"Music" by Andrew Zuckerman

Music by Andrew Zuckerman isn’t the sort of book you need to read cover to cover. You don’t have to read it at all: you could simply flip through to see unexpected photographs of famous musicians.

Before you even crack its spine, you know this is an unusual book. At first, I wasn’t even sure that it was Ozzy Osborne in the cover photo. I reacted this way to each of the fifty artists inside; each time, the author/photographer captured something I hadn’t seen before, which is saying something for people who are constantly on display. Because these portraits are mostly life-size, you see physical imperfections (acne blemishes, an untrimmed whisker, clothing wrinkles). With some artists, like Eve, you marvel at how their beauty shines even under such close scrutiny.

Alongside their photographs, each artist reflects on music, and the text adds to the thoughtful, uninhibited tone set by the photographs. These essays are freeform and conversational, and like the book in general, you really don’t need to start at the beginning. Fellow musicians will recognize the love and awe for music and the process of creation; others will have a rare glimpse inside the creative minds where so much of our popular music is born.

Click on the cover or here to reserve a copy of the book.

Review by David.