You can't just say those words without putting music to the most famous road anthem by Willie Nelson. That's what this book is about: life on the road with jazz musicians.

Co-author Carl Vigeland was invited to travel the country and Europe with jazz superstar Wynton Marsalis and his band.

This is about the music of jazz, the blues and the road. Vigeland and Marsalis make numerous references to the book's title "Jazz In The Bittersweet Blues of Life. Vigeland covers personal observations of life with its rigors of the road, the overwhelming passion to produce quality performances. You don't get too much of the personal life of Marsalis, he shares little about his two older boys living in New York.

Brother Branford splits for a rock band
We also get very little info on tenor saxophone Branford Marsalis along with member Kenny Kirkland who left the band in the early 80's to play with rock superstar Sting. Branford also did a short stint as band leader for Jay Leno's "Tonight Show." In the book, we DON'T' get a clear understanding about the departure of his brother Branford and member Kenny Kirkland. Little is known here about Branford's departure, only mentioned here is "that others have thought that it may have been hurtful to have your brother leave for a rock musician." This book doesn't discuss that a rift was occurring and the finality was the departure. But I believe now, all is well with the brothers.

Marsalis, on the other hand, shares keen insight into the world of jazz, his composition style, and rhythm including his relationship with the trumpet. It is phenomenal how much is involved with the trumpet. About the trumpet, he says "you can never force the trumpet, you got to baby it, treat it gently, coax it. It's always there when you need a high note, or something very loud. If you don't handle up on it, it won't respect you"

He teaches us about playing the songs and how the members produce an evening's show. We learn about his amiable personality and he exudes the passion to please his audience. He says, "when you are playing concerts every night is Saturday night. You have to give the people who come to hear your music the feeling of a weekend, not the feeling that you are punching a clock." He keeps his composure, he is gentle, caring to children and seems to be a wonderful teacher and mentor to the young with his many workshops. On the road, Marsalis is humble, even ironing his own shirts and suits.

Observations from the Jazz man
Just from this book alone, we get the impression that Wynton Marsalis is cool and collected, caring of young children, family man and friend. His insights into life are fascinating. Of people who hang out at bars, discos, etc., he says are the unhappiest and lonliest blankety blanks in the whole world. He says, "If you want to be happy, go inside. Inside yourself, inside the people you love, inside your art. Inside seems much lonlier than outside, don't be fooled, you go far enough, it's always warm and good."

"Music is vibration and the proper vibration heals"
Marsalis says music comes into your body, and of Louie Armstrong, Coltrane, Beethoven, their music not only made people feel good, it healed.

But most of all, Wynton gives us an idea how he works, how he composes; it's incredible. This is a wonderful lesson into the mind of a genius jazz player. It may be no surprise that he is also an accredited author with his books by "Marsalis on Music" and "Sweet Swing Blues on the Road." Wonderful read....MzRizz

Picked up Marsalis + Vigeland's work and just couldn't put it down! From descriptions of events, to understanding the personal struggles of band members, Jazz in the bittersweet blues of life fully expresses the goings on of the Wynton Marsalis Septet. Above all, I found Marsalis's commentaries on life, love, and music striking chords within my soul, and left me pleading for more.

This is a wonderful portrait of a jazz genius and the tapestry of jazz music, from stage to studio, from the public to the private. Reading this book gave me great insight into what it feels like to make, live, play, travel jazz. A must read for any music lover.

Addressing life from a golf perspective, Bob Duval does so in a series of letters. Mentoring friends, students, family and his father, he reveals that the only secret to the game is there is no secret.

His advice his tempered by his experiences and those related to him. Thus, this mentoring oozes with one poignant thought: play the shot that's in front of you.

The Duvals have had plenty of that medicine to swallow to teach them. Loss of son, of marriage, of love for the game. From that grit comes this mentoring sage.

Much in here to reflect on. Fascinating insights from inside the ropes to those of us on outside. Play on!

THIS BOOK PROVED TO BE QUITE A BORE AS I STRUGGLED THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE STORY. YET, I FOUND MYSELF DRAWN INTO THE STORY. I WAS ABLE TO RELATE TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE STORY AND I BEGAN TO FEEL THAT DREAMS AND FEARS WERE MY OWN. THE AUTHOR DID GOOD JOB TELLING THE STORY EVEN THOUGH IN PARTS THERE WASN'T MUCH TO TELL

Vigeland's work is an exceptional picture of the professional musician's life. It is essential reading for any student seeking a career in classical music. More, it is a picture of how 'work' and 'life' weave together in positive and negative ways. Because of that, it is a worthwhile 'read' for anyone whose work and life are closely related.

Vigeland offers a very well written, fly-on-the- wall, view of a year in the life of a major symphony orchestra and its conductor. It is a fascinating tale of how orchestras' create good, not-so-good, and sometimes great music in the midst of personality clashes between extremely talented, well intentioned, players and their Maestro, in this case Seiji Ozawa. The centerpiece of the book is a description of how the Boston Symphony Orchestra prepared for and recorded Mahler's second symphony. Hard to put down.

Ever wonder who is the biggest choker in the history of sport? Then you have found your answer with Greg Norman. Years of rumors about Norman's off the course problems are not even touched in this book. Instead it is PR. Don't bother with this book. Buy something about Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer or other great golfers who did not throw their talent away by indulging off the course activity.

Decent read although it became boring at times and the author tends to jump around alot. If you are a golf fan or an avid golfer you will find the book interesting. Poorly edited with some blatant errors such as describing a typical par 72 course as consisting of "four par threes, four par fives, and twelve par fours". With that the author seemed to lose some credibility and made me wonder how he gathered the tidbits of information and dialogue supplied throughout the book.

Carl Vigeland has done a great job showing the reader what makes the Shark so dangerous on the course and so interesting off the course. Well written and very enjoyable reading