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(More customer reviews)Upon opening the front cover of this book, I was sent back in time. I sat at a corner table watching some of the greatest entertainers of our time perform on stage. The music heard however, did not only come from the stage but also from within the audience where some of the most talented singers and musicians I would ever have the privilege of hearing, joined in song.
And such is the setting for the story, of "A Place Called The Bla-Bla Café."
When reading a non-fiction book the author has to be able to paint a picture that allows the reader to feel as if they were there, witnessing the event, a part of history. Sandy Ross does that and more with her first-hand account of her time spent performing at the Bla-Bla Café in Los Angeles, CA. In addition to her own, Ms. Ross shares the stories of the other performers through photos and interviews creating a lively image in the mind of her readers.
It was not until reading this book that I longed to get on stage in a small café, strum a guitar and sing to a packed room. This book brings out the musician in us all and tells the story of true art, friendship and above all, family. Whether you are a musician, a historian or simply a reader longing for a book to leave you feeling uplifted and inspired, take a walk down Ventura Boulevard and stop at number 11059 and join in the story of "A Place Called The Bla-Bla Café"
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A Place Called the Bla-Bla CafeA Place Called the Bla-Bla Café, chronicles the history of the Bla-Bla Café, an early, well-loved and well-respected entertainment industry showcase that pioneered much of what we now know as entertainment showcasing today. Although mostly written by Sandy Ross, one of the Bla-Bla Café's original regular performers and its entertainment coordinator for 8 years, it also contains chapters of stories, interviews, anecdotes, and perspectives contributed by 15 other regular café performers, family, and staff, including: jazz singers Jelsa Palao and Al Jarreau, country singer-songwriter and Capital Records recording artist, Maxine Sellers, Fred Bliffert (of the '70s Electra/Asylum recording group, Jelly), hit country songwriter Gene Nelson, and pop artists Lisa Nemzo, and Lauren Wood and Novi Novog (of the '70s Warner Bros. recording group, Chunky, Novi and Ernie).Also included is a staff table and a 90-page performers' table that lists hundreds of performers who showcased there along with a synopsis of their industry credits: Jimmy Webb, Karla Bonoff, Peter Allen, Keb' Mo', Roseanne Cash, Patti Davis, Keith Green, David Blue, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, William Katt, Amy Madigan, Liz Torres, Vonda Shepard, The Motels, Huey Lewis and the News, The Police, Sylvester, Michael Greer, Vicki Randle, Shelby Flint, Carl Anderson, Rosie Flores, Steve Gillette, Peter Alsop, Steve Seskin, Randy Sharp, Jenny Yates, Don Ellis, Morgana King, Joe Pass. . . and the list goes on and on. Most of all, though, the book provides a portal in which to view the spirit of the performing artists of the 1970s, through their naivety, discovery and growth, at a time of stark contradictions and prejudices, political disheartenments, global violence, and sexual/social revolution. It's a must-read for people who were there and everyone who appreciates the value of living their dreams.
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