On the heels of the release of Led Zeppelin’s concert film Celebration Day, it seems everything is coming up Led Zeppelin. Last month, the legendary band received a Kennedy Center Honor, appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, and has recently been plastered on the cover of every music magazine in the country.
Led Zeppelin has not released a new album in over 30 years, some say 33. Still the machine that is Led Zeppelin has never lost momentum. So why is this band still relevant? The answer is simple. Led Zeppelin is the most perfect union of four musicians ever formed.
Built on the foundation of Jimmy Page’s searing guitar, Led Zeppelin is a fusion of country, hard rock, folk and rural blues. Jon Paul Jones’ orchestral arrangements and John Bonham’s unforgiving drums frame the music. Vocalist Robert Plant’s visual lyrics are the final flourish that gives this band their unique sound.
Alfred Music Publishing has released a series of books to help musicians capture the magic of this tour de force. Here are four of the new Led Zeppelin texts from the publisher.
Celebration Day: The guitar tab edition contains new transcriptions to 16 classic Led Zeppelin songs. The blues driven fan favorites “Trampled Under Foot” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” are accurately represented in the text. I was also pleased to see production notes for the tuning issues for “Ramble On.” The original recording is sped up a bit and is 25 cents sharp; it is nice to have this information.
Led Zeppelin Presence: Truly one of my favorite Led Zeppelin recordings. Brad Tolinski, Editor-in -Chief for Guitar World Magazine provides insightful liner notes on the recording of Presence for the book. Alfred Music Publishing delivers a great songbook of the most guitar driven album in the band’s history. The blistering “Achilles Last Stand” and groove riddled “For Your Life” make this book a must have for the rock guitarist.
Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti: Two albums in one tab book, this is a smoking deal. Jimmy Page’s acoustic masterpiece “Bron-Yr-Aur” is worth the price of admission alone. With classic Led Zeppelin tunes like the Neil Young inspired “Down By The Seaside” and rockers “Sick Again” and “Night Flight” this book will give you countless hours of enjoyment.
Led Zeppelin Piano Sheet Music Anthology: This is a great collection of the work of John Paul Jones. Often overlooked John Paul Jones was the wildcard that made the Led Zeppelin sound so unique. After Keith Emerson turned down the gig as Led Zeppelin’s keyboardist Jones stepped up to take duties on both bass and keys. John Paul Jones is also responsible for most of Led Zeppelin’s more orchestral arrangements. This text is a great look at Jones’ work as a keyboardist and those arrangements. The book ranges from the string driven “Rain Song” to the James Brown inspired “Crunge”. Of course, the Led Zeppelin keyboard classic “Kashmir” is also included.
This is just a sampling of what Alfred Music Publishing has available for the Led Zeppelin fan. Check out their website for other great releases from this band including The Led Zeppelin Guitar Method and the timeless Led Zeppelin Complete.
