Music Lessons

Bob Wiseman

Bob Wiseman, former founding Blue Rodeo keyboardist, has written a wild pseudomemoir. The book echoes his improvisational style of playing, drifting from personal stories and snippets of philosophy to imagined conversations and playlists. Composed of short passages, the book weaves in the music lessons of the title by linking artists, songs, and even single notes to tales of everyday life. Wiseman’s mood varies through the volume, ranging from joyous to manic to angry and back—sometimes even within a single anecdote—leaving me with as many questions as it answered, such as his wished deaths for Dionne Warwick, Dolly Parton, and Neil Young, or his obsession with breakfast cereals. If you are looking for a Blue Rodeo tell-all, this is not your book. But if you’re looking for a glimpse into an amazing musical mind, grab it.

- Lori Kauzlarick