Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop--A History

Book Description

There were but four major galaxies in the early jazz universe, and three of them--New Orleans, Chicago, and New York--have been well documented in print. But there has never been a serious history of the fourth, Kansas City, until now. In this colorful history, Frank Driggs and Chuck Haddix range from ragtime to bebop and from Bennie Moten to Charlie Parker to capture the golden age of Kansas City jazz. Readers will find a colorful portrait of old Kaycee itself, back then a neon riot of bars, gambling dens and taxi dance halls, all ruled over by Boss Tom Pendergast, who had transformed a dusty cowtown into the Paris of the Plains. We see how this wide-open, gin-soaked town gave birth to a music that was more basic and more viscerally exciting than other styles of jazz, its singers belting out a rough-and-tumble urban style of blues, its piano players pounding out a style later known as "boogie-woogie." We visit the great landmarks, like the Reno Club, the "Biggest Little Club in the World," where Lester Young and Count Basie made jazz history, and Charlie Parker began his musical education in the alley out back. And of course the authors illuminate the lives of the great musicians who made Kansas City swing, with colorful profiles of jazz figures such as Mary Lou Williams, Big Joe Turner, Jimmy Rushing, and Andy Kirk and his "Clouds of Joy." Here is the definitive account of the raw, hard-driving style that put Kansas City on the musical map. It is a must read for everyone who loves jazz or American music history.

Customer Reviews:

A Semi-Forgotten Treasure.......2006-11-06

Any serious student of Jazz needs to know about the Kansas City sound. The book reiterated what I already knew which is that KC was a major contribitor to bebop and to r&b due to the styles that came togteher from that part of the country. Generations of musicians were influenced by the Basie Band and Charlie Parker. You will also get an education of what life was like in the black community of a midwestern city. Kansas City, which happens to be one of my favorites among cities, had a parallel identity with the world of Negro Leagues baseball and both jazz and baseball are remembered through a museum which I plan to visit soon. I recommend the book to anyone unfamiliar with the subject and interested in jazz.

A chronicle of the golden age of jazz music.......2006-09-09

Kansas City Jazz is a chronicle of the golden age of jazz music, an era that put Kansas City on the map along with the more heavily documented jazz havens of New Orleans, Chicago, and New York. Jazz authority and former record executive Frank Driggs combines his talent Kansas City native and radio host Chuck Haddix to present an in-depth chronicle jazz styles that encompassed rough-and-tumble urban blues, and pounding piano music that would come to be known as "boogie-woogie". A tour of jazz cultural landmarks such as the Reno Club and colorful profiles of jazz figures from Mary Lou Williams and Big Joe Turner to Jimmy Rushing and Andy Kirk, along with an inset section of black-and-white photographs, distinguish this "must-read" for jazz music history enthusiasts.

very much enjoyed.......2005-11-01

Great book, both of the other reviews so far are quite good. It's good to see a city with such a great history finally getting a thorough treatment.

As a Kansas City native, I would like to point out that co-author Chuck Haddix is quite possibly the best DJ in town, as well as a fine author. His Friday and Saturday night show The Fish Fry plays some of the best jazz and blues anywhere. You can learn more as well as listen to past shows at http://www.kcur.org/fishfry.html, there's a link to the archives on the righthand side.

Exciting ballyhoo in Kansas City.......2005-07-27

With vivid descriptions of the "wide-open" town of Jazz era Kansas City and its dramatic denizens, you can envision the scenes of Basie's coming of age, Charlie Parker's KC childhood and musical evolution, big bands dueling each other, glamorous theaters and giant dance halls, bars open 24 hours, remarkable women, "sporting men," police looking the other way, and so much more. The extensive research really pays off with quotations from reviews and ads from "back in the day," interviews with legends, a generous array of photographs, and a cohesive and accessible presentation of information from many sources. The sights, sounds, scents, and sentiments conveyed by Chuck Haddix and Frank Driggs in Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop are the next best thing to a time-machine. Next, Oxford needs to put out a companion CD (or DVD with photos and copies of the original media) with the recordings of the music and performers to help us fully appreciate the musical innovations from the Paris of the Plains.

