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Recommendations: Books

Suggested books on bass, music and other stuff.

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Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius Jaco Pastorius is often billed as the world's greatest bass player. Jaco did a lot to advance the bass and how it is played. In this bio you can read more about his life and his tragic death.
How the Fender Bass Changed the World This book covers the history of the electric bass. The electric bass is just over 50 years old. Well-illustrated, this book covers basses, technical developments, players and more.
Bass Heroes This book has a number of great interviews with world-renowned bass players like Stanley Clarke, Jeff Berlin, Michael Manring, Steve Swallow,Jack Bruce, John Entwistle, Bootsy Collins, and on and on. Insightful.
Brave New Bass: Interviews and Lessons with the Innovators, Trendsetters and Visionaries This is another book full of great bass player interviews. This book features some more recent interviews with Marcus Miller, Christian McBride, Flea, Les Claypool, and numerous others.
The Harvard Dictionary of Music (Harvard University Press Reference Library) This is a great music dictionary. It is very detailed, and sometimes a bit technical, but you should be able to find answers to many of your musical questions as you develop.
Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art If you're interested in improvisation and creativity, this is a great book to read. It will give you insight into the process and give you ideas for getting out of your own way.