NEW BOOKS:

BRUCE MORROW’S AND RICH MALOOF’S “DOO WOP: The Music, The Times, The Era”, AN IMPOSING AND SUBLIME BOOK, INDEED!

By Maximillien de Lafayette

Nostalgia at its best; American musical glory of the past; legends of the golden era of Doo Wop and Oldies, come to life in Bruce Morrow’s and Rich Maloof’s recently published book DOO WOP: The Music, The Times, The Era. Lavishly printed, and written with depth, human warmth and substance, this book will enlarge the spectrum and dimension of our knowledge of yesteryears fabulous music of the beautiful and innocent America. Although, the table of contents lists only 8 chapters, the wealth of information and astonishing varieties of stories contained in each chapter could easily and elegantly feed a much larger book, with much more extensive table. On one hand, the book is a sentimental visit to the good old days of America, its fragile and beautiful innocence, the rhythms and songs that entered our hearts and nourished our dreams and hopes. And on the other hand, the book is a reflection of drastic changes in tastes, lifestyles, music amalgamation, turbulent emotions, and perhaps a warning. The new generation of music lovers will learn enormously from DOO WOP: The Music, The Times, The Era. Historians of American entertainment and music will rejoice, because the book resonates with heart felt stories and passages of time not readily available elsewhere. And the general public will benefit from sailing into the immensity of knowledge, wealth of tales, beauty of the narrative style and historical dimensions, the book offers.

The title of the book is illustrative and honest. It is de facto, the chronicle of the music, and the times of the golden era of lyrics, songs, tempos, honest inner feelings artists experienced and described in their music, candor and innocence of performers, and critical moments in American history, as well. Basically, and primordially, the book places a strong emphasis on Doo Wop, its pioneers, leading figures, legendary singers and vocal groups, origin, development, biggest hits and even the most delicate nuances that shaped its cache and characteristics. However, DOO WOP: The Music, The Times, The Era, remains a giant prism reflecting the four faces and four winds of American culture, contradictory social views and values, political controversies, way of life, lifestyles, aspirations, struggles, joy, national strength and pride, and  an evocative glimpse a some dark moments in American history, and world politics.

The book is abundant with photos of the greatest Doo Wop Singers and stars of the era. Stars from all walks of life, schools, disciplines and the performing arts; ranging from the small tube to the silver screen, and from radio to the stage. You could call it, THE visual chronicle of Doo Wop greats and their times. This is a powerful book, a bright mirror of our past, a bridge uniting so many convergent and divergent venues and avenues of thoughts and musical dimensions…and above all, a huge lake of one thousand rings and splashes of ideas, musical creativity, visions, songs, icons, legends, memorable performances and eloquent murmurs that created the beauty and majesty of America’s musical heritage. An imposing and sublime book indeed.

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NEW YORK SUPER ENTERTAINERS...

Daryl Sherman redefines romanticism in contemporary Jazz!!

By Maximillien de Lafayette

"She's sophisticated, she's straightforward, and she can swing!"  Marian McPartland  “The New York Treasure." New Yorker Magazine                                                                                                                                                                         

Although she is relatively a “new” leading presence of the new generation of singers and pianists, Daryl Sherman has been already recognized by peers and critics as  the brightest shining star of the contempo jazz artists  caravan. Influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Julie Andrews, Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Williams, Mildred Bailey and Sarah Vaughan, formidably trained by her father Sammy Sherman (A former Jazz trombonist in New York city during the golden big band era) at an early age and fueled with passion for music and singing, Daryl  had to make her mark on the world of music and entertainment, for singing, performing and playing the piano were and still are a major part of her soul and life.

 

At age of five, Daryl began to sing American standards and imitate her father on a daily basis. "I think the first thing I sang when my dad actually let me sit in with the band was, 'Over the Rainbow.' I was about twelve." Wrote in her biography. Daryl adds: "As a kid I was the one who embraced the music of my Dad, which was the standards and jazz. I was the kid who was awakened at two in the morning when my dad would come back from a music job." Said Daryl. Upon entering high school, Daryl became involved with everything musical, ranging from school small musicals production, stage performance to school band and theater. And when she was not on campus, Daryl would play at small events like New Years Eve parties and try to get gigs here and there. "One of my first gigs was in a neighborhood restaurant/bar, where they had some kind of a top-40 band. The little piano sat above the bar. My job was to play when the band took a break. I played things like, 'Misty,' Beatles songs, show tunes. I got $20 for that." Nostalgically said Daryl Sherman. At age of six, she began her formal musical training, but her first source of inspiration and musical influence remained her father. Besides records, her father’s training, radio, television and her dad’s musician friends who regularly visited them and practiced in the Sherman’s house wherever they could or would, Daryl’s home always had a piano. And that piano loved this sweet little angel-singer. "That was probably the most useful tool I could ever have because it got me to do accompaniments on the piano." Wrote Daryl Sherman. Although, she was deeply influenced by mainstream jazz, Daryl will soon free herself from the bondage of influence and create her own style.  A grand and warm style based upon melodic evocation, open and breezy musical arrangements, harmoniously and affectionately delivered intonation, and most certainly, a welcoming and enchanting stage presence. Melodies were of a paramount importance to her repertoire. Daryl wrote: "I have a jazz feel to what I do, but I just love songs that are melodic.” This statement explains the reason why her style is the most romantic and melodious Jazz style in the country. Daryl Sherman might not be the ambassador extraordinaire of traditional Jazz but, without any doubt, her Jazz cache and character remain positively authentic and  expressive through  a most unique and unusual improvisational Jazzy style; a style she so admirably created and perfected. Her jazz is melodic, harmonious, rich, warm, individualized and strikingly instrumental. Daryl Sherman’s Jazz is innovative, silky, intelligent, evocative and nostalgically developed. In doing so, Daryl has repositioned herself on the Jazz world arena. She has added to music a breezier space and  a more humanistic touch to  contemporary Jazz arrangements. Daryl Sherman’s fabulous talent is a trilogy of an unsurpassed vocal clarity, a universe of warmth and most honest inner feelings, and a superb projection of what unites a well crafted musical score (quite often based upon her own compositions and arrangements), a transcending voice of one thousand rays of joy , enchantment and crystallized dreams..