Average customer rating:

Ragtime: A Social Commentary
deft compelling historical fiction
A great novel integrated with history.
Exploring the American Dream
Best Book I Have Ever Read

Ragtime
E. L. Doctorow
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Ragtime
Billy Bathgate
The Things They Carried
Ragtime - The Musical (1998 Original Broadway Cast)
The Book of Daniel: A Novel

ASIN: 0452279070

Book Description

Published in 1975, Ragtime changed our very concept of what a novel could be. An extraordinary tapestry, Ragtime captures the spirit of America in the era between the turn of the century and the First World War.
The story opens in 1906 in New Rochelle, New York, at the home
of an affluent American family.
One lazy Sunday afternoon, the famous escape artist Harry Houdini swerves his car into a telephone pole outside their house. And almost magically, the line between fantasy and historical fact, between real and imaginary characters, disap-
pears. Henry Ford, Emma Goldman, J. P. Morgan, Evelyn Nesbit, Sig- mund Freud, and Emiliano Zapata slip in and out of the tale, crossing paths with Doctorow's imagined family and other fictional characters, including an immigrant peddler and a ragtime musician from Harlem whose insistence on a point of justice drives him to revolutionary violence.
The Modern Library has played a significant role in American cultural life for the better part of a century. The series was founded in 1917 by the publishers Boni and Liveright and eight years later acquired by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer. It provided the foundation for their next publishing venture, Random House. The Modern Library has been a staple of the American book trade, providing readers with afford-
able hardbound editions of impor-
tant works of literature and thought. For the Modern Library's seventy-
fifth anniversary, Random House redesigned the series, restoring
as its emblem the running torch-
bearer created by Lucian Bernhard in 1925 and refurbishing jackets, bindings, and type, as well as inau-
gurating a new program of selecting titles. The Modern Library continues to provide the world's best books, at the best prices.

Customer Reviews:

Ragtime: A Social Commentary.......2007-07-21

During the first half of Ragtime, I prematurely concluded that this book was incredibly dull. Characters - both fictional and non-fictional - were dropped on the pages like a yo-yo, appearing and disappearing before you could identify their purpose in the story. I could not get attached to the characters - they all seemed like random thoughts with no connection, no development and often no names.

However, after I passed the novel's halfway point, pieces started to fall together, the plot emerged with force, and Doctorow enchanted me with this important novel of the 20th century.

Ragtime is a story about the social lives and forces of the early 1900's. The plot follows a well-to-do white family, an immigrant Jewish father and daughter, and an African-American musician who is hell-bent on seeking revenge against the racial injustice that he endures. Mingled in are historical figures, including Harry Houdini, Henry Ford, Emma Goldman and Booker T. Washington, and historical events of the time, such as presidential elections and the start of World War I. As a reader, you get a steady look into the history of this era.

Doctorow flexes his creative muscles in writing this story. One critic described Ragtime as "impressionistic" -an accurate adjective for this novel. Like an artist, Doctorow paints his story but blurs the lines and colors. For most of the novel, you may wonder why this character or event is included. This intrigue motivated me to keep reading - I had to know how it all ends. And Doctorow masterfully draws it all together during the last pages so that everything becomes very relevant and purposeful.

I imagine high school and college students around the country read Ragtime because it's a classic study in foreshadowing, plot and character development, and literary tropes. Certainly, Ragtime requires a patient reader. It waits to pull you in. However, if you stick with it, Ragtime will reward you with a marvelous social tale of our country's past.

deft compelling historical fiction.......2007-07-11

i like one reviewers summary of this book as "doctorow's riff on turn of century america." because that's what this book reads like -- a massively intelligent, highly informed, deft improvisation on this time period.

as with his other books, doctorow "triangulates" on a period thru a handful of characters, some famous [jp morgan, houdini] some not [coalhouse walker, Younger Brother]. i partic enjoy doctorow's efforts to get inside the mind of historical figures, like morgan.

the writing is, as always with doctorow, incredibly concise, efficiently and powerful. it does sometimes feel like doctorow follows a "formula" or loose structure for these books but, frankly, who cares!

A great novel integrated with history........2007-05-28

I loved this book when I read it. It's a fictional novel with historical information. The storyline is so good and the ending is not predictable.
I mean they made it into a play so it has to be amazing.

thank you for your time,
Loran

Exploring the American Dream.......2006-09-13

The American mythos of being a land where dreams come true is paradoxically shattered and bolstered in Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow. In fact, reading the book is like entering the magic of dreams -- a mystical and surreal land where life is beautiful and cruel and heaped with absurd correspondences that carry eerie significance.

