- SKU: 9781955604161
- BARCODE: 9781955604161
- VENDOR: BooksCloud
Pity the Genius: A Journey through American Guitar Music in 33 Tracks - Paperback
Couldn't load pickup availability
Description
by Joel Harrison (Author), Nels Cline (Contribution by), Bill Frisell (Contribution by)
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the sounds and stories that have shaped American music.
Pity the Genius: A Journey through American Guitar Music in 33 Tracks is a deep dive into the often-tumultuous lives of 33 extraordinary guitarists, capturing their brilliance, triumphs, and struggles through biography and musical analysis of seminal tracks. From Arthur Rhames' volcanic performances to the introspective elegance of Pat Martino, Joel Harrison encapsulates the essence of these musicians in a way that is both intimate and illuminating. The tracks he selects tell the story of American music across time and genre, representing jazz, rock, blues, country, folk, roots music, and more.
"This is really profound, evocative stuff-Joel is not only a great player, he's a great writer. Everyone should read this book."
-Mike Stern, Jazz Guitarist
"What a wonderful series of essays. While Harrison is writing about guitarists, his subject really is how people deal with the need to make art, what happens at the intersection of creativity and personality. Deep, deep stuff, sometimes profoundly sad, sometimes ecstatic, but always illuminating."
-Peter Watrous, NY Times jazz critic (1986-2000)
Pity the Genius is a must-read for music lovers, guiar fans, and anyone intrigued by the interplay of creativity and human experience.
Highlights
Arthur Rhames: An extraordinary talent whose life and career were cut tragically short.
Pat Martino: A journey of recovery and rediscovery after a near-fatal aneurysm.
Danny Gatton: The highs and lows of a guitarist whose virtuosity was matched only by his personal demons.
Emily Remler: Breaking barriers as a female jazz guitarist and her tragic struggle with addiction.
Blind Willie Johnson: The spiritual and soulful depth of his music-and the hardships he endured.
Jerry Garcia: The iconic figure of the Grateful Dead, known for his improvisational genius, blending of genres, and impact on rock and counterculture.
Allan Holdsworth: The innovative genius who pushed the boundaries of guitar technique and tone.
Roscoe Holcomb: His unique style and contributions to the Appalachian folk music tradition.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The godmother of rock and roll, whose gospel music influenced countless rock legends.
Prince: The multifaceted musician whose groundbreaking work in funk, rock, and R&B changed the music landscape forever.
Joni Mitchell: The legendary songwriter and guitarist whose poetic lyrics and unique guitar tunings have inspired generations.
Curtis Mayfield: The soulful guitarist and social activist whose music became the soundtrack for the Civil Rights Movement.
Jim Hall: A master of subtlety and nuance, whose contributions to jazz guitar set new standards of excellence.
Reviews
Exceptional Support and Clean Code
I was impressed by how fast the support team responded to my questions. Even as someone with basic coding knowledge, I found the theme incredibly easy to work with. The code is well-organized, and everything runs smoothly.
Reliable Theme with Excellent Customer Service
After trying multiple themes, I finally chose Wokiee — and haven’t looked back. It’s reliable, modern, and easy to customize without coding. What impressed me most was their support team: fast, helpful, and willing to assist even with third-party issues. That level of service is rare!
Beautiful Design and Great Flexibility
Wokiee is hands down the best Shopify theme I’ve used. The design options are stunning and fully customizable. I was able to build a high-converting store without any external developers.
Top-Notch Support and Regular Updates
The customer support team is incredible — helpful, responsive, and very professional. They’ve helped me resolve everything from layout tweaks to app integrations. Plus, the theme is regularly updated with new features.
Amazing Customization Options"!
Wokiee gave me full creative control over my store’s layout and visuals. The theme’s design blocks are so flexible that I could create something truly unique — without touching a single line of code.
High-Quality Theme with Professional Code
You can tell Wokiee was built by pros. The code is clean and optimized for performance. No bloated features — just what you need. My store loads fast and looks great on all devices.