Music Books & CDs

In Harmony: Early Vocal Groups Remembered & Celebrated
A new book by Lloyd Kaplan and Tom Shaker
ISBN 978-0-940139-39-0, 102 pages, 8.5 x 5.5 inches, paper, $25.00 (includes tax & shipping).
This book remembers and celebrates the early vocal groups of early jazz, swing, country, and soul. Some groups gained national recognition and had very prominent careers making records, performing their music on film and live in concerts, on television and radio. Other groups did not have such extended careers but were prominent nevertheless during their time and, as others of their time, also had a significant influence on the music which followed them. Kaplan and Shaker call attention to twenty-one trios and quartets, most of which have been forgotten, despite their remarkable talent. Included are biographies of such groups as the Boswell Sisters, The Mills Brothers and the Four Freshmen; descriptions of their musical recordings, background information about the genre; and consideration of the society in which the groups performed comprise the text. There is also a photo album section of the twenty-one groups featured in the book. Table of Contents: The Boswell Sisters; Mills Brothers; The Andrews Sisters; The Golden Gate Quartet; The Delta Rhythm Boys; The Ink Spots;The Cats and A Fiddle; The Four Freshman; Photo Album of Early Vocal Groups; The Ravens; Sons of the Pioneers; Other Prominent Groups: The Four Lads and the Four Aces; Big Band Era; Russ Morgan; Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians; King Sisters; Modernaires; Hi-Los; Merry Macs; Dinning Sisters; Kingston Trio; Ames Brothers; Chordettes; McGuire Sisters; and MORE.
BASS DUETS in Various Styles, Arranged by Dennis Pratt, $29.99 (tax + S&H is included)
ISBN: 978-0-940139-72-5, 90 pages, paper
This book includes a play-along CD with all 35 bass duets.
See below for content details and a sample page.
Dennis Pratt has taught, written, and arranged music throughout his music career. This compilation of arrangements for bass duets has been a long-time devotion Pratt has shared with his close friend and bassist, John Cursio. Both are shown on the cover. They have played and experimented together for the simple enjoyment of their music and time together. With this publication, Pratt now shares these arrangements with other like-minded bassists of all experience levels to practice and learn and simply have fun.
Included is a play-along CD containing MP3 files for each of the 35 bass duets. All duets can be played by two bassist. By using the MP3 files on this CD, one bassist can play along while listening to either track. Tempos are determined by this play-along CD.
1) HAPPY TRAILS, 13) DOXY, 25) JITTERBUG WALTZ,
2) AFRICAN FLOWER, 14) ADAGIO IN G MINOR, 26) LITTLE CHILD,
3) AIN’T SHE SWEET, 15) FABLES OF FAUBUS, 27) I’M A YANKEE DOODLE DANDY,
4) BERKSHIRE BLUES, 16) FREDDIE FREELOADER, 28) AU PRIVAVE,
5) A BIENTOT, 17) THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA, 29) NAVY HYMN (ETERNAL FATHER),
6) CEORA, 18) ANYTHING GOES, 30) MINUET,
7) COLONEL BOGEY, 19) IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN, 31) MOON ALLEY,
8) CON ALMA, 20) IN A MELLOW TONE, 32) MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY,
9) DIDO’S LAMENT, 21) ISFAHAN, 33) NIGERIAN WALK,
10) BABY DOLL, 22) LINE FOR LYONS, 34) MAPLE LEAF RAG,
11) EV’RYTHING I LOVE, 23) GIRL TALK, 35) NUAGES
12) DREAM DANCING, 24) LIKE YOUNG,
To view a sample page, click on the PDF document below, Happy Trails.
happy trails
A TREASURY OF RHODE ISLAND JAZZ AND SWING MUSICIANS by Dennis Pratt and Tom Shaker,
ISBN: 978-0-940139-70-1, 218 pages, paper $35.00 (tax + S&H is included)
This is a biographical collection of Jazz and Swing musicians who have played in Rhode Island. The intent is to give due recognition to these great musicians, who have contributed to the musical tapestry of this particular musical style in Rhode Island. Some musicians are native Rhode Islanders and others are from elsewhere. All have played in Rhode Island and have left their unique impression. For some, their musical talent has taken them well beyond Rhode Island, where they have earned national and, in some instances, worldwide recognition and stature.
Also included is a short history of Jazz and Swing music in Rhode Island and other historical notes recognizing the prominent sites where this style of music was performed on a regular basis. The book is adorned with photographs and other images of many of these talented musicians and the setting in which they played.
This book is the sequel to WHO'S WHO IN RHODE ISLAND JAZZ : c. 1925 - 1988 by Lloyd Kaplan and Robert Petteruti, who are also prominent Rhode Island musicians and musical historians. To review Section Q-R, pages 170-179 of the book, click on the PDF document below.
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About the Authors

Dr. Tom Shaker
Tom is a college professor who earned his degrees at the University of Massachusetts and Boston University. He has worked in video and film production in Los Angeles and Boston. He is also a filmmaker (look for “Do It Man; The Story of The Celebrity Club” coming soon) and hosts The Soul Serenade, a soul & funk radio show on WICN in Worcester, MA.

