An Unsung Cat

An Unsung Cat explores the life and music of jazz saxophonist, Warne Marsh. Safford Chamberlain follows the artist from his start in youth bands like the Hollywood Canteen Kids and The Teen-Agers through his studies under Lennie Tristano, his brilliant playing of the 1950s, his disappearance from public view in the 1960s, his re-emergence in the 1970s, and his belated recognition in the 1980s as one of the finest tenor players of the post-World War II era. Through interviews with the Marsh family and friends, Chamberlain offers an inside view of Marsh's private life, including his struggles with drug abuse. Detailed analysis of outstanding performances complements the personal story, while an extensively researched discography and photographs reveal the public and private face of this unique performer. In addition to the book, Scarecrow is pleased to offer a companion compact disc, released by Storyville Records. The tracks on the CD provide a representative sampling of Marsh's best work, while providing a historical overview of his development, from the beginning track, "Apple Honey," which is a private, low-fidelity tape from an NBC radio broadcast in 1945 of the Hoagy Carmichael Show, to the final track, "Sweet and Lovely," captured months before his death in 1987.

An Unsung Cat explores the life and music of jazz saxophonist, Warne Marsh. Safford Chamberlain follows the artist from his start in youth bands like the Hollywood Canteen Kids and The Teen-Agers through his studies under Lennie Tristano, his brilliant playing of the 1950s, his disappearance from public view in the 1960s, his re-emergence in the 1970s, and his belated recognition in the 1980s as one of the finest tenor players of the post-World War II era. Through interviews with the Marsh family and friends, Chamberlain offers an inside view of Marsh's private life, including his struggles with drug abuse. Detailed analysis of outstanding performances complements the personal story, while an extensively researched discography and photographs reveal the public and private face of this unique performer. In addition to the book, Scarecrow is pleased to offer a companion compact disc, released by Storyville Records. The tracks on the CD provide a representative sampling of Marsh's best work, while providing a historical overview of his development, from the beginning track, 'Apple Honey, ' which is a private, low-fidelity tape from an NBC radio broadcast in 1945 of the Hoagy Carmichael Show, to the final track, 'Sweet and Lovely, ' captured months before his death in 1987.

"This self-help guide will empower cats to make the 20 minutes they're awake each day the best 20 minutes of their lives"--Provided by publisher.

The first biography of one of the most influential but unheralded musicians in jazz history

Even people who live with cats and have good reason to know better insist that cats are aloof and uninterested in relating to humans. Janet and Steven Alger contend that the anti-social cat is a myth; cats form close bonds with humans and with each other. In the potentially chaotic environment of a shelter that houses dozens of uncaged cats, they reveal a sense of self and build a culture—a shared set of rules, roles, and expectations that organizes their world and assimilates newcomers.As volunteers in a local cat shelter for eleven years, the Algers came to realize that despite the frequency of new arrivals and adoptions, the social world of the shelter remained quite stable and pacific. They saw even feral cats adapt to interaction with humans and develop friendships with other cats. They saw established residents take roles as welcomers and rules enforcers. That is, they saw cats taking an active interest in maintaining a community in which they could live together and satisfy their individual needs. Cat Culture's intimate portrait of life in the shelter, its engaging stories, and its interpretations of behavior, will appeal to general readers as well as academics interested in human and animal interaction.

Cats may love snoozing in sunny spots, but our furry friends are capable of so much more! In this beautifully illustrated full-color collection, you'll discover the incredible true stories of talented, brave, and clever kitties whose exploits have made them world-famous. This heart-warming book includes over 40 cat stories, from ancient Egyptian kitties to internet sensations Grumpy Cat and Bob the Streetcat. These tales are bought to life by remarkable full-color illustrations by Isabel Muñoz. Find out all about: • Gracie from Reedsburg, Wisconsin, who saved her owners from a carbon monoxide leak • Tama, the station master cat of Kinokawa, Japan • Masha, the stray cat who rescued an abandoned baby on a freezing night in Caluga, Russia • Stubbs, the feline mayor for Talkeetna, Alaska ... • and so many more! With a section on caring for cats and kittens, this is fantastic gift for animal lovers of all ages from 8 years up.

In these thoughtful stories and poems, Safford Chamberlain skillfully evokes the post-World War II era when American society encouraged repression over expression and conformity over individuality, and he shows vividly the cost its young people paid as a result. His protagonistgs are imbued with the longing and uncertainty that come with change as they walk a fine line between maintaining the courage of their convictions and making terrible mistakes that may result in years of suffering and loneliness. The backdrop of nightclubs and jazz provides the perfect atmosphere for these young men to work through what troubles them. (Manuel Perea, Creative Writing Instructor, Pasadena City College)

The Unsung Songwriters is dedicated to a period in the history of American music that author Warren Vach calls the "Golden Age of Songwriting," and to the men and women who made it great. Contrary to the widely held opinion that most of our hit and standard songs were composed by a handful of top writers--Berlin, Gershwin, Kern, Porter, and Rodgers--the fact is that the vast majority of them were written by relatively unknown composers. In this definitive reference work to the "unsung songwriters," you will find Al Neiberg, the author of "It's the Talk of the Town," Maceo Pinkard, the mind behind "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Sugar," Harry Woods for "Try a Little Tenderness," J. Fred Coots for "You Go to My Head," and many more.