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Photo-driven books chronicle musicians’ journeys

Seen any good music lately? In addition to the usual holiday array of tell-alls and hagiographies, publishers are touting lavish photo-driven books certain to strike a chord with fans of rock, country and jazz. USA Today recommends four of the finest, from the chronicles of Quincy Jones to the frolics of pop stars, plus several other titles worth a look.

“The Complete Quincy Jones: My Journey & Passions”

By Quincy Jones (Insight Editions, $45)

To celebrate his 75th birthday, the maestro behind Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and countless productions with music’s A-list relates his amazing rise from struggling musician to creative supernova in spellbinding stories and an abundant repository of letters, photographs, notes and artifacts. It’s part musical diary, part celebrity yearbook, with loving contributions from Maya Angelou, Clint Eastwood, Sidney Poitier and Bono. It’s clear through his accomplishments, creativity and generosity why Jones is one of entertainment’s most decorated and respected impresarios. And an eternal hipster. Bono recalls their 1999 visit with the pope, when Q, noticing John Paul II’s burgundy wingtips, whispered to the U2 singer, “Check out the shoes. The cat is wearing some pimp shoes. Stylin’!”

“Revolutions in Sound: Warner Bros. Records, The First Fifty Years”

By Warren Zanes (Chronicle Books, $40 or $199 deluxe edition)

The storied label, home to Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, Prince and Madonna, marks its 50th anniversary with a 240-page, icon-packed history book, sold separately or as a $199 audio-visual extravaganza with a 320-song USB key. Hear songs by R.E.M., Don Henley, ZZ Top, Randy Newman, Dire Straits, Fleetwood Mac and even Tiny Tim while surveying loads of PR and candid photos and reading recollections from a staggering range of artists. Paul Simon writes about “Graceland,” while Ice-T reflects on “Cop Killer.” Bob Newhart, Phil Everly, David Byrne, Chrissie Hynde, Billy Gibbons, Elvis Costello and Tom Petty also weigh in.

“Country Music: The Masters”

By Marty Stuart (Sourcebooks, $50)

Musician Stuart, who owns the world’s largest private collection of country music memorabilia, serenades the genre’s pioneers, stars and culture with this opulent coffee-table book. Many of his photos, including the ghostly cover of Johnny Cash taken four days before his death, are published here for the first time. He shares his posters, elaborate costumes (Hank Snow’s Nudie suits, Dottie West’s rhinestone pumps) and guitars. (Woody Guthrie’s fiddle is crudely carved, “This machine killed 10 fascists.”) Stuart mostly gravitates to the grand figures of country, from an irreverent Jerry Lee Lewis to a spunky Tammy Wynette. A companion CD contains “Dark Birth,” Stuart’s Cash tribute, performed at the funeral but never released.

“Mark Seliger: The Music Book”

By Mark Seliger, with a foreword by Tom Wolfe (teNeues, $75)

Seliger’s meticulous approach results in artful yet vibrant and often playful portraits that transmit as much pathos and personality as any interview. This stylish collection culls poignant looks at George Harrison and Joey Ramone, dramatic shots of the White Stripes (on a red horse) and a telling picture of Sean Combs on a throne at a busy Manhattan intersection with a garish crown atop his head. Seliger shot 130 covers for “Rolling Stone,” and he clearly clicks with musical minds and earned his subjects’ trust. Tom Petty is caught fresh out of bed in a robe, and a dour Lyle Lovett holds burning sparklers amid balloons and tinsel.