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Product Description
Product Description
Praised as "suave, soulful, ebullient" (Tom Waits) and "a meticulous researcher, a graceful writer, and a committed contrarian" (New York Times Book Review), Elijah Wald is one of the leading popular music critics of his generation. In The Blues, Wald surveys a genre at the heart of American culture. It is not an easy thing to pin down. As Howlin' Wolf once described it, "When you ain't got no money and can't pay your house rent and can't buy you no food, you've damn sure got the blues." It has been defined by lyrical structure, or as a progression of chords, or as a set of practices reflecting West African "tonal and rhythmic approaches," using a five-note "blues scale." Wald sees blues less as a style than as a broad musical tradition within a constantly evolving pop culture. He traces its roots in work and praise songs, and shows how it was transformed by such professional performers as W. C. Handy, who first popularized the blues a century ago. He follows its evolution from Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith through Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix; identifies the impact of rural field recordings of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton and others; explores the role of blues in the development of both country music and jazz; and looks at the popular rhythm and blues trends of the 1940s and 1950s, from the uptown West Coast style of T-Bone Walker to the "down home" Chicago sound of Muddy Waters. Wald brings the story up to the present, touching on the effects of blues on American poetry, and its connection to modern styles such as rap.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Elijah Wald has written a number of texts on the blues and American music. This brief intro gives (as you'd expect from the title) a gallop through the history, development and regional/city styles of the blues. Key figures are highlighted for further study and listening. It is an easy, quick and informative read that will hopefully tempt you to undertake further study into the blues. Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the BluesYonder Come the Blues: The Evolution of a GenreThe Complete Recordings: All 41 RecordingsCan't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy WatersIn Search of the Blues: Black Voices, White VisionsHis Best 1947 To 1955John Lee Hooker: The Legendary Modern Recordings 1948-1954Boogie Man: Adventures of John Lee Hooker in the American 20th Century
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Even Professors get the Blues
19 Sep 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Blues is a quintessential American musical style. It has its roots in the Deep South, and was originally a predominantly black musical form. Blues started distinguishing itself from the other musical styles in the early twentieth century, and has probably reached its peak sometime around the middle of that century. Today it's considered a bit of a niche genre, but its musical progeny - particularly rock `n' roll - are to this day the most important forms of musical entertainment.
This book covers most of the history of Blues, from its origins in the South to the many forms that it has acquired as musicians have moved all over the United States and as Blues became popular well beyond its provenance. The book highlights many famous Blues musicians and explains their particular styles and contributions. It also deals with the way that the history of Blues was affected by the evolution of the recording industry, and how the two had influenced each other. For the most of its history Blues has been strongly associated with the black culture, but it has enjoyed a significant amount of cross appeal. This book deals very frankly with the whole issue of race, but to its credit it doesn't try to overexploit it or blow it out of proportion. It is a very interesting and satisfying account of the musical and cultural impact of one of the most prominent twentieth century musical genres.
The best way to fully appreciate the information that is presented in this book is by listening to the many artists and recordings that are mentioned herein. Some of the oldest ones are probably very hard to find, but I was able to listen to many others on one of the custom online radio stations. This helped me get the most out of reading this book.
This book covers most of the history of Blues, from its origins in the South to the many forms that it has acquired as musicians have moved all over the United States and as Blues became popular well beyond its provenance. The book highlights many famous Blues musicians and explains their particular styles and contributions. It also deals with the way that the history of Blues was affected by the evolution of the recording industry, and how the two had influenced each other. For the most of its history Blues has been strongly associated with the black culture, but it has enjoyed a significant amount of cross appeal. This book deals very frankly with the whole issue of race, but to its credit it doesn't try to overexploit it or blow it out of proportion. It is a very interesting and satisfying account of the musical and cultural impact of one of the most prominent twentieth century musical genres.
The best way to fully appreciate the information that is presented in this book is by listening to the many artists and recordings that are mentioned herein. Some of the oldest ones are probably very hard to find, but I was able to listen to many others on one of the custom online radio stations. This helped me get the most out of reading this book.
short, but chock full of goodies
3 Feb 2012
Format:Paperback
This small book, distills a lot of research, information, and perspectives on blues, and yet does so in a easy-to-read style. Wald has done it again.
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