Wow! eBook
The History Of The Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People
Author(s): Francis Davis (Author)
- Publisher: Da Capo
- Publication Date: September 4, 2003
- Language: English
- Print length: 320 pages
- ISBN-10: 0306812967
- ISBN-13: 9780306812965
Book Description
Francis Davis’s The History of the Blues is a groundbreaking rethinking of the blues that fearlessly examines how race relations have altered perceptions of the music. Tracing its origins from the Mississippi Delta to its amplification in Chicago right after World War II, Davis argues for an examination of the blues in its own right, not just as a precursor to jazz and rock ‘n’ roll. The lives of major figures such as Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, and Leadbelly, in addition to contemporary artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Robert Cray, are examined and skillfully woven into a riveting, provocative narrative.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A good study on the social and political conditions of the music and its players.” — Holler April/May 2004
“Excellent.” —
PopMatters.com6/28/05“Interweaves diligent research with a wonderful first-person voice that values clarity and idiosyncrasy over claims to authoritativeness.” —
Jazziz January 2004“Rethinks the genre, and explores how perceptions of the music have been altered by race relations.” —
Boston Phoenix 11/28/03About the Author
Francis Davis is a contributing editor of the Atlantic Monthly and writes regularly for the New York Times and the New Yorker. He is the author of the acclaimed books Outcats and History of the Blues and a biography of John Coltrane (Knopf). He lives in Philadelphia.
