ABOUT MY BOOKS
ON THE WAY TO THE SKY: REMEMBERING BOB BROOKMEYER
In On the Way to the Sky: Remembering Bob Brookmeyer, author Michael Stephans has created a rich, multifaceted paean to jazz icon Bob Brookmeyer, the much-beloved musical genius who passed away in 2011, four days short of his 82nd birthday.
On the Way to the Sky is a hybrid book in that it’s part personal memoir, part biography, with over a dozen essays by such luminaries as Maria Schneider, the late Jim McNeely, John Mosca, Darcy James Argue, Dave Rivello, John Hollenbeck, and the late Terry Teachout, as well as shorter tributes by prominent musicians, writers, and family members. Stephans also presents three chronologically arranged chapters that trace Brookmeyer’s musical trajectory via his recordings, from 1952 through 2011.
In spite of Brookmeyer’s six-decade career as a master of the valve trombone and piano—and as an iconoclastic composer, arranger, and educator—he has rarely received the exposure to the listening public that he so richly deserves. In Stephans’s words, “When writing about music and musicians, a writer’s responsibility is to expand public awareness of other voices in all musical genres.” His dedication to illuminating the Brookmeyer legacy is his palpable raison d’être.
EXPERIENCING JAZZ: A LISTENER’S COMPANION
In Experiencing Jazz: A Listener’s Companion, writer, teacher, and renowned jazz drummer Michael Stephans offers a much-needed survey in the art of listening to and enjoying this dynamic, ever-changing art form. More than mere entertainment, jazz provides a pleasurable and sometimes dizzying listening experience with an extensive range in structure and form, from the syncopated swing of big bands to the musical experimentalism of small combos. As Stephans illustrates, listeners and jazz artists often experience the essence of the music together―an experience unique in the world of music.
Experiencing Jazz demonstrates how the act of listening to jazz takes place on a deeply personal level and takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the genre, instrument by instrument―offering not only brief portraits of key musicians like Joe Lovano and John Scofield, but also their own commentaries on how best to experience the music they create. Throughout, jazz takes center stage as a personal transaction that enriches the lives of both musician and listener. Written for anyone curious about the genre, this book encourages further reading, listening, and viewing, helping potential listeners cultivate an understanding and appreciation of the jazz art and how it can help―in drummer Art Blakey’s words―“wash away the dust of everyday life.”
EXPERIENCING ORNETTE COLEMAN: A LISTENER’S COMPANION
Saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Ornette Coleman, along with pianist Cecil Taylor, was one of the founding forces of the Free Jazz movement which took the music world by storm in the 1950s and 60s. His brilliance as an instrumentalist at first positioned him as a polarizing figure, but eventually brought him recognition as an American original and international jazz treasure.
Jazz drummer Michael Stephans explores the personal challenges Coleman faced, the music he created from one decade to the next, and the incredibly positive attitude he maintained in the face of so much negativity throughout his life. Revealing how Coleman became an iconic, enigmatic figure not only in jazz, but in much of contemporary improvisational music, Stephans weaves together analysis of Coleman’s recordings with interviews of those who knew Coleman best.
Experiencing Ornette Coleman: A Listener's Companion encourages both jazz devotees and readers with little knowledge of the music to trace the inspirational journey of this now-seminal figure from his early years through the beginnings of the new millennium. Along the way, readers will learn about the music and motivations of the free jazz movement while experiencing an utterly human story of artistic genius and expression.
BOOK QUOTES
For EXPERIENCING JAZZ: A LISTENER’S COMPANION
From Publishers Weekly
“This groundbreaking book reframes the ever evolving, distinctly human art of jazz and invites readers to relearn how to listen. in an art form that enriches the lives of the listener and musician, the more we listen, the more we hear.”
From Jazz author and critic, Scott Yanow
“Experiencing Jazz is a book that is not only informative and entertaining but badly needed. In a society where jazz has become underground music, drummer Michael Stephans has put together an important book that gives newcomers strong hints and guides on how to listen to jazz. Whether discussing the qualities of jazz, the history of its key instruments, or talking about its role in the 21st century, he has written a very valuable work that does not forget that jazz, even with its intellectual qualities, is the most human and expressive of all musical idioms.”
From Amazon: An amazing book, to say the least
“Michael Stephans has written an immediately captivating book about learning to experience jazz. It's a dictionary, it's an encyclopedia, it's a treasury of references, it's personal tales and humorous stories and so much more! What a terrific way to learn all about jazz in a non-text book fashion. Mr. Stephans' style is so easy to read and understand, is very conversational and such a pleasure from which to learn! The book is beautifully organized and I can truly say I felt the author's love of jazz shine through on every single page. A classic treasure for sure!”
Mimi Sera
Amazon Review
For EXPERIENCING ORNETTE COLEMAN: A LISTENER’S COMPANION
From Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
“Michael Stephans explores the personal challenges Coleman faced, the music he created from one decade to the next, and the incredibly positive attitude he maintained in the face of so much negativity throughout his life. Reveling how Coleman became an iconic, enigmatic figure, not only in jazz but also in much of contemporary improvisational music, Stephans weaves together commentary on and analysis of Coleman’s recordings with interviews of those who knew him best, including the legendary saxophonist and jazz icon, Sonny Rollins.”
From Saxophonist, Composer, Grammy Winner, Joe Lovano
“Through his love and passion for Coleman’s music, Michael Stephans has put together one of the most comprehensive, thought provoking documents of this true universal human spirit. . . Experiencing Ornette Coleman will benefit everyone who embraces it. Bravo, Dr. Stephans!”
From Amazon: A listener’s companion to a jazz icon
“Ornette Coleman was famously described by Miles Davis as a man who was ‘psychologically speaking, all screwed up inside.’ This back-handed compliment was enough to lead me to learn more about the man and musician. In Experiencing Ornette Coleman, I found a sympathetic listener, knowledgeable critic, and reliable guide to his work. I enjoyed the way the author, a professional jazz drummer and educator with numerous performance and recording credits, gave me an insider's account of the man and his music without unwanted technicality.”
Steven M. Sanders
Amazon Review