Zimmermann Unbound

Bob Dylan (a.k.a. Robert Zimmermann) recently published the first installment of his memoirs and it's already climbing the best-seller list. Today on Soundcheck, we’re joined by two critics named Alex with two very different takes on this new tome: Alex Ross, music critic of the New Yorker and Alex Abramovich, a rock critic who is currently writing a history of Rock n’ Roll. In 1999, both critics followed Dylan around the U.S. on tour, and have amassed many insights into this famously enigmatic singer-songwriter. What does this new memoir tell us about Dylan’s live and music? Tune in and find out. Also on the show is music critic Gene Santoro, whose new book Highway 61 Revisited, examines how jazz -- not just the musical style, but jazz's distinctive ambiance and attitudes -- have shaped nearly every wing of American popular music, from blues and folk to psychedelic rock and hip hop.
Additional Resources:
» Alex Abromovich and Alex Ross on Dylan
» Highway 61 Revisited by Gene Santoro