Dedicated to highlighting lesser-known musicians and artists, primarily in the hip-hop, jazz and blues fields, Wax Poetics
magazine has gained a strong following among music obsessives for its in-depth interviews, informed writing and concern over musical minutiae. This compilation of “favorite†articles from the hard-to-find magazine's first five issues is a must-have for anyone with a deep interest in American music and the culture surrounding it. Interviews include two of James Brown's most famous drummers—Jab'O Starks and Clyde Stubblefield, the latter of whom is behind “Funky Drummer,†one of the most sampled pieces in hip-hop—as well as Da Beatminerz, who discuss their never-ending quest for new and groundbreaking samples, and more usual suspects like Prince Paul, Diamond D and Wu-Tang's the RZA. Andrew Mason offers a detailed guide to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, a classic source for turntablists, and Karl Hagstrom Miller's story of stumbling across a rare Charles Mingus album (“Make Checks Payable to Charles Mingusâ€) is alone worth the cover price. Though many of the figures and themes may be too obscure for casual listeners, vinyl collectors and OCD-style music fans will find an illuminating treasure trove in the first of what promises to be an essential series. (Oct.)
