The legendary Iceberg Slim has given us plenty of his own story over the years – but this book is the first to look at the man behind the man – writer Robert Beck, who started as a pimp and became a surprisingly successful author – as well as an underground figure who inspired a later generation of hip hop artists as well! If you've ever read any of Slim's books, you'll know the world that he came from – but author Justin Gifford gets past the hype of the character, and looks at Beck's background and upbringing, his sometimes less-than-successful career as a hustler, and his move to convey the spirit of the streets on paper. Gifford's an academic, but presents the book in a nicely lively style – and the whole thing is hardcover, 265 pages, with some black and white images. Book

Maybe one of the best – and one of the first – works of fiction to deal with a jazz musician – a really wonderful piece of work from writer Dorothy Baker, served up in a way that's part pulp, part noir, part JD fiction – but served up at a level that also echoes the more important fiction of the thirties generation from which it emerged! The story's loosely based on the music of Bix Beiderbecke – but more in terms of vague inspiration, as Baker's scope here is wider, and the story covers more than you might expect – a great piece of prose that's far better than the movie that followed. Softcover edition is 185 pages. Book

A beautiful book that does a great job of capturing the wide range of creative and community activity of Theaster Gates – one of the most important artists to emerge from the Chicago scene in the past few decades! Gates is way more than just an artist, though – as his works involve constant interaction with the city around him, sometimes as larger social projects that seek to offer opportunity and transform the community – sometimes with aspects that work almost to document lost or unseen cultures in Chicago – but always with an inventive, genre-defying quality that continues to keep all his creativity and ideas relevant over the years. The book is divided up into a variety of sections – including an interview with Gates, a studio visit, a document of important works, and even a timeline of his creative activity and role in Chicago – served up in an oversized, softcover volume – full color throughout, with 158 pages in all. Book

Journalist Philip Clark spent a good deal of time with piano legend Dave Brubeck in his later years – then did a really wonderful job of going backwards, and putting together all the many pieces of Dave's musical puzzle! There's no doubt that Brubeck was one of the most important jazz musicians of the 20th Century – especially in the 50s and 60s – but Clark also really helps us understand why that is, and paints a picture of Brubeck's music and influence that stretch far beyond the smaller world of modern jazz! The hardcover volume is 445 pages, with some black and white images – and covers key moments of Brubeck's career in great depth. Book

Writer Paul Steinbeck has already given us a great book on the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – but this time around, he looks at the larger scene from which they came, the groundbreaking AACM moment in jazz, which emerged in Chicago in the late 60s! Steinbeck provides some cultural and historical context, but also focuses in on key recordings that helped to define the special genius of AACM musicians and their united vision – with an approach that's build around different records on a chapter by chapter basis – even leading up to a few more recent recordings that show the continuing influence and growth of the organization. Along the way, Steinbeck provides some musical notations and deeper analysis of the sounds from his perspective as a musicologist – very illuminating to us, as we tend to have much more of a visceral response to these records – a lineup that includes Air Time by Air, Levels & Degrees Of Light by Muhal Richard Abrams, Sound by Roscoe Mitchell, Voyager by George Lewis, Nonaah by Roscoe Mitchell, Composition 76 by Anthony Braxton, Ten Freedom Summers by Wadada Leo Smith, and Mandorla Awakening II by Nicole Mitchell. The hardcover book features many charts and scores throughout – and is a total of 272 pages in length. Book