[PDF] The Addams Family Songbook: Piano/Vocal Selections by Marshall Brickman; Rick Elice at Arts-Photography

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good ReadBy K. L. HansonIt was a good read; but it got really bogged down quite a bit - it seemed that every time the author mentioned a band he had to name every single member; past and present; and with every song came the name of the writers; arrangers; collaborators and and every member of the band past and present. It started to give me a headache and made the first few chapters hard to follow with all the names flying around.Fortunately; the last few chapters focused more on the topic of the book; Harry James. It really didnt tell much about his personal life (youll have to read The Girl With The Million Dollar Legs to find out how he treated Betty Grable) but it DID give some insight as to what might have made him tick. If youre a big band fan; its worth the read.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. I thoroughly enjoy reading about big band professionals from that eraBy Jorge BarbarosaFascinating read. I thoroughly enjoy reading about big band professionals from that era. But Harry was an apex survivor. Into the 60s out of all those wonderful big bands; some sweet; some hard edged who came out at the other end of the pipe? Harry James; Guy Lombardo; Lawrence Welk. Sweet bands. Sweet bands? Yep. Harry James was the consummate performer he knew what the public wanted and they wanted schmaltzy tunes; sappy songs; etc... He had an ironclad embouchure from his long tenure on the horn and kept delivering night after night. He took to Vegas and stayed there; for more reasons than either the money or the fame. And you will have to read it. Rather sordid in places but Harry knew what he was doing; what he liked doing; and he kept on doing what knew and liked.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. I didnt cry for Harry; I cried for BettyBy CustomerI enjoyed this book; as it really is a history of the big band period in American music; and Harry James role as one of top musicians of this period. I am a little surprised that some reviewers found the book too negative. Actually the author is very emphatic about Harrys incredible talent; and points out the almost overwhelming consensus among musicians of that period of Harrys trumpet playing skills.James life from his childhood in the circus through his breakthrough with the Goodman band; and later success as a bandleader; are all detailed; with litanies of concert events and recording dates. Despite the decline of the big bands in the late 1940s and 1950s; James continued working almost non-stop ( until his death in 1983); and had a financially very successful period in Las Vegas in the early 1960s. There are extensive quotes throughout the book from bandmembers; and countless other contemporaries from all stages of Harrys career that corroborate the main themes of the book.The author is also quite blunt about Harrys problems with alcohol; gambling; and womanizing. I had read of James womanizing in other books; but in this book several contemporaries were quoted in detailing the extent of the "skirt-chasing" and it really bordered on obsessive behavior; probably as bad as his gambling. We tend to think of these tales of addiction as modern problems; and forget that personality flaws of this sort have been around forever. Certainly; this side of James is not attractive; but it does not detract from the theme of Harrys stature as one of the leading men of music in this era.Of course; no book about James could be written without talking about his first wife; Luise Tobin and even more prominently his second wife; Betty Grable. There are innumerable references to both; but particularly to Miss Grable. Miss Tobin was interviewed by the author for this book; and Miss Grable died in 1973; but a few of her survivng close friends were interviewed. Apparently; the author was able to even talk to Betty and Harrys two daughters who have generally declined interviews in regards to their famous parents.While both marriages ended badly; and Mr James acted like a real louse in both cases; I find the Grable union the most "tragic" part of Harrys personal life. What is most surprising is that after 22 years of a pretty chaotic marriage; Miss Grable continued to be a friend and a supporter after the divorce. It is not pleasant to read some of these details; but it certainly gives us a full picture of James personal life; and insight into the lifestyle of the entertainment figures of that time.I found some of the endless accounts of concert dates and recording details a little tedious; but otherwise the book is a well-researched and well-written biography. It gives a great look into the big band era; the musicians; their lifestyles and the entertainment business of that period in general. I highly recommend at 4 1/2 stars.