The History Of The Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People
by Francis Davis
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Book Summary Information
Author: Francis DavisEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2003-09-03
ISBN: 0306812967
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Book Reviews of The History Of The Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People
Book Review: Revisionist, Controversial, and and Eye Opener
Summary: 5 Stars
The current consensus regarding the development of the popular music of the last 100 years is almost obsessively concerned with defending a sort of organic, evolutionary view, focused on African and African-American roots. The challenge that Davis' history presents, and provokes such strong reactions against, is that there's more involved than roots, evolution, white transformation, and revival.
In fact, Davis takes nothing away from the worth or significance of Black Artists or music! Both are enormously important in American popular music history, whether you take an artist-centered view of history or critically examine elements of the music itself. What he does is point out is that there's a thread of shared music and musical development in American history and culture, and that the entertainment and recording industry intentionally steered the direction of the Blues as a popular genre along follow-the-money lines (as if that should be a surprise). He argues for Artists - mostly, but far from exclusively Black - purposefully developing Blues in response to popular music tastes of the times, moreoever in cooperation with the industry. He argues for the Blues as a true popular, commercial music genre, where the mainline music historians would box it in as roots music originally (and primarily) and a dead-ended (if revived) precursor to jazz, R&B, and Rock.
Personally, I find Davis' view far more respectful of the talents, aspirations, and business acumen of early 20th century Black artists, as well as more respectful of current Blues artists who know the Blues are a living, breathing genre.
I'm not convinced of everything Davis has to say, but I am firmly convinced on the basis of this book that the Blues reflects a much larger slice of American culture and commerce than is usually credited. If people would pay more attention to what Davis adds to Blues history than what they incorrectly think he's taking away, we would all be better off. Musical scholarship certainly would be.
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