A huge testament to the power of New York City in American music – especially during those 20th Century years when the city was able to foster scene after scene, style after style – serving as a launchpad for sounds that would forever transform the world! The book looks at Latin, bebop, folk, doo wop, punk, disco, and other styles from the pre-hip hop years – and traces the way that local styles became national ones, via the recording opportunities and entertainment showcases that were unique to NYC! The author has a keen knowledge of cultures in all five boroughs, and the music as well – and this softcover edition is almost 500 pages, with some sections of black and white images. Book

The full story of one of the most important indie labels in the world of folk, roots, and acoustic music – an imprint who are maybe only second to Folkways Records fo the way they've not only preserved the past, but helped foster a new future as well! Rounder Records was begun as a labor of love in the Boston scene after the more popular folk boom of the 60s – and as the dust settled from the years of Kingston Trio and The Brothers Four, Rounder helped find a way forward for the more interesting, more important acoustic artists – while also opening the door to new sounds and styles along the way – a huge legacy that ended up including superstars as well as very obscure musicians and singers. The book has a great narrative drive, and really gets at the kind of enthusiasm that started the label and kept it going and growing for decades – tracing both its influence on other musical scenes, and the way that artists continued to help Rounder from ever falling into cliche. Hardcover edition is 196 pages, with some black and white images. Book