One of the most unique books to ever look at the music of Sun Ra – and one that's very near and dear to our hearts, given that the role of Chicago is seen as vital to the development of the music! The book digs very deep into Ra's early years – time that isn't covered in as much details as in other projects – and the book paints a picture of the city that's as vivid as the jazz legend himself – showing how postwar Chicago did a lot to shape the early sounds and ideas of Ra – which were then shaped the man himself. William Sites comes at the project from a different perspective than most music writers – which makes for a very fresh volume that may well open up whole new territory in the exploration of jazz and community. 313 pages, softcover, with black and white images. Book

A really well-done document of a pretty amazing time in the Chicago music scene – a huge early 90s burst of creative activity – one that gave the world a handful of famous groups, and a much bigger number of even better acts who really made the city great! Writer Bruce Adams issued some of the music on his label Kranky – but the book here goes way past that imprint, and instead presents a really vivid portrait of the scene at large – clubs, labels, bands, writers, and all the other forces that helped really make Chicago great back then – a city that was bubbling over with new energy right at the same time we started Dusty Groove on the south side. Adams definitely has plenty of his own opinions throughout, but those are also balanced with his insider perspective – which comes forth with a well-balanced explanation of so many intricacies, at a level that's so different than the usual sort of book of this nature, especially from the coasts. And if you're worried that the book is too rock-heavy, don't – because players in the scene here also include Dusty Groove stalwarts like Ken Vandermark, Fred Anderson, and Joshua Abrams. Hardcover edition is 288 pages. Book

Chicago's way up north, but it has had a surprising influence on the growth of country music over the past century or so – from early radio broadcasts that provided the inspiration for Nashville's Grand Ol Opry, and a training ground for huge early stars of the 78rpm generation – to a home for southern emigres in the postwar years, a huge folk scene in the 60s and 70s, and a big resurgence of alt-country energy over the past few decades! Author Mark Guarino chronicles that oft-forgot history here in wonderful detail – bringing more to our attention than we even knew, even as Chicago lifers – all laid out in wonderful detail, but with a narrative flow that really makes the history come alive. The heavy hardcover book is 524 pages in length, with copious notes, and a few sections of black and white photographs inside. Book

A tremendous achievement from music writer Aaron Cohen – a book that finally gets at the deeper, richer story of Chicago soul – the spirit of empowerment and pride that have always made us so honored to be part of the Windy City legacy! Cohen picks up where other soul writers have left off on Chicago – really looking at the shifts into the 70s, which included greater ties to the means of production, and an increased role in the social agenda as well – all part of an evolution in songwriting styles, production techniques, and the growing power of the full length album over the 7" single! Cohen looks at many key figures of the time – Earth Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan & Rufus, Curtis Mayfield, Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble – and the very well-researched book is a delight to read throughout – easily the deepest work that Cohen's ever given us. 234 pages, softcover, with some black and white images – and a selected discography too. Book

A much-needed book for the open-minded listener – a well-written volume from jazz critic John Corbett – and one that's bound to widen your ears to a whole new realm of listening! The book's pocket-sized – maybe so that you can sneak it into a club when visiting a free jazz concert – and it's written in a style that's both personal, but very directive – with a full understanding of the complexities that come into play when listening to improvised music, and a guide towards facing some of the more difficult challenges involved! Corbett clearly loves this music, but without any sort of high ideals – none of the too-cool-for-school modes that are usually standard with the avant garde, and instead this very down to earth approach that shows the listener that they've got all the tools needed to enjoy the music themselves. The goal here (one we can totally endorse) is to bring the listener face to face with new and challenging sounds – but in a way that allows them to instantly contextualize them too – yet without having to carry years of jazz or musical experience into the process. The book is divided up into easy-to-digest sections – and penned with a surprisingly warm style too. Book

Writer John Corbett has given us words on a huge variety of musical styles over the years – a fair bit of them left field and avant – but this time around, he's tackling the full range of 70s rock, pop, and soul music – in a huge book that's unlike anything he's ever written before! First off, the large volume is very personal – part listening autobiography, part paean to the musical giants who shaped the decade, and part hindsight record review of all the amazing sounds that were created during the 70s! The book follows the decade with year-by-year chapters – yet it's hardly a history at all – as Corbett picks key songs and albums as touchstones for each year – partly because of their impact, but more because of the power they had for him as a listener. The albums run the gamut – from Nursery Cryme by Genesis, to Les Stances A Sophie by The Art Ensemble Of Chicago, to Pink Moon by Nick Drake – and songs include "Sex Machine" by James Brown, "School's Out" by Alice Cooper, and "Long Time" by Boston. 496 pages, hardcover. Book

Way more than just another book of album cover art – as this impressive volume presents countless images from the evolution of blues music in the 20th Century, alongside detailed writings that also try to explore visual trends, tropes of representation, and the larger role of the music in an American popular aesthetic! Chapters look at a range of different imagery – from early sheet music, to pre-war 78rpm labels, to blues photographs, record covers, and even film posters – but all laid out in a way that's extremely lively, given the great choice of images, and the book's glossy pages and hardcover presentation! 224 pages, with a look that's like the nicest coffee table books – but content that runs a lot deeper. 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

Dusty Groove owes plenty to the world of college radio – and in fact, our store grew out of long years of experience on a college station on the south side of Chicago – so we're extra-pleased not just to see a really comprehensive book on the glory days of college radio, but also one that really gets the history right! Author Katherine Rye Jewell really digs deep here, and gets past the easy tales of freeform rock and alternative radio – to instead look at the larger forces that helped build, shift, and challenge the informal network of small college radio stations that had a huge impact on American music for a few key decades, starting in the 70s. The author brings together case histories of individual stations, key scenes in music, legislative shifts, regulatory changes, and music business practice – all to really illuminate just why college radio was so important in the 70s, 80s, and 90s – and why its legacy still continues so strongly today. The roots of Dusty Groove are hidden in these pages in a few key spots – and we can say that the author definitely writes from the right perspective, and takes time to focus in on all the important things that really matter. Softcover edition is 457 pages, with a small amount of charts and illustrations. Book

A much-needed look at the amazing underground jazz scene in LA – the richly creative spiritual and avant underground that flourished strongly in the 60s, 70s, and 80s! Although the city's best known for its cool jazz of the 50s, there's an even greater amount of left-field jazz that's come from LA – work that rivals eastern scenes like the AACM in Chicago or loft jazz world in 70s New York – but even more righteous and spiritual overall! The book does a great job of laying the groundwork for this scene to emerge – and offers an incredible amount of detail on its evolution – with an especially focused look at Horace Tapscott and his Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, as well as some of the artists who recorded for Nimbus Records. Plus, this updated edition does a wonderful job of showing the continuing legacy of the music well into the 21st century – and also includes an appendix by Roberto Miranda, for a larger volume running well over 420 pages! Book

A beautiful collection of images by Ivan Brunetti – a cartoonist we've followed for decades here on the Chicago scene, and have watched with great appreciation as he's gotten worldwide attention for his work in the New Yorker and numerous other publications over the years! Brunetti's an amazing individual, with a character that goes even deeper than his artwork – and this book is something of a memoir, told by Ivan in words that go alongside the images – little stories about their creation, or his own place on the planet at the time – with some cartoons, some cover illustrations, and lots of obscure drawings, sculptures, and physical objects that are a real discovery, even if you've bought his comix and other books. The layout is great – as illuminating as the contents – and the hardcover book is color throughout. Book