In Doctorow's early 1900s, the lives of everyday fictional people such as a wealthy white family, a poor Jewish immigrant family, and a black family broken before it can form, flow freely into the experiences of historical figures such as the radical anarchist Emma Goldman, Gibson Girl Evelyn Nesbit, magician Harry Houdini, financier J.P Morgan, automobile manufacturer Henry Ford, architect Stanford White, psychoanalysts Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung and General Tom Thumb, to name just a few. These imagined interactions have lasting effects on everyone involved. Goldman brings the numb and much-abused body of the Gibson Girl Nesbit to life with matronly care by rubbing the girl's confined muscles with liniment. The young white child, referred to only as "little boy," has a chance meeting with the famed Harry Houdini and finds himself compelled to call out to him "Warn the duke," which many years only later holds meaning for Houdini, and
also for all of us, since it refers to the shooting of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Jung, while traveling with Freud in New York City, meets the eyes of the immigrant "little girl," and experiences a "shock of recognition." All lives brush against each other, sometimes in tragedy or horror, sometimes in kindness or beauty, and often with humor. Visit www.lit-week.com for more on Ragtime.

Best Book I Have Ever Read.......2006-04-07

By far, I think this is the best novel I have ever read. It is a very amuseing book that is hard to put down even after reading for hours.

E.L. Doctorow skillfully combines real-life characters (Evelyn, Nesbit, J.P. Morgan, Emma Goldman, etc...) with fictional characters(rich white, poor jew, and oppressed black) who are dealing with life in the early 1900's. It provides a very vivid picture of life back then in the age of ragtime.

Overall, a must read.

Average customer rating:

Ragtime has some of the most glorious songs on Broadway!
Where's "The Show Biz"?
My Favorite Song!
Ragtime Songs Are A Big Hit
Two wonderful songs are missing!

Ragtime, Vocal Selections
Stephen Flaherty , and Lynn Ahrens
Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Ragtime - The Musical (1998 Original Broadway Cast)
Songs for a New World: Piano/Vocal Selections
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ASIN: 1576239551

Product Description

Titles are: Back to Before * Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc. * Gliding * Goodbye, My Love * Make Them Hear You * New Music * Our Children * Ragtime * Sarah Brown Eyes * Till We reach That Day * Wheels of a Dream * Your Daddy's Son.

Customer Reviews:

Ragtime has some of the most glorious songs on Broadway!.......2000-08-31

I had an urge to play some Ragtime tunes on my piano, so I bought this book and began to play. It has the vocal selections along with the sheet music. I find that the sheet music consists of many many chords, making it more difficult, but it's still great fun to play and sing! Great for auditions!

Ragtime has awesome music, and though not all of the best songs are in this, most of them are. My favorite song from Ragtime is Wheels of a Dream, and I was SO happy to see it in here.

One thing I enjoyed about the Ragtime music book was that it wasn't chopped up. When I say that, I mean from experience with other piano books. Many books with chop up the song like from movies for instance. The songs are translated and arranged horribly, but I loved that since a lot of the music from the musical was in piano solo, the music plays EXACTLY the same as you would've heard on Broadway!

Overall, each song is wonderful and this music is an absolute delight to play! Enjoy!

Where's "The Show Biz"?.......2000-06-18

I love this book and have used it many times for auditions/concerts etc. However, one of my most favorite selections from the Original 1996 Toronto recording is the song between Nesbit and Houdini called "The Show Biz". Besides being hilarious, it's the perfect duet to open a concert with. I was extremely disappointed to find that this book didn't include that song. Does anyone know where that sheet music can be found?

My Favorite Song!.......1999-12-21

I didnt buy it, but i was reading up there, and It doesnt have Back to before! I love that song! That and the prologue ae my favorite songs! I cant believe they dont have that!

Ragtime Songs Are A Big Hit.......1999-08-26

Over 1 million copies have been sold. This has to be one of the greatest songbooks from broadway ever.

Two wonderful songs are missing!.......1999-06-13

I think the songs chosen to represent this book were excellent, however, my two favorite songs in the show: "The Night that Goldman Spoke at Union Square" and "Atlantic City" are two songs which strongly express the musical's powerful vocal potential. Not only do I know several people who would like to get their hands on this sheet music, but I myself have been racking my brain for those two songs inparticular, and was disapointed to find they were missing form this book.

Average customer rating:

Always enjoyable
no jewel in the crown
Entertaining but not brilliant
Transparent
Enter British Colonial India...

