Books that help you grow

[tmntfan]

Hi Guys,

I was wondering what books others have read that have helped them become better musicians or have inspired you to get better. (Not teaching books mind you)

The two books I am really thinking of that I’ve read are effortless mastery and the jazz ear.

Effortless Mastery: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...rtless_Mastery
I read this while in college for jazz performance and it did help me not be so harsh on myself compared to my fellow students.

The Jazz ear: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...-the-jazz-ear#
Is an interesting look at how the masters listen/ what they listen to. This one has encouraged me to open myself to other genres of music that I wouldn’t normally really listen to.

And of couse there are the biographies. Jaco, Mingus, Bill Evans, and Monk are some that I have read. They are great at showing the passion involved in playing and creating great music.
so my question is what books have others read? rock biographies? classical biographies? other "Zen" books?

[Paul Warburton]

Victor Wooten's, "The Music Lesson" IMO, can change your musical and personal life around big time. Highly recommended by everybody that I know who's read it.

http://www.amazon.com/Music-Lesson-S.../dp/0425220931

[Ed Fuqua]

Let's see, bios
Ben Webster
Ornette
Bill Evans
Stan Getz
Art Pepper (auto)
Dizzy (auto)
An Unsung Cat (Warne Marsh)
In Love with Voices (auto, Brian Torff)

about jazz
Thinking In Jazz
IMPULSE:The House that Trane Built
Jazz Mavericks in the Lone Star State
You Can't Steal A Gift
All In Good Time
As Serious As Your Life
Notes and Tones
Parisian Chronicles (Mike Zwerin)


And, somewhat surprisingly, Hal Galper's THE TOURING MUSICIAN:A Small Business Guide to Booking Your Band on the Road. In addition to all the business stuff, there's a lot of self-analysis, philosophy and anecdotes; it's a really great read.

[theretheyare]

Derek Bailey - Impovisation: Its Nature and Practice in Music
Charles Mingus - Beneath The Underdog
A.B. Spellman - 4 lives in the bebop business

[hdiddy]

Lee Konitz : Conversations on the Improviser's Art - Andy Hamilton
Lennie Tristano: His Life In Music - Eunmi Shim

[isolated]

Time Will Tell: conversations with Paul Bley with Norman Meehan

Give my Regards to 8th St.: Collected Writings of Morton Feldman

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Shunryu Suzuki

Forces in Motion: The Music and Thoughts of Anthony Braxton, Graham Lock

Those are the first four that come to mind.

[hdiddy]

The Beginner's mind reminds me of Zen in the Art of Archery. But in some sense I feel a bit ambivalent about a book knowing that it's written strongly from a westerner's perspective. I kinda get what he's getting at but in some way I think he misses some of the important points in the book.