Dennis Pratt
A graduate of the Navy School of Music, and Berklee College of Music, he found his way from Boston to Rhode Island as a high school band director and professional musician. He has performed with many of the musicians listed in this book.
A RHYTHM PRIMER by Lloyd S. Kaplan and Mitchell A. Kaplan $17.99
ISBN: 0-940139-66-9, 31 pages, paper
Of all the various aspects of music, rhythm seems to cause the most consternation among beginning students of music. This book provides a straightforward, easy to follow approach to learning rhythms. The three sections of this book cover concepts and patterns; student worksheets, which provide examples; and a song selection for supplementary exercises. A practice CD is included with the text.

Table of Contents: 1.-Introductory Materials and Suggestions: The Beat, The Time Signature, Writing Style; 2-The Dot, The Dotted Eight and Sixteenth; 3-Syncopation and the Tie; 4-The Triplet; 5-The Thirty Second Note; 6-Compound Meter; 7-Compound Meter with 16th Notes; 8-Sixteenth Notes in Groups of Three, Four and Six; 9-The Dreaded Dot Once Again; 10-Appendix; 11-Worksheet 1 through 10; 12-Music Supplement for the Rhythm Primer Book
TWENTIETH CENTURY MUSIC: AN INTRODUCTION, 2d Edition by Lloyd Kaplan, with Nancy Carroll, $18.99
ISBN 0-940139-21-9, 86 pages, paper
All too often textbooks are too extensive and technical in coverage and impede learning rather than facilitate it. This text is streamlined to the needs of students who are 1.) music majors in their first or second year of college, or 2.) non-majors electing to take a course in twentieth century music. Consequently, the language of this book is direct and concise, and only a few musical examples are utilized so as to not frustrate those students who have not yet learned the technical aspects of music. This book is simply intended to provide a basic introduction, via intellectual concepts, to the important artistic movements that either dominated or significantly affected the music of the twentieth century.
WHO’S WHO IN R.I. JAZZ: c. 1925—1988 by Lloyd Kaplan and Robert E. Petteruti $19.99
ISBN 0-940139-26-X, 102 pages, paper This biographical work pays tribute to the numerous performers who have contributed to jazz in Rhode Island. Along with the biographies of the musicians, which comprise the main body of the text, there is an overview of the jazz scene, which puts the history of Rhode Island jazz into perspective. It calls attention to such aspects as jazz styles, the jazz clubs scene, and important people, other than performers, whose contributions have enhanced the jazz climate of Rhode Island. Also included are some brief essays of especially prominent individuals and a selection of historically significant photographs that will have especially great sentimental value to those who have loved and enjoyed jazz in Rhode Island and elsewhere, since many of the individuals included in this work have earned national and international recognition.
Johnny Carlevale: New England’s Own Jump, Swing, Rhythm & Blues, $7.99
ISBN 3710124794

Keep-A-Knockin'
Jump Tonight
Everybody Rock, Cool Down Baby
She’s The Apple of My Eye
Johnny Carlevale: That Ain’t No Way To Spend A Friday Night; $12.99
ISBN 3710127654
1. Give It Up; 2. My Baby Aint Home; 3. Hi-Tail, Then Boogie; 4. Mean Mean Thing; 5. Tongue Tied;
6. Alabama Woman Blues; 7. Whiskey Like Water; 8. Love Me; 9. You Wore Me Out; 10. You Talk Too Much; 11. Put Out The Lights; 12. The I-80 Blues; 13. That Ain’t No Way To Spend A Friday Night; 14. You Ain't Puttin’ Out Nothin’ But The Lights
Johnny Carlevale: You Must Be This Tall, Music from The Sound Track of the Rocky Point Amusement Park Documentary; $12.99
ISBN _____________

1. You Must Be This Tall; 2. You'll Be Pleased; 3. Clam Cakes 'N' Chowder; 4. The Road Less Traveled; 5. If I Don't Bad Luck (I Wouldn't Have Luck At All); 6. Carousel; 7. The Corkscrew Thing; 8. I'll Keep Dreamin'; 9. Frumpy The Clown; 10. The Flume; 11. Your Own Amusement Park; 12. Slow Down; 13. Roller Coaster Baby; 14. Why Did You Leave Me This Way?
Johnny Carlevale & The Rollin Pins: That’s Life! $12.99
ISBN 9867308900
1. Cry Baby; 2. Love Sick Spell; 3. Baby Name; 4. Evening Time; 5. Love Me; 6. I Think I’m Goin’ Crazy; 7. Black & Blue Baby; 8. Just One Kiss; 9. The Tunnel Of Love; 10. Tease Me; 11. That’s Life; 12. Rollin’ Pin Mim; 13. She Gives Me Love You Better Stop; 14. Madi Jane