Ragtime in Simla
Barbara Cleverly
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Bee's Kiss (Joe Sandilands Mysteries)
The Bee's Kiss: A Detective Joe Sandlands Mystery

ASIN: 0385339720
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Book Description

Simla 1922. While the rest of India bakes in the hot season, up in the pine-scented coolness of the Himalayan hills the English have recreated a vision of home. Here are half-timbered houses, amateur theatricals, gymkhanas and a glittering vice-regal court for the socialites. The summer capital of the British Raj is fizzing with the energy of the jazz age. It is toward this country that detective Joe Sandilands is heading as the guest of the governor of Bengal. But when Joe's travelling companion, a Russian opera singer, is shot dead at his side on the road to Simla, he finds himself plunged into a murder investigation. As Joe begins to unravel the mystery which has its roots in the aftermath of the First World War, he discovers that behind the sparkling facade of Simla lies a trail of murder, vice and blackmail.

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Always enjoyable.......2006-11-08

AS before, Barbara Cleverley's mystery series holds ones interest and keeps you wanting the next one!

no jewel in the crown.......2006-04-20

If you want to read something purely for entertainment that doesn't require you to concentrate, this book may be all right. By the end, in fact long before the end, I became impatient with it. The start is very promising, lots of action immediately, then for about 100 pages not much interesting happens. The action continues to be really uneven and the plot is as far-fetched and improbable as anything I've read. There are a lot of twists and the characters are never who they seem to be, which helped hold my interest somewhat. I did not, however, get very interested in the main character (what is a Commander from Scotland Yard doing fooling around in the Indian hills anyway)? I also thought, that while the author did write good description in many places, I really didn't get the "feel" of India as I have from other books. To be fair, the author may have intended to show how the British tried to recreate England wherever they happened to be in the Empire, and ignored the surrounding environment. If so, this was done effectively. The title seemed like a mistake. Ragtime music was popular from about 1890 to 1910, by the 1920s it would have been passe, and it has nothing to do with this story at all. Did the author never hear of the 1920s being referred to as the JAZZ age? In fact, throughout the book, everybody is talking about and listening to jazz records, so the title is inappropriate. My rating on this book is just about neutral.

Entertaining but not brilliant.......2006-04-03

This is my first Joe Sandilands novel.

The story starts out at a rapid pace, giving you a flavour of Simla during the British Raj. Towards the end however, the plot tugs at the bounds of credulity and it goes completely downhill.

It is an entertaining story though, and well told one. Some of the dialogues are somewhat long-drawn, making it obvious that it's more for the benefit of the reader than something that two policemen would say to each other while discussing a murder.

Although the story is set in Simla, all the major characters are British. Apart from some scenes set in the streets of Simla, there aren't very many colourful descriptions of India. The story may well be set in the Scottish Highlands or somewhere suitably adventurous.

A few minor quibbles: Gandhi, when he is mentioned briefly, is spelled as "Ghandi" -- an irritatingly common misspelling by Western authors. Also, the father of one of the characters, Rheza Khan, who is a Pathan, is referred to as the "rajah". No Pathan chief would ever call himself a "rajah".

Overall, it is a good read for a relaxing weekend.

Transparent.......2005-08-29

I found the plot of "Ragtime in Simla" to be fairly obvious very early in the book. In addition, the writing was not intellectually stimulating and the dialogue didn't strike me as being of either the period or the place.

I had purchased this book because I had recently finished Laurie King's "The Game," which takes place in the about same time period and vicinity. Since "The Game" was definitely 5 stars, I was anxious to prolong the atmosphere with another book of similar subject matter and location. Unhappily, "Ragtime in Simla" was the wrong choice and so disappointing that I won't bother with any of this author's other books.

Enter British Colonial India..........2005-04-18

Although I am an avid mystery fan, I also enjoy historical fiction. Ever since reading The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye years ago, I have been fascinated by the British Raj and India in general. This is a fast paced and intricately plotted murder mystery set in Simla in 1922. Joe Sandilands, Scotland Yard, is an endearing character Lovely ladies with secrets abound in the story. I enjoyed every bit of it, and can't wait to read the other books in the series!

Zez Confrey Piano Solos Ragtime, Novelty, and Jazz

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Zez Confrey Piano Solos Ragtime, Novelty, and Jazz
Zez Confrey
Manufacturer: Columbia Pictures Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Keyboard Wizards Of The Gershwin Era, Vol.4

ASIN: 0910957037

Book Description

Edited by Ronny S. Schiff. 90 of the original editions of Zez Confrey's piano solos, songs and children's pieces.

Library Of Ragtime & Early Blues Piano ((the Library of....))

Average customer rating:

Good, but lacking some later material
The Best of the Best
GREAT collection of ragtime and blues
Clear, easy-to-read sheet music. A lot of Scott Joplin.

