Phil Ramone
Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music
Hyperion

Phil Ramone is a music industry legend in the studio, but not as well-known to the public, though over the past five decades, he’s worked with Sinatra, Streisand, Dylan, Billy Joel, McCartney, Sting, Madonna, Pavarotti, and many others. This book takes a “peek behind the curtain,” and while it doesn’t dwell on the technical process (save that for recording biz trades), it offers insight into Ramone’s approach to music, ranging from pop and rock to jazz and classical as well.

The book covers beginnings in jazz and advertising jingles in the late ’50s to his rise as a major producer. He’s behind numerous classics, including Dylan’s masterwork, “Blood on the Tracks,” Paul Simon’s pop gem “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and the late Ray Charles’s Grammy-winning duet release, “Genius Loves Company.”

Various stars and other musicians chime in about Ramone’s genteel, intuitive approach, and while there’s not much drama here, per se, the book is filled with Ramone’s own anecdotes about key sessions and his thoughts on individual performers, especially his run of albums with Billy Joel.

This one’s a good “summer read” for any season, like couch time near your fireplace for the holidays too.

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