I've written a book on Tal Farlow. It's primarily a biography which discusses his life, his music, and particularly his recordings. It's not an instruction book - for that I recommend Steve Rochinski's publication "The Jazz Style of Tal Farlow" - although it does discuss some of the technical aspects of Tal's playing.
The book is available from www.lulu.com via this link. If you click on the Preview button you can read some pages from the book which should give an idea of the content. I will be very happy to try to answer any questions if you send me an email at :-
The book is an A4 size paperback (approximately 8.3 in x 11.7 in or 21 cm x 29.7 cm) with 112 black and white pages inside a laminated full colour cover. The main body of the book is formatted as two columns of text using a clear 11 point font which is very legible. The appendices (Discography, Bibliography etc) follow a single column layout and are in a smaller 9 point font. The total number of words is a little over 50,000. The book does not have an ISBN and so cannot be ordered from a conventional bookshop.
If you are not familiar with Lulu, it is a "Print On Demand" publishing house. Print on Demand means that books are only printed as they are ordered - no stock is held. Additionally, a book order will normally be printed at the printing facility which is geographically nearest the delivery address which helps to keep postage costs down. For example, a UK customer's book will be printed in the UK and a US customer's book will be printed in the US. Modern digital printing equipment makes it perfectly cost effective to print single copies of books - something which would be quite uneconomic with the traditional printing process. This technology allows specialist books which are likely to have relatively low volume sales to be sold at a lower price than would be possible with a traditionally printed book. The quality of the printing and binding is very good - similar to that of a conventional paperback book.
Buying from Lulu is very similar to buying from many other major Internet vendors. On the first transaction you have to set up an account with a password - there's no charge or subscription whatsoever involved in becoming a Lulu member. You only have to pay anything when you order. You don't have to join just to browse. Payment is over a secure connection and can be by credit card or Paypal. I'm told that credit card payments get authorised much quicker but I haven't tried to pay with Paypal myself. You can pay in UK Pounds, US Dollars, or Euros. Lulu does not change its exchange rates between these currencies very often so they may not accurately reflect current real world exchange rates. If you are security conscious you might wish to delete your credit card information from Lulu's server (there is a button for this) after ordering as by default it is retained (which of course saves the need to re-enter it on any subsequent order).
Once you've ordered (by credit card at least), your Order Status will show up as PAID. Within a relatively short time (typically less than 24 hours) this will change to FULFILLING. This means that Lulu has passed the order electronically to one of its print partners. The printer is responsible for both printing and dispatching the order directly to you at which point the status changes to DISPATCHED and you should get an email advising you of this.
The total time for all this to happen does seem to vary. My early experience was that UK orders usually took between one week and two weeks from order to delivery, although in October 2007 I had one order which took almost three weeks. In contrast I was told by a UK resident in 2008 that he ordered a copy a few minutes before 5 pm on a Wednesday afternoon and received the book the following Saturday morning. In January 2009 I ordered a single copy (specifying Standard shipping) mid afternoon on a Monday and received it on the Friday morning of the same week. In March 2009 I ordered six copies again mid afternoon on a Monday and received them early the following Thursday morning. So it seems that order fulfillment times have been getting shorter. Still to avoid disappointment I would budget for the longer period and be pleased if it turns out to be quicker. I've less experience of US orders but these seem to take just over one week most of the time. The choice of delivery method is a factor here. As the delivery options offered seem to change from time to time it's best to check the shipping pages on the Lulu website at the time of order. My experience is that the UK printer packages single books (and multiple orders for up to six copies) in a strong rigid cardboard book mailer.
I've included below two reviews of the book which are reproduced in full from their respective publications.
The following review by renowned jazz guitarist Jack Wilkins appeared in the May 2008 issue of Just Jazz Guitar magazine. Jack and JJG Editor Ed Benson have kindly given me permission to reproduce it here :-
This biography of Tal Farlow by Guy Littler-Jones is chock full of historical information about Tal’s recording and performance career as well as interesting anecdotes by Steve Rochinski and Greg Clayton. This incredibly researched and readable book is a must for Tal fans. Guy writes about Tal’s early years, his experiences with the Red Norvo group with Charles Mingus, Tal’s “little red guitar” as Michele Farlow calls it, and a chapter on Tal’s unusual technique. (Chapter 4). This chapter will surely interest any guitarist who wishes to learn how Tal executed some of his uncanny lines, harmonies, and snare drum effects. Tal’s sign painting is discussed, his home in Sea Bright, his interest in electronics, and his “retirement” and return. Fascinating! Especially interesting to me are the stories of Tal’s time with Jimmy Raney and Sal Salvador.
Guy lists every recording, date, sideman, and tune ever recorded by Tal and company. Included are films, videos, and a complete bibliography. There are quotes from “Just Jazz Guitar”, “Downbeat”, “Crescendo”, “Guitar Magazine” and many other publications. Quite an undertaking. Obviously Guy has much admiration for Tal and his music.
The Epilogue chapter (10) is endearing and gives a short summary of a wonderful artist, guitarist, and very special man.
The following review by Ian Macgregor - Secretary and Newsletter Editor of The Jazz Guitar Society Of Western Australia - appeared in their Newsletter No 116 February 2009. Ian has kindly allowed me to reproduce it here :-
This book was a Christmas present from my daughter, and coincidently my review of it runs adjacent to Roy Rose’s tribute to Tal Farlow on page 4.
The author Guy Littler-Jones is an Englishman who has been a fan of Tal Farlow for many years. His research is comprehensive and starts with his early years growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, his eventual move to New York, and his time with Red Norvo. These first few chapters are extremely interesting and you feel you are a part of the scene at that time. A detailed description of Tal’s technique is covered in chapter 4. His subsequent self imposed exile from the jazz world at the height of his powers to his home in Sea Bright, New Jersey are covered as is his “Return” in the late 60’s. His later years when he started touring again and the honours that followed give an insight into the man who was much loved by both his fans and peers. A complete discography and a list of his films, videos and articles about him are included. This is a very interesting read and a must for Tal Farlow fans.
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