Down to the River: Portraits of Iowa Musicians

In 1987, photographer Sandra Dyas moved to Iowa City and began documenting the area’s vibrant live music scene, with its distinctive com-bination of folk, blues, roots/Americana, and rock sounds. The sixty photos in
Down to the River
capture her twenty years of photographing live music venues and shooting portraits of musicians in and around the city, resulting in a collection of images as compassionate and honest as the music itself. Dyas’ photographs present both the sweaty intensity of live performances and the more contemplative moments of individual portraits. They are complemented by Chris Offutt’s empathetic essay, which also encapsulates the experience of connecting with a new home through its music. A companion CD with eighteen tracks by Iowa’s finest singer/songwriters, including Dave Moore, Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey, David Zollo, and Pieta Brown, adds up to an unmatched perspective on Iowa music and musicians.