Following, please find a list of books about music and music-related subjects in my collection. I have learned much from these books. This list is being constantly expanded, so please come back and check out the new additions.

A Polish encyclopedia of Jazz and popular music, with many entries on Polish and East European artists.

One of the strangest, biggest, most serious and most frustrating books about music ever written. This monumental work is in fact a philosophical / political treatise about socialism and class struggle, all based on Zappa´s enormous body of work. The author assumes that Frank is a true prophet waving political flags, which to most people is questionable at best and totally weird. However, one can not ignore the intellectual scale of this book and the linguistic skills of the author, which to a patient and well trained reader can be insightful and even enjoyable at times. I´d recommend this book with mixed feelings to a very selective audiences only.

A detailed discography of trumpeter Buck Clayton.

A biography by one of the most influential and legendary Rock bands Cream. Richly illustrated by great photographs and well written by British critic Chris Welch.

A sort of autobiography by John Lennon, complied from his Rolling Stone interviews with author Jann Wenner. A must to Beatles fans, but including a lot of background information about the British scene in the 1960´s.

A detailed Finnish Jazz discography. Text in Finnish and English.

A miniature encyclopedia of Jazz.

Superb book about the British Jazz scene scanning the most important and revolutionary period in its history, during which British Jazz emerged as the leading representative of the European Jazz, emancipated from the early limitations intrinsic to the American influences. The author analyses the influences inherited from the earlier periods and the emerging wave of new talent and inspiration, all leading to the formation of a formidable decade of truly magnificent music. The social and political changes that took place at the time are also taken into account, providing the proper background to the evolving story. Meticulously researched and based on numerous interviews with the musicians, the book present a coherent history and an enlightening overview of the period. An absolute must to any serious fan / researcher of this phenomenon and a breathtaking reading experience.

The history of modern Jazz, when the music turned into Free Jazz. A great book by one of the best Jazz writers.

A brief but excellent history of Jazz by one of the best Jazz writers.

A collection of essays about Jazz by some of the leading expert in the field.

Wilmer is a gifted UK writer and photographer and her writings rank high among her many admirers. In this book she explores in depth the new "black" music, as she calls the US free jazz scene (not entirely accurate of course). She writes with wit, style and enormous insight and captures the scene in many aspects, such as individual musical styles, recording industry business and the sociological implications of the music. She is also one of the first to point out the role of women in music in general and free jazz especially. A classic!

A collection of interviews Wilmer conducted with prominent jazz figures over the years, accompanied by her beautiful photographs. She has an unusual talent for bringing unapproachable musicians out of their protective shells, making the interviews evocative and yet avoiding the sensationalism. There is an atmosphere of sadness omnipresent to some extent, as musician´s lives can, and most often are, difficult and frustrating. Serious reading and an important document!

Brilliant autobiography by British writer / protographer Valerie Wilmer, told boldly and with no inhibitions.

Brilliant autobioagraphy by Beach Boy Brian Wilson, one of the most mysterious figures of Rock. The tale is detailed and full of complex self-examination. The usual drug related problems and the fight to stay sane are described emotionally and with great detail again. Fascinating read!

A painstankingly compiled discography of Polish Rock from it´s earliest days and up to the date of publication. Inacludes over 500 groups and thousands of musicians, who appear on the 6500 albums included in the book. This is a great discographical tool as well as an eye opener to poeple, who know little about Rock behind the Iron Curtain and how extensive it was.