Volume V of World Who

BOOKS: REVIEWS

And the title is quite revealing and illustrative "Best Musicians, Singers, Albums and Entertainment Personalities of the 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries." An encyclopedic book encompassing the astonishing and multiple facets of music and entertainment in America since the 19th century, fully illustrated and enriched with almost 1, 000 photos, some recent, many vintage and rare, and many others, possibly published for the first time.

One would think that there is no anecdote about the world of music and entertainment that Maximillien de Lafayette, the author of this new book, has not told us in Volumes I-IV of the World Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment. But when I received Volume V, "Best Musicians, Singers, Albums and Entertainment Personalities of the 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries" I was flabbergasted. An ambitious title indeed, but it truly reflects the content of the book. The book is a treasure trove of information about the personalities described. The facts the author has unearthed about the early days of entertainment are astounding, and the book is encyclopaedic in scope. But don't for a moment think that it is dull and scholarly. Lavishly illustrated with almost one thousand photographs, some of which are vintage, some extremely rare, it is, to begin with, a visual treat. One wonders if Mr. de Lafayette got them from private scrapbooks and family albums? And the anecdotal material, gossip, and stories make the book come alive. There are diverse and intimate details about the private lives of such early greats as, Ethel Merman, George Burns, Jimmy Durante, Al Jolson, Jazz great composers, Cole Porter, and Florence Ziegfeld and his ladies. You will see Sarah Bernhard in her coffin and Anna Held on her bicycle. You will read about Broadway's musicals and shows that created the biggest scandals in the history of entertainment in America and unbelievable intimate stories of the biggest stars of the era.

The book also includes a list of the world 2, 500 best old and new Jazz albums and CDs, by artist, by song, by year and by billboard rating. Intriguing tales of Tin Pan Alley and the greats of ragtime and early Jazz follow, including Scott Joplin's personal life and other pioneers of music and showbiz. Gossip from early radio and the private lives of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Dinah Shore, and Rosemary Clooney, well into the fifties. Rock and Roll and Jazz in all its forms and styles are discussed in detail, including the most popular songs of each year.

The fifties, with their mind-boggling scandals, such as the marriage of Jerry Lee Lewis to a thirteen year old girl, his cousin no less, and Elvis Presley's rise to stardom, the first Afro-American recording artists and their struggle for recognition, the 300 best cabaret female singers in America, the 200 best Jazz musicians and singers of our time…are all there. You will learn how Celeste Helm and Tallulah Bankhead dished the dirt about each other. How and why the early female songwriters were not allowed to use their full names on sheet music…Nor does the book neglect the present and the shining stars of jazz and cabaret today, almost 6, 000 names featured in the book. Plenty of that is there. It is impossible to cover, in a review, the wealth of information, charts, tables, lists that fill the book. You can spend weeks reading it, and I suspect many people will keep it by their bed side for months. If you have the slightest interest in the subject, you owe it to yourself to read this book, which I think is the best of the series thus far. "Best Musicians, Singers, Albums and Entertainment Personalities of the 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries" is without any hesitation one of the best books ever published on Jazz, world showbiz, cabaret and beloved stars who entertained us for generations. This book is a must read book. Get your copy.

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Syndicated articles that appeared in Allaboutjazz.com, ejazznews

PATRICE FERRIS GRACES THE COVER OF VOLUME V OF THE WORLD WHO'S WHO IN JAZZ, CABARET, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

New York-New York. The Federation of American Musicians, Singers and Performing Artists (FAMSPA), officially announced this week in New York City that Ms. Patrice Ferris, lead vocalist of the Washington-based Satin Doll Trio has been selected to grace the front cover of “BEST MUSICIANS, SINGERS, ALBUMS AND ENTERTAINMENT PERSONALITIES OF THE 19th, 20th AND 21st CENTURIES” (Volume V of the World Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment) published by FAMSPA and TimesSquarePress.

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