The Blues: A Very Short Introduction
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.32 (662 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0195398939 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 152 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-08-10 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Authoritative blues history in a small package The author does an outstanding job, within the 125-page limit prescribed for Oxford University Press's "Very Short Introduction" series, of presenting a thorough overview of American blues. His history stretches from West African call-and-response traditions up to the present day. Along the way he gives concise but clear and illuminating coverage to:- The 1920s "blues queens" (notably Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Mamie Smith, Ethel Waters)- 1920. robyn louise durack said A short but marvellous exploration!. A very important book for someone who knows very little about The Blues. Clear and well-written, the author has opened up a music genre as well as provided an accessible and serious insight the history of the USA I felt enlightened from reading it!. "Four Stars" according to Amazon Customer. Excellent, concise but comprehensive history of "old" blues up to modern pop music. Couldn't put it down.
He traces its roots in work and praise songs, and shows how it was transformed by such professional performers as W. 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. 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. It is not an easy thing to pin down. As with all of Oxford's Very Short Introductions, The Blues tells you--with insight, clarity, and wit--everything you need to know to understand this quintessentially American musical genre.. 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 an
. Elijah Wald is a musician who teaches blues history at UCLA. His books include How the Beatles Destroyed Rock 'n' Roll, Global Minstrels, and Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues
It would be impossible to pack more critical wisdom-or common sense-into a smaller, shapelier package."--Wall Street Journal. "The most illuminating short treatment of the blues ever published."--Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal"Both thorough and illuminating