Join us for a presentation and book signing with longtime music filmmaker Robert Mugge as he discusses and reads excerpts from his new memoir, NOTES FROM THE ROAD: A Filmmaker's Journey through American Music, which describes the making of what he considers to be his 25 key music documentaries. Over a period of more than 40 years, Mugge has made such well-known music docs as Deep Blues, Gospel According to Al Green, Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise, Last of the Mississippi Jukes, Black Wax with Gil Scott-Heron, Saxophone Colossus with Sonny Rollins, and such Louisiana-based films as New Orleans Music in Exile, The Kingdom of Zydeco, Iguanas in the House, Rhythm ’N’ Bayous: A Road Map to Louisiana Music, and Zydeco Crossroads: A Tale of Two Cities.The 6:00 p.m. reading on Tuesday, April 18 will be preceded by brief video clips from some of these films.

Mugge will appear in conversation with René Coman, acclaimed bass player of The Iguanas and co-host of the Troubled Men podcast.

Please pre-purchase a copy of NOTES FROM THE ROAD now at octaviabooks.com/book/9781958861097 and write "signed copy" in the comments during checkout.

"Mugge both thrills and exhausts us as he describes the process of making his films. He shifts his camera lens deftly from classical music to bluegrass to jazz to Tex-Mex to gospel to reggae to Hawaiian slack-key guitar. A gifted filmmaker and a fine writer, Mugge introduces us to musicians, record producers, and his trusted film crew, which at times includes his wife, Diana. This book offers an intimate view of his struggles as a filmmaker and his determination to capture our nation's music on film."—William Reynolds Ferris, from the foreword

“Mugge’s vivid prose mixes piquant sketches of musicians with atmospheric evocations of the music. A vibrant, entertaining panorama of music-making and the picaresque struggle to capture it on film.”  —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The overriding takeaway from the book is Mugge’s genuine love for the music and all the cultural aspects that surround it such as food, local customs, and legends. To call him an American treasure is not an overstatement as no one else has delved into the music this way.” —Jim Hynes, Making A Scene

Since 1976, music filmmaker Robert Mugge has produced three dozen documentaries about various aspects of American culture, with particular emphasis on traditional forms of American music.  He received a Gambit Weekly Big Easy Music Award for being a "Special Friend of New Orleans Music" He is married to his filmmaking partner, Diana Zelman.

René Coman is a New Orleans native who has written and performed with the legendary Iguanas for over 20 years. Music from their records has been featured in movies and television programs including “The Wire,” “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Treme,” and “Phenomenon.”  The creation of his weekly Troubled Men Podcast in 2018 has provided a fresh outlet for chronicling the New Orleans music and cultural scene.