made using a MIDI synthesizer, (which often attempts to mimic the sound of an acoustic instrument) and so it is not something to listen to without playing along. It contains both harmonies and chord accompaniment, and one can use the balance controls to have either one or the other. In the best circumstance, this package does provide students with a way to become more confident in their playing.
— Ivan Emke (Corner Brook, NF, Canada)

Musicians’ Phone Book: The Los Angeles Music Directory
Musicians Phone Book (1996)
So you’ve decide to move to L.A. so you can make it in the music business. But how do you make contacts and find your way around? Well, the L.A. Music Directory is the book for you. This directory has extensive listing of everything you’d ever need, booking agents, studios, publishers, managers, lighting, venues and record labels. There are listings for legal services, media contacts, hair & makeup, promoters and the like. And unlike many similar books of this type, the listings seem very complete.
It also has helpful tips — my favorite: “A manager should never make more money on a specific job than the artist” — and lots of room for notes.
— Jim Lee (Simi Valley, CA)

Video Review

Various artists
Legends of Western Swing Guitar
Vestapol 13062 (1996)
The cornerstone of western swing is its slippery lead guitar, which straddles the boundary between country and jazz. The swing bands of the 40s and 50s generated an amazing group of players, most of whom are captured on this new Vestapol video, including 23 clips recorded between the 40s and the present. Most prominently featured is Eldon Shamblin, the guitarist who virtually defined this style during his years with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Shamblin is shown here in 15 numbers recorded relatively recently with collaborators including Benny Garcia, Bob Kizer, Billy Dozier, and Tommy Morrell. Watching these veterans effortlessly swapping leads on tunes like "Faded Love" and "Time Changes Everything" is a delight. For me, the best part of the video consisted of classic footage from western films showing Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, The Light Crust Doughboys, and Jim Boyd and His Men of the West performing at the height of their powers. Some of these clips are a bit schlocky, perhaps, but they showcase some amazing playing. This nicely sequenced compilation is a godsend for fans of western swing guitar.
- Michael Parrish (St. Charles, IL)