-bash: make: command not found

Help me please. I downloaded cdrecord because I need a tool called makeisofs but I am told that I need to compile it first before I can use it. The directions say to type "make" to compile it but when I type make in the terminal window, I get the following message:

-bash: make: command not found

I've spent hours looking all over the web for an explanation but I just can not find anything to help me. I even joined some IRC channels but no one types anything in those rooms. It is the weirdest thing.

Can anyone tell me why I can't compile? The directions I got with the download don't explain a thing.