No shadow falls between the delivery and the publication, no hiatus between the thought and the thing itself! Our author delivered to his publisher Backbeat Books (an imprint of Globe Pequot Press) the last of the photos in his art program on Sunday night, September 22, and on Monday, September 23, his new book, “What and Give Up Show Business?” by Fred Taylor with Richard Vacca, appeared for pre-sale on Amazon.

The book chronicles 60 years before the mic by Boston’s leading unsung impresario, Mr. Fred Taylor. As a youth, Taylor frequented all the local jazz cellars and backroom stages, and ultimately managed most of the major stages in and around town — The Jazz Workshop, Paul’s Mall, Sculler’s, and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. His recording of Dave Brubeck on Taylor’s personal portable reel-to-reel in the early ’50s ended up on Brubeck’s early Columbia recording, and started a lifelong friendship between two extraordinary men. Taylor brought Bob Dylan to Symphony Hall in ’62, and also brought to Boston The Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters, Lily Tomlin, Eva Cassidy, Diana Ross, Ahmad Jamal — it seems every major musical talent passing through Boston played one of Taylor’s stages. And did he have an ear for talent! Jazz, hip hop, tap dancing or comedy — when he heard someone great, he “had to do something about it.”

As his agent, I’ve known Fred for a very little while, a year and a half, and have had the privilege of catching just a bit of the fire and commitment to art he brings to his work. His dedication has recently led to the creation of a “Fred Taylor Scholarship” at Berklee College of Music. Thanks to Fred for an exciting, warm, humorous, and highly unusual glimpse into the confluence of life and art that is show business.