“RHYTHM AND THE BLUES�By Jerry Wexler and...

“RHYTHM AND THE BLUES�

By Jerry Wexler and David Ritz

Alfred A. Knopf ($25)

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The memoirs of Wexler, one of the architects of the modern record industry, sometimes reads too much like just a parade of musical greats.

Though as a record producer he midwifed the birth of modern soul music, his anecdotes about the likes of Franklin, Redding, Jagger and Dylan come and go too fast, with only hints of insight or dirt. But the colorful Wexler still spins an entertaining tale. Instead of taking credit for making history, he communicates the joy of being there when it was made.

Items in this periodic survey of pop-related books, videocassettes and laser discs are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to five (classic).