In Their Love of Music photographer Steve Azzato has captured the essence of the creative spirit in the faces and words of the musicians themselves. Featuring portraits of one-hundred seventeen artists, the book takes a slightly different approach to music photography than typically seen. Steve was able to sit with a wide range of musicians and explore what drew them to their art. He was able to hear it in their voices and record it visually in his images. In the simple quiet of a green room, without the crowds or bandmates or tour managers, Azzato s photographs transcend the chaos of the stage and the intensity of the studio to reveal the inner spirit that drives each of his subjects. From grizzled veterans to kids just starting out, folks who play stadium shows to unpaid openers in small clubs, jazz to blues to rock to roots...what unites them all is in fact, their love of music. He has assembled a collection that is unrivaled in its intimacy and expression. When photographer Stephen Azzato had just started working on his project Their Love of Music, he found himself on the campaign trail covering the presidential elections. Covering the events with him was a noted rock & roll photographer who said to him, You had to pick the hardest subjects to photograph . While there are many books on rock & roll and on certain musicians, never has anyone taken the time to sit down, one on one, with so many artists and ask why they do what they do. Yet this did not deter Steve as he set out to photograph and interview some of the worlds most famous musicians and those just starting out in music. His questions always revolved around the theme, why do you do this, and how did you get here. The answers are varied and as complex as the musicians themselves. Anna Fermin said simply, I just knew I wanted to serenade somebody. Aaron Neville had a more complex answer A lady had told me once about this little five year old boy who was autistic and the only thing that would calm him down was to put a pair of headsets on him and listen to my voice singing. And that gave me a chill, but it s not me, it s the God in me that maybe touches the God in him. And Buddy Guy said, Most young people now can look up and say I want to learn how to play the horn, the drums, the guitar or something for the love of money. When I picked up the guitar I wanted to learn the guitar for the love of music. And I think that s the big difference of what you got today than what you had back then. Because when I came to Chicago I thought Muddy Waters and all those guys was living the Life of Riley, and come to find out they was almost as bad as me with a day job. They didn t make as much as me. Steve listened to their words as he interviewed them in the green rooms and then created a portrait in which these same feelings come to life for the world to see. Steve found that in the end everyone had one thing in common - their love of music. The foreword is written by musician and newsman Lester Holt. The list of artists is an eclectic assortment from all genres of music, and their words are varied and at times deep, at times funny and always interesting. This book is destined to be a favorite of those who love photography, those who love music and those who love great books. It is unlike anything I've ever seen and what I love about it is the fact that the portraits are just that...not on stage, not 'action' shots. And I also really like the fact that there are plenty of people I know and plenty of people I don't. - Terry Stewart, President and CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum --------- ...such an honor to be a part of it. - Eric Slick, Musician --------- This is a great book and I am so proud to be included in it! - Susan Tedeschi, Musician --------- It's a real honor to have been included in this beautiful collection - Natalia Zukerman, Musician --------- Honored to be a part of it! - Grant Tye, Musician --------- Wow! You weren't kidding that is an awesome spread. And I don't even recognize maybe as many as half of those names. But it makes me want to know them just based on how many I did know. - Dave Mason --------- ...awesome! Dave Brubeck...even awesomer! I loved seeing Nicholas Tremulus, Shemekia Copeland and all the other Chicago talent. Very cool guys! - M.S., Chicago --------- I agreed to write the foreword for Steve s book based on conversation and seeing some sample pictures from the concept. Having returned to my office to find a copy last week, my reaction was that it is amazing work and he should be proud! I'm very pleased to be a part of the project. - Lester Holt, NBC Weekend Today Show anchor and author of the Foreword --------- I can't wait to bring it home and read it - John Farneda, Music Director, WXRT --------- It was an honor to be a part of the project. Thank you very much! - Genevieve Schatz, Musician --------- This book is fantastic, such a wide variety of artists, very nice - Norm Winer, Program Director, WXRT -----