Christopher Felver Releases 'American Jukebox'

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.

Photographer Christopher Felver has collected over 240 photographs from tours and encounters with musicians over the past 25 years. From Doc Watson to John Cage and Sonny Rollins to Patti Smith, this collection celebrates the tapestry and diversity of musical styles that make up the American sonic landscape. Caught in action on the stage or posed, Felver captures these musicians and composers in their musical element, revealing the face behind the rhythms, beats, and melodies that have punctuated American musical culture.

American Jukebox will launch with a book signing at City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, May 22, 5-8:00.

On Friday, May 30, 3-3:30 at the Javits Center in New York City, Felver will sign complimentary books at the Book Expo America general autographing area (table 20).

While in New York, Morrison Hotel will host a book party Saturday, May 31, 124 Prince St, 1-4:00.

"Felver's compendia is itself a mega- (or if you would meta-) portrait, of a time and a place and an art form. His portraits of artists...capture the extent of their vitality and the degree of their intensity," writes Peter Frank, art critic for The Huffington Post and associate editor for Fabrik Magazine. "American Jukebox is remarkable for its ecumenical embrace of (nearly) all forms of music-making in America, as represented by the leading interpreters, and innovators, in those forms. These images radiate a sense of moment, even occasion, no matter how candid."

Scattered throughout this captivating book are playlists, autographed lyrics, record sleeves, and contributions by musicians sharing their memorable experiences of the era. An introduction by the photographer invites the reader to share in his journey through the musical crossroads of the United States.

"Plug into this jukebox and see the faces and figures behind the greatest American music," writes Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

Christopher Felver, filmmaker and photographer, has published seven books of photography, most recently Beat. Contributing to the visual archives of American culture, he has been a part of the American avant garde for over 30 years. Felver's work has been featured in numerous international exhibits, including the New York Public Library, the Fahey/Klein Gallery of LA, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. He recently directed and produced the documentary Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder.

Book Information-American Jukebox

By Christopher Felver; Forewords by David Amram and Lee Ranaldo

260 pages, 8.5 x 11, 240 b&w illus., Cloth ISBN 978-0-253-01402-3 $50.00

Publication Date: May 23, 2014

Selected images from the book

For review copies & interview requests contact: Mandy Clarke Hussey, mlclarke(at)indiana(dot)edu

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