Ralph J Gleason might just be one of the coolest cats to ever write about music – a key part of the San Francisco scene during the postwar years – where his talents helped illuminate both the worlds of art and music during the beat generation – then really helped shine a spotlight on all the cultural changes in the city during the 60s – which even led to Gleason's role in the founding of Rolling Stone magazine! Gleason always had a great eye (and ear) for things that were new and special, but never in a way that was slavish to the moment – or to its creator – and the book features an initial section on his writings on jazz and blues – with essays on John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Carmen McRae, BB King, John Handy, Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete, Cal Tjader, Ben Webster, the San Francisco Jazz scene, and other diverse topics. The second section features Gleason on folk and rock – with bits on Jefferson Airplane, Hank Williams, Lenny Bruce, Odetta, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and others – and the final section features articles on politics and culture – covering topics that include Richard Nixon, radio payola, Law & Order, flower children, and other slices of society, seen from the Gleason viewpoint. Book is hardcover, and 309 pages. Book

Jorma Kaukonen may not have the catchiest name in rock music, but his guitar playing is the stuff of legend – first a driving force in the young Jefferson Airplane, then getting even great showcase in his own Hot Tuna – both the kind of groups from which classic rock record collections of risen! Jorma tells the tale of his life and music here – at a level that's longer than you might expect, given that he's still out there playing and touring – after years of famously being part of the San Francisco scene from the mid 60s onwards! All that long story is here, told in Jorma's own words – in a paperback edition of 354 pages, with a section of images in the middle. Book