Tom Moon - 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die

A 1,000... BEFORE YOU DIE BOOK

A LISTENERS LIFE LIST

byTOM MOON
WORKMAN PUBLISHING, NEW YORK

When I hear music, I fear no danger.
I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related
to the earliest times, and to the latest.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Copyright 2008 by Tom Moon

1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die is a trademark of Workman Publishing.
1,000... Before You Die is a registered trademark of Workman Publishing.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproducedmechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopyingwithout written permission of the publisher. Published simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son Limited.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

eISBN 9780761153856

Layout and interior design by Katherine Tomkinson
Icon design by Alan Kikuchi

Workman books are available at special discount when purchased in bulk for premiums and sales promotions as well as for fund-raising or educational use. Special editions or book excerpts also can be created to specification. For details, contact the Special Sales Director at the address below.

Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
225 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014-4381
www.workman.com

For Kim and Savannah

In memory of George Horan, who opened the door...

This book was born with the help of a constellation of passionate, energetic, and extremely generous people. It could not have happened any other way. My debts are many, and they begin with my mom, Margaret Moon Koryda, whos supported me in every way imaginable and been an inspiration besides.

My family put up with constant schedule upheavals, crazy hours, and on long car trips, a listening diet that might be best described as challenging. My wife, Kim, and my daughter, Savannah, never complainedthey were right with me for the whole journey. Their love, patience, and positivity literally kept me going. Every day.

My friends got used to not seeing me much, and yet still managed to support mesometimes just by answering my daily poll e-mails (which Art Blakey? Moanin or A Night at Birdland Vol. 1?). Among those who provided key lifelines and dispatches from the world beyond my office: Stephen Fried, Bob Broockman, Sharon Cloud, Aaron Levinson, Brad Rubens, and the members of MusicMusicMusic, the informal gathering of record producers and deep musical thinkers in Philadelphia. The evenings I spent with them provided me with countless gems.

One attraction of this project was that it forced me to explore types of music I knew only casually. My most acute need was in classical music and opera. Though Id read scores and listened to the great masterworks in music school, I lacked a sense of the context. I needed a guru, and found an amazing one in a cubicle not far from mine at the Philadelphia Inquirer. The critic David Patrick Stearns instantly grasped the scope of the mission. He opened his library to me, and walked me through a lifetimes worth of musical astonishments in all shades and hues. Our discussions helped refine my thinking, and sharpened my responses to all sorts of music. Many of his preferred recordings became mine. This book would not exist without him.

Every writer should have an editor who listens as intently as Margot Herrera does. Margot believed in my ability to actually execute the big idea of this book years before I did. She was curious about the music I discovered, and able to translate my runaway enthusiasm into understandable English. More significantly, she maintained, throughout, a clear sense of the books mission and its tonewhen she wasnt buying an idea, it wasnt to be bought. Lots of times I had doubts; Margot never wavered. Her relentless energy and high spirit propelled this project every step of the way. I fear I am spoiled forever.

Anthony DeCurtis came on board as a line editor and right away the project hit another level; his input snapped my sometimes flabby prose into shape, and his insights made every entry better. Recently we did a bit of mental math and realized hed been editing me at Rolling Stone and other places for twenty years. For enduring that with such grace and sensitivity, he deserves either an award or a mental health exam. Probably both.

Another saint was assistant editor Cassie Murdoch. Throughout, Cassie handled a blinding array of details without blinkingshe organized my ragtag lists into spreadsheets that are works of art, caught glitches in the text, and kept the endless volleys of editing on track, all while offering great insights.

While working as a critic, I was fortunate to converse withand learn fromhundreds of recording artists.

The first day I walked into Workman, I was struck by the spirit of teamwork that seemed to define the place. The folks who worked on this book brought not only skill and professionalism, but also heart and soul. Publisher Peter Workman was generous with his time and insights, and along the way proved open to ideas both conventional and not so. The same is true of editor-in-chief Suzie Bolotin, designer Katherine Tomkinson, creative director David Matt, and Doug Wolff in the production department. Production editor Carol White guided the book down the long and winding road from manuscript into galleys into pages, with the able help of her assistant Adrianna Borgia. Barbara Peragine spent countless hours typesetting it. Photo editor Aaron Clendening searched high and low for appropriate images. The copy editor, Tim DeWerff, caught factual errors, while two hardworking interns, Mike Miller and Alicia Matusheski, provided valuable input. The incredible Rob Sternitzky flagged down still more errors and, just as importantly, challenged my facile assumptionshis catches made an enormous difference in the final product. Cathy Dorsey organized this mass of information into a thoughtful index.

Many thanks are due the folks who are dedicated to spreading the word about this bookCOO Walter Weintz, Brianna Yamashita and Amy Corley in publicity, Katie Ford in marketing, Pat Upton in licensing, copy/web/advertising guru David Schiller, and Justin Nisbet of workman.com.

At key moments, additional help was cheerfully provided by Steve Hochman, Dominic Umile, and Glenn Chapman. Im deeply grateful to all.

A special thanks goes to Patricia Schultz, the author of the 1,000 Places books, for sharing this incredible concept. Patricia set a high bar: Her vivid descriptions and crisp writing inspired me to communicate more clearly.

While working as a critic, I was fortunate to converse withand learn fromhundreds of recording artists. Its impossible to list all of them, but here are some whose enthusiasm still rings in my ears, and as a result lives in these pages: Keith Richards, Al Green, Bono and U2, Rickie Lee Jones, Jeff Tweedy, Beck, Jimmy Page, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Dave Matthews, Pat Metheny, Ahmir ?uestlove Thompson, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Elliott Smith, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Pat Martino, Joe Lovano, Ryan Adams, Walter Becker and Donald Fagan, Patti Smith, Joe Boyd, the Roots, Jill Scott, David Gilmour, Shirley Horn, Paul Westerberg, Coldplay, Norah Jones, Sting, Trey Anastasio, Neko Case, Tom Waits, Sonny Rollins, Prince, Keith Jarrett, Caetano Veloso, Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, Fiona Apple, Ibrahim Ferrer, Chuck D, Ry Cooder, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis.