The Musician

by Mike Shaw, Tom Whitfield (Editor), Angela K. Durden (Editor)

Tom Cliffe is who many young people in the 1960s want to not just a lover of music, a player of music. But more than an interest, more than a passion, music and a commitment to becoming an accomplished player and recognized for it will become the driving force in Tom’s life. He will give up everything, all the accommodations of the conventional life he was brought up in and educated for. Even when he is nearly destitute, even through years of itinerancy on the road, despite self-interested booking agents and uncommitted fellow musicians, even for the woman he loves, he cannot, will not, abandon Music.The Musician captures the character and circumstance of life as shared by musicians everywhere, from immersion in their craft, to the joy of playing music well, and with others who play it as well or better, to the frustrations associated with committing a lifetime to such an unstructured and unrewarded career. “True, endearing, joyful, and at times disheartening, The Musician is an unvarnished look at what most musicians encounter when they choose to follow their dreams. It is an important as well as entertaining book reflecting the reality of how rare it is to achieve celebrity in any profession.” Ralph Miriello — Huffington Post columnist, Notes on Jazz blogger, voting member of the Jazz Journalists Association “Some of the best writing about music and musicians. Like all good fiction, The Musician is rooted in fact — often enough, hard, cold facts.” Kevin Bales — Internationally renowned jazz pianist and teacher

330 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2021

Reviews

[BookTrib.com]

THE MUSICIAN takes us to the sticky streets of New Orleans, into glamorous Atlanta hotels and Florida’s poolside bars, but also into the arms of the most lovable bunch of enablers ever described.

Here’s a sober and fine story of what it’s like to love music more than anything else without letting the passion become fatal. It’s a story that makes you want to spend a few hours listening to the old jazz artists with your eyes closed.

Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/09/13/throu...

[Jslimming · Rating 5 out of 5]

The music in me…. Growing up my British friends and I wanted to be popstars, like the Supremes, Petula Clark or Dusty Springfield – or even The Beatles - but that Sixties scene was always out of reach. Apart from serious choir, an alternative was not on the curriculum – The School of Rock hadn’t been invented yet, not even the British version of the Fourth Grade Play where we might have been able to warble our way through our own renditions of My Fair Lady or The Sound of Music…. There was no orchestra that I can remember either. So, reading about Shaw’s fictional musician, Tom Cliffe, during that period, is an eyeopener to the trials and tribulations of individuals trying to ‘make’ it in the music business in America (or anywhere). Shaw describes the tough environment, the commitment, support and equipment needed, where disappointment is often a fact to be accepted, despite Cliffe’s amazing talent. Endearing and joyous in parts. This is a good read for anyone wending their way through the music business, and whether their dreams can be met by expanding laterally as well as vertically - there’s always chance…! A great read.

[Sherry Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many musicians starting out, Tom Cliffe has big dreams. Gifted with talent and a silvery singing voice, he imagines life as a superstar: a big-name recording artist. He works hard and after landing a few gigs, believes there's hope. Chasing the dream leads him down an unconventional path—one that doesn't include a wife, kids, and a big house.

The Musician is a realistic look at what life is like for those who choose to chase the music muse. Musicians will nod their heads, able to relate to many of Tom's situations. Non-musicians will get an eye-opening look at what the life of a musician is really like.

The other interesting thing about his story is the setting: New Orleans, Atlanta, and Pensacola. Readers familiar with these places will appreciate the details offered within the pages.

The Musician is an entertaining and eye-opening read that celebrates the accomplishments, challenges, and drive of musicians everywhere.