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One of America's Favorite Society Pianists 'Mintun is the living incarnation of the fabulous keyboard wizards of the jazz age.' - Will Friedwald, The New York Sun PETER MINTUN began a career in music when he taught himself to play the piano by ear at the age of three. There exist photographs of him from that period seated at the family piano poised to play, proving that he was a musician as well as a showman, knowing exactly when to seize the perfect photo opportunity. Since then he has played e

Will Friedwald’s illuminating, opinionated essays—provocative, funny, and personal—on the lives and careers of more than three hundred singers anatomize the work of the most important jazz and popular performers of the twentieth century. From giants like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland to lesser-known artists like Jeri Southern and Joe Mooney, they have created a body of work that continues to please and inspire. Here is the most extensive biographical and critical survey of these singers ever written, as well as an essential guide to the Great American Songbook and those who shaped the way it has been sung. The music crosses from jazz to pop and back again, from the songs of Irving Berlin and W. C. Handy through Stephen Sondheim and beyond, bringing together straightforward jazz and pop singers (Billie Holiday, Perry Como); hybrid artists who moved among genres and combined them (Peggy Lee, Mel Tormé); the leading men and women of Broadway and Hollywood (Ethel Merman, Al Jolson); yesterday’s vaudeville and radio stars (Sophie Tucker, Eddie Cantor); and today’s cabaret artists and hit-makers (Diana Krall, Michael Bublé). Friedwald has also written extended pieces on the most representative artists of five significant genres that lie outside the songbook: Bessie Smith (blues), Mahalia Jackson (gospel), Hank Williams (country and western), Elvis Presley (rock ’n’ roll), and Bob Dylan (folk-rock). Friedwald reconsiders the personal stories and professional successes and failures of all these artists, their songs, and their performances, appraising both the singers and their music by balancing his opinions with those of fellow musicians, listeners, and critics.  This magisterial reference book—ten years in the making—will delight and inform anyone with a passion for the iconic music of America, which continues to resonate throughout our popular culture.

WILL FRIEDWALD, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, OCT. 16, 2014: “...the Boswells constitute a crucial link between Armstrong and Fitzgerald in the development of vocal improvisation.” ---------------------------------------------------------- The Boswell Sisters rose to stardom during the Great Depression and established an enormously successful career in a very short time as pioneers of early mass entertainment, through the new media of electrical recordings, radio networks, and movies. Along with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, they led an American jazz “invasion” of Europe in 1933. They were admired by their frequent singing partner Bing Crosby, idolized by a struggling trio from Minneapolis who later gained fame as the Andrews Sisters, and praised as “the best act I ever followed” by a trouper named Bob Hope. Ella Fitzgerald consistently credited Connie Boswell as her main influence and Irving Berlin singled her out as his favorite interpreter of his songs. The beautiful and talented Boswells sold out stage shows from New York to London and the number of records they sold is estimated to be over 75 million. Then suddenly, it was over. The time has finally come to tell their story. THE BOSWELL LEGACY is the first full-scale biography of these icons of American music, written by Kyla Titus, the granddaughter of Vet Boswell and caretaker of the voluminous Boswell family archives, as only she can tell it. Within these pages, readers may discover the answers to questions left unanswered for decades. Why did the Boswell Sisters disband? What was the cause of Connee’s paralysis? Why are the Boswell Sisters not household names today? And so many more. Most importantly, readers will learn about the development of a unique musical style that is timeless—a legacy—that is still heralded almost a century later.

In Stardust Melodies, Will Friedwald takes each of these legendary songs apart and puts it together again, with a staggering wealth of detail and unprecedented understanding.Each chapter gives us an extended history of one song—the circumstances under which it was written and first performed—and then explores its musical and lyric content. Drawing on his vast knowledge of records and the careers of performing artists, Friedwald tells us who was responsible for making these songs famous and discusses in depth the performers who have left their unique marks on them. He writes about variations in performance style, about both classic and obscure versions of the songs, about brilliantly original interpretations and ghastly travesties. And then there’s the completely unexpected, like Stan Freberg’s politically correct “Elderly Man River.”This is a book for all lovers of American song to explore, argue with, and savor.

Beautiful new standards recording by Connecticut-based singer Ellynne Rey. Rey is accompanied by some of New York's finest musicians. This collection of 15 songs is intimate, romantic, playful, and a bit off the well-trodden path. Comprehensive liner notes by respected jazz author Will Friedwald briefly summarize each track. This is a record that will make your heart sing. What critics say about Ellynne: 'Not only does Ellynne make it work [singing with just guitar and bass], she makes it magica