THE AMERICAN SONGBOOK: Part 2 in a series celebrating the singers and songs of the 20th Century (pre-rock & roll, folks). Just picked up this terrific book by Ken Bloom called "The American Songbook" which inspired this month's themey theme. This is a major coffee table book, pilgrims! It's a hardcover that's bigger than my cranium (and those who know me will be suitably impressed by that ratio). It's packed with about 600 photos and examines the singers and songwriters who made the standards. The first section of the book focuses on the singers; we're talking Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone. . .well, you know all the giants. However, it gives equal coverage to lesser known by equally talented singers such as The Boswell Sisters, Mildred Bailey, Blossom Dearie, and scads more, jack. The second section of the book is devoted to the big bands (Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, etc.). The final (and largest) section focuses on the great songwriters such as Rodgers & Hart, George Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer. . .well, you get the idea. Once again, lesser known songwriters get equal time (including personal favourites Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby whose 1950 biopic "Three Little Words" starring Fred Astaire & Red Skelton is FINALLY being released at the end of this month. . . .one of the best MGM musicals, folks). So, if you can afford to drop about 35 bucks, I would urge you to do so on this particular tome.