Music in the Air

May 15, 2016

This title contains nearly 60 articles by Gleason (1917-75), one of the most esteemed music critics of the 20th century who wrote a regular column for the San Francisco Chronicle, contributed to such publications as Downbeat, generated dozens of liner notes for albums, and cofounded Rolling Stone magazine (with Jann Wenner, who provides a foreword). The first section focuses on 25 blues and jazz items, including stellar eulogies after the deaths of Duke Ellington, saxophonist Johnny Hodges, and Louis Armstrong. The second part deals with rock, folk and pop, covering Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, the Beatles, and Jefferson Airplane, the last of which served as the subject of Gleason's path-breaking biography. A short series about comedy (Lenny Bruce, Bill Cosby, and Jonathan Winters) precedes a final segment about politics and culture, in which Gleason delves into payola, the hippies, the youth revolt, and his disdain for President Richard M. Nixon. Most of the articles originally appeared during the Sixties and early Seventies. Though a few may seem dated, most reveal Gleason's observant, wide-ranging scope. VERDICT Both general and specialized readers will yearn for Gleason's musical analysis and insights, which set a path for modern music journalism.--David P. Szatmary, emeritus, Univ. of Washington, Seattle

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