When Jools Holland talks about music there is nobody to equal his passion and knowledge. As he follows the Beat Route from the home of Blues, Chicago, through the unlikely Beirut to Dublin and Budapest, he is at his most engaging when writing on this theme.
When giving advice on travelling, however, he is less authorative, (though not necessarily less entertaining) and advice he has in abundance. Don't wear baggy trousers when going through customs...don't import stuffed kangaroos...always find out what the weather will be like (Holland has been caught out before!). Not pearls of wisdom aimed at the seasoned traveller, but snapshots of experience to be shared with his fans.
Designed to tie in with a television series of the same name, Beat Route loses a little in the translation, and you feel Holland's unique style and personality come over much better on screen than on the page. But the beautifully produced book, with a variety of great photographs taken while on tour, is a pleasure to look through. Holland's endearing account of his childhood gives a lot of clues to the driving force behind his passion for music, and his comments on his art make it well worth a read. --Lucie Naylor