Music [Hardcover]

Andrew Zuckerman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2010

Following the highly acclaimed Wisdom, Andrew Zuckerman now turns his unique photographic perspective to music. This new book includes fifty eminent musicians—artists, composers, producers, and performers from rock, rap, dance, soul, R&B, classical, country, reggae, pop, jazz, world, and more—who have made an impact on their genre, contributed to the larger conversation, and have a unique perspective on life.  

Each musician is photographed and interviewed on film about the process of making music, the power of music, and the experience of writing, producing, and performing. The group includes emerging artists, as well as legends from a variety of genres, and together, they create a distinctive understanding of the universal language of music.  

Music features new portraits of and interviews with Laurie Anderson, Fiona Apple, Afrika Bambaataa, Clint Black, Dave Brubeck, Common, Billy Corgan, David Crosby, Ani DiFranco, Danny Elfman, Ben Gibbard, Philip Glass, Herbie Hancock, Karen O, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Ziggy Marley, Ozzy Osbourne, Yoko Ono, Itzhak Perlman, Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins, Ravi Shankar, John Williams, and several other international music icons. Watch the trailer here: http://musicthebook.com/trailer.php

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andrew Zuckerman is a New York–based photographer, author, and filmmaker. His book Creature (2007), a portrait series of animals, was released to critical acclaim and has reprinted numerous times. Wisdom (2008), a book, film, and traveling exhibition, is an ongoing project made with the support of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: Abrams; Har/Psc edition (October 15, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810996529
• ISBN-13: 978-0810996526
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 1 x 12 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,138 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Portraits

More About the Author

Andrew Zuckerman (American, b.1977)

Noted filmmaker and photographer, Andrew Zuckerman, utilizes a multitude of platforms to produce work that is systematically executed, conceptually based, and democratically presented. Minimalist in nature, Zuckerman aims to create atmospheres of clarity and neutrality to facilitate the viewer's access to the material. His commitment to diversifying the points of entry into his work has garnered a global audience.

Zuckerman studied at the International Center of Photography before going on to receive his BFA from the School of Visual Arts. He first made his mark on the publishing world with the 2007 release of the CREATURE, a compendium of intimate animal portraits set against Zuckerman's signature white background. He has since explored this distinctive approach - which divorces subjects from their context and equalizes the larger conversation between them - in three additional critically acclaimed multi-media projects: WISDOM (2008), BIRD (2009), and MUSIC (2010). Renowned designer, Massimo Vignelli, has lauded Zuckerman's "uncompromising notion of space in which any object becomes its own essence." His books have been translated into numerous languages and published in 18 international editions.

Exhibitions of Zuckerman's work include a solo show of photographs from CREATURE at the Forma International Center of Photography in Milan and the ongoing WISDOM traveling exhibition, featuring portraits and interviews with extraordinary individuals over the age of 65, including Nelson Mandela, Andrew Wyeth, and Chuck Close. In July 2008, Zuckerman's portrait of Nelson Mandela appeared on the cover of Time magazine. Zuckerman's companion film to BIRD has been exhibited on The High Line in New York City in 2009, and at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston in 2010. Photographs from BIRD were on display at Colette in Paris. His short film, "High Falls," premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, and was selected as Best Short Film at the Woodstock Film Festival the same year. Most recently, Zuckerman interviewed and photographed over fifty eminent musicians, composers, and producers (from Ornette Coleman to Iggy Pop) for the MUSIC project, which was realized as a book, film, and iPad app.

Zuckerman's work has been commissioned by influential international brands and for inclusion in major private collections. He lives with his family in New York City.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Music (Abrams) November 24, 2010

By BlogOnBooks

Format:Hardcover

More often than not, a big book on music excels at one of two things - photography or text - but almost never both at once. "Music" by photographer Andrew Zuckerman (Abrams) is the exception. The latest in the series of big, topic-related Zuckerman volumes (his last was entitled "Wisdom"), "Music" combines the thoughts and images of fifty top music-makers from all ends of the spectrum.

Classic rockers (including David Crosby and cover boy Ozzy Osborne) to new wavers (Joe Jackson and Chrissie Hynde) are covered along side rappers (Afrika Bambaata to Common), traditionalists (Burt Bacharach) jazzheads (Ornette Coleman, Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock) and outliers (such as Philip Glass and Ravi Shankar) in a clean photo style with full page, self-penned essays to accompany the photos (or is it the other way around?)

What comes across, is one of the best, multi-artist synopsis of the inner-workings of the musician's art available in today's music book market. While the photo set-ups are very stark and similar in nature (utilizing the same basic white backdrop in shoots from London to L.A.) it is the written portraits that vary in degree and nature, but that all provide a window into the process and motivation of each of the performers involved. In fact, despite what looks like a coffee table photobook, it is actually the essays that bring the project to life. Learning what motivates an Ani DiFranco to remain independent, why Billy Corgan never practiced once he went pro or how Sinead O'Connor views her own controversial history are what make these stories great. Given the list of possible candidates for a project like this (where is Elvis Costello?), the only thing this format begs for is more.
Website: musicthebook.com

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Variations of music December 19, 2010

By wogan TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

This very large, heavy coffee table book will give you a huge range of photos and short interviews with musicians, composers and music producers of today. Fifty artists are presented in alphabetical order from Trey Anastasio ending with John Williams. In between you will find Afrika Bambaataa, Clint Black, Ani DiFranco, Iggy Pop, Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller among others.
There are one and sometimes two very close up, blunt pictures of each artist. Their interviews range from ˝ page to 2 1/2 pages where they ruminate on their music, their lives and sometimes their beliefs. There are 2 pages of small pictures at the end of each artist at their portrait session and biographies on them. There is a one time access code to download the feature film, `Music' by Andrew Zuckerman included.

This is such a wide collaboration that it would interest many music lovers.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars There is also an iPad App that is Gorgeous and Interactive December 6, 2010

By Alex

Format:Hardcover

In addition to the photo coffee book, there is an amazing iPad app to go with Music. The photos are there, but there are also videos and different sorting capabilities, and the app links to music to buy in the iTunes store.