Tom Waits Storyteller David Smay And Harlem Blues Poet Al Young Live In SF This Month

If you happen to be near San Francisco on March 14th or 18th, you might like to check out one of these music-related literary events at The Booksmith. The first one features David Smay reading from his new book "Swordfishtrombones" and signing copies. The book is named after Tom Waits' 1983 album of the same name and it tells the story of how Waits created the pivotal album. Booksmith describes the March 14th event:

Swordfishtrombones, the now legendary 1983 album by Tom Waits, was a watershed recording for the idiosyncratic artist. It not only revived his career, but signaled a significant change in the artist’s personal life as well. David Smay’s new book, Swordfishtrombones (which is part of the 33 1/3 series), tells the story of the making of this remarkable album, once named the second best of all-time.David Smay is a San Francisco music writer whose earlier books include Bubblegum Music Is the Naked Truth: The Dark History of Prepubescent Pop, from the Banana Splits to Britney Spears and Lost in the Grooves: Scram's Capricious Guide to the Music You Missed.

Then, on March 18th, Booksmith hosts a reading and book signing from Al Young and his book, "Something About the Blues." The Booksmith description of that event:

Like Harlem renaissance poet Langston Hughes, who first popularized the blues as a poetic form, California Poet Laureate Al Young has written about the blues, played the blues and drawn inspiration from the blues. Something About the Blues uses the form as a theme throughout 100 new and previously-published poems. These works evoke the cold, hard city, love gone wrong and blues music itself.California Poet Laureate Al Young is the author of more than 20 books including Heaven: Collected Poems 1956-1990; Mingus Mingus: Two Memoirs (with Janet Coleman); Drowning in the Sea of Love: Musical Memoirs; and the novels Snakes, Who Is Angelina?, and Sitting Pretty. A popular reader and performer, Young lectures worldwide on literature, music, creativity, and African American culture.

You can get more info on these and other literary events in SF at Booksmith's websiteTom Waits:Al Young: (it's 40 mins long, so if you want to see something shorter, just search youTube):