New York, from the swooping sounds of Doo Wop, and the grittier sounds of R & B, the Big Apple had it all. And as the 1960's dawned a certain style was developing in New York. Some of the best songwriters and arrangers in the world lived and worked in the city. This coupled with some truly gifted singers created what has become known as the Big City Soul Sound. Suave, sophisticated and Soulful, it's a style that is still revered today by all aficionardo's of quality Soul music. The big players in the city were the Atlantic / Atco group, closely followed by the Scepter / Wand group. There were also the smaller labels, and the artists that didn't make more than one record. The book pulls it all together in a feast of discographical information.

With informative biographies, essays, and "music maps, " this book is the ultimate guide to the best recordings in rhythm and blues. 20 charts.

This fun-to-read, easy-to-use reference has been completely updated, expanded, and revised with reviews of over 12,000 great albums by over 2,000 artists and groups in all rock genres. 50 charts.

Arranged in sixteen musical categories, provides entries for twenty thousand releases from four thousand artists, and includes a history of each musical genre.

Reviews and rates the best recordings of 8,900 blues artists in all styles.

A beautifully composed journey through music history! Music history is a required course for all music students. Unfortunately, the typical music history book is dry and academic, focusing on rote memorization of important composers and works. This leads many to think that the topic is boring, but bestselling author Michael Miller proves that isn’t so. This guide makes music history interesting and fun, for both music students and older music lovers. • Covers more than Western “classical” music—also includes non-Western music and uniquely American forms such as jazz • More than just names and dates—puts musical developments in context with key historical events