First of all, I am embarrassed to admit that when I started reading this book, I assumed the author was a man. Why? Because most music books and interviews from the 80's and 90's are written by men. So after getting over kicking myself for this mistake, I really enjoyed this book.. She was a DJ at Barnard/Columbia at the college radio station and had tapes (reel-to-reel and cassette) that were starting to decompose. She luckily worked with others to digitize these incredible interviews. The book takes the interviews and adds a brief background on each artist as well as a photo. There were some artists I have heard of (John Cage, La Monte Young (huge influence on John Cale and was part of the Fluxus art scene with Yoko Ono). There are others I have seen in concert - such as Bill Frisell, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and Vernon Reid (Living Colour). What is so compelling about these interviews is that the questions are insightful around their music and influences (I was impressed with the level of questions from a college kid -- I don't think mine would have been so intelligent). For those readers who love music and either know some of these artists or want to be exposed to new music, I highly recommend this read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Columbia University Press for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

Brooke Wentz didn’t lie when she said her mission was to gradually guide listeners into the 80s New York underground scene. More than that, as a (somewhat) music journalist myself, Brooke made me want to do interviews again, talk about music and understand the stories behind it.
The book itself is divided into nine different parts, each one collecting interviews within a certain theme. For example, on part VIII, she talks with international superstars such as Astor Piazzola and Ravi Shankar, showing how New York’s scene inspired other musicians (and vice versa).
Trust me when I say there is a LOT to learn from that. Whether it’s finding out about musicians that inspired Daft Punk and Radiohead or reading about non-traditional instruments, it’s hard to not engage with those interviews.

I was expecting something more and something different. I learned about the alternative and avantgard scene in the 80s
A perfect gift if you know someone interested in avantgard
Recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Transfigured New York is an absolute triumph that
immerses readers in the vibrant and groundbreaking
world of 1980s New York City. Prepare to be
transported back to a time when creativity ran
rampant and the experimental music scene
flourished with unrestrained brilliance.
Brooke Wentz, a remarkable and visionary music
enthusiast, blesses us with candid interviews that
had been tucked away in forgotten corners of
cassettes and reel-to-reel tapes. Now, these gems
have been unearthed for our pleasure, allowing us to
share in the electrifying energy and excitement of the
underground scene that defined an era.
Within the pages of Transfigured New York, we are
granted intimate access to conversations that took
place during Brooke's groundbreaking show,
Transfigured Night. Accompanied by avant-garde
luminaries, Brooke fearlessly explored the realms of
art and ideas, leaving no stone unturned.
The legends of contemporary music divulge their
secrets and recount their journeys, weaving tales of
perseverance, passion, and unyielding artistic
ambition. From the likes of the incomparable Bill
Frisell, the mastermind Philip Glass, to the visionary
Laurie Anderson - these giants of creativity speak
directly to our hearts, allowing us to experience the
struggles they faced as budding artists in the vibrant
tapestry of 1980s New York City.
But the allure does not stop there. Transfigured New
York takes us even deeper into the illustrious minds
of visionaries. The revered John Cage, the boundary
pushing La Monte Young, and the illustrious Ravi
Shankar lay bare their souls, sharing their distinctive
artistic perspectives and providing us with invaluable
insight into their creative lives.
As we journey through the pages of this awe-
inspiring book, a star-studded cast takes center
stage. From Morton Subotnick to Joan Tower, Steve
Reich to Glenn Branca, Joan La Barbara to Living
Colour, and Arthur Russell to John Lure - the breadth
and depth of this remarkable array of interviewees is
simply astounding. Each interview illuminates a
unique facet of the explosive cultural tapestry that
was the 1980s New York City art scene.
Transfigured New York is not just an account of a
fleeting moment in history; it is a time machine that
propels us directly into the heart of one of the most
exhilarating and inventive periods for art and culture
in the Big Apple. It captures the essence of a city
teeming with endless possibilities, where dreams
were forged and artistic legacies were born.
But the allure does not stop there. Transfigured New
York takes us even deeper into the illustrious minds
of visionaries. The revered John Cage, the boundary
pushing La Monte Young, and the illustrious Ravi
Shankar lay bare their souls, sharing their distinctive
artistic perspectives and providing us with invaluable
insight into their creative lives.
As we journey through the pages of this awe-
inspiring book, a star-studded cast takes center
stage. From Morton Subotnick to Joan Tower, Steve
Reich to Glenn Branca, Joan La Barbara to Living
Colour, and Arthur Russell to John Lure - the breadth
and depth of this remarkable array of interviewees is
simply astounding. Each interview illuminates a
unique facet of the explosive cultural tapestry that
was the 1980s New York City art scene.
Transfigured New York is not just an account of a
fleeting moment in history; it is a time machine that
propels us directly into the heart of one of the most
exhilarating and inventive periods for art and culture
in the Big Apple. It captures the essence of a city
teeming with endless possibilities, where dreams
were forged and artistic legacies were born.