Library Of Ragtime & Early Blues Piano ((the Library of....))
Peter Pickow
Manufacturer: Amsco Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

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Ragtime Jubilee: 41 Piano Gems, 1911-21
Ragtime Rediscoveries
Classic Piano Rags
Library Of Piano Classics 2 (Library of Series)
Library Of Piano Classics (Library of Series)

ASIN: 0825614589
Release Date: 1995-12-31

Product Description

Pianists and vocalists alike will enjoy the great song hits of this golden age from the ragtime show-stoppers of Irving Berlin to the lowdown blues of W.C. Handy and other blues masters.

Customer Reviews:

Good, but lacking some later material.......2005-06-12

I am a 14 year old pianist, and I love Ragtime & stride. This is a good collection. It comprises of many Joplin rags, 2 Eubie Blake rags, some James Scott, etc, and some Early Blues. It is one of the biggest ragtime collections available. I am disappointed, however, that some of the later (ie, 1915-25), more advanced ragtime is absent. It really could have used some 'Kitten on the Keys', or 'Cataract Rag' to "break the ice" on what is otherwise a bit of a dull, repetitive folio. What is there is good, but most is basically just the same.

I would instead turn to Dover for some more interesting ragtime folios

The Best of the Best.......2005-01-25

The Library of Ragtime and Early Blues by Amy Appleby and Peter Pickow is Outstanding.

As a New York school music educator, this is the best and most complete musical tribute of this era that I have seen. It deserves 10 stars and will definitely be a fantastic addition to add to your home music library. I highly recommend it for the more advanced piano student since ragtime and blues can often be a bit challenging to play.

The book has a beautiful introduction, table of contents (grouped by composer) and index. I like the fact that the name is printed on the edge of the white plastic binding, making it easy to find on a book shelf. All of the Amsco books in the library series that I own are attractively the same height. Each and every "rag" in this book is not only fun and exciting to play but appears to be easy on the eyes due to the fact that it is printed clearly on heavy, white bond paper.

My favorite ragtime composer is Scott Joplin. To my delight, there are 22 of his original compositions in this book. I began playing my favorite of all ragtime pieces, "The Maple Leaf Rag" the minute I received this book as a gift. It was the best gift ever! I didn't even know that Scott Joplin wrote a "Wall Street Rag." I liked the annotations over the different sections of this piece, such as "brokers feeling melancholy" or "good times have come."

I would be remiss if I didn't mention some of the other 40 composers in this book such as James Scott, W.C. Handy, Joseph Lamb, Scott Hayden, Irving Berlin, Tom Turpin and Eubie Blake, etc. There is also a whole section on Ragtime songs, such as Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band" along with cakewalks, classic rags, blues rags and folk rags. I have hours of enjoyment ahead of me.

GREAT collection of ragtime and blues.......2004-02-26

What a wonderful collection! I'm an intermediate-level pianist and relative newcomer to ragtime/blues piano. I was looking for a big sample of all these styles, and this is definitely it. Over 300 pages of stuff, in a sturdy book with a spiral binder (a must-have for big piano books!) I've played this book 'til my hands were sore, and there's still lots I haven't gotten to yet!

Contains some of Joplin's good stuff, but that's widely available. What's really neat about this book is the great selection of other ragtimers' best -- James Scott's Grace and Beauty, Great Scott Rag, Eubie Blake's Chevy Chase Rag, some other great pieces I'd never heard of.

Also, classic old-time blues included, such as W.C. Handy's Memphis Blues and St. Louis Blues, Ballin' The Jack, Tiger Rag, etc.

Also, some wonderful pieces called Cake Walks; kinda like ragtime but slower. Really lovely stuff!

Clear, easy-to-read sheet music. A lot of Scott Joplin........1999-08-05

Includes: The Entertainer, Easy Winners, Swipsey, Maple Leaf Rag, Elite Syncopations, Weeping Willow, and more of Joplin. Also contains several cake walks, ... delightful pieces not often heard. This book removed the mystery of ragtime for me, an amature pianist, and I discovered to my great amazement, that, with some effort ... I can play it, even the Maple Leaf!

101 Mississippi Delta Blues Cotton Picking Guitar Licks (Book and CD) (Red Dog Music Books Fingerpicking Guitar Series)

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101 Mississippi Delta Blues Cotton Picking Guitar Licks (Book and CD) (Red Dog Music Books Fingerpicking Guitar Series)
Larry McCabe
Manufacturer: Red Dog Music Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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101 Razor-Sharp Slide Guitar Blues Licks in Open E Tuning (book and CD) (Red Dog Music Books Razor-Sharp Blues Guitar Series)

ASIN: B000OD4QT4

Product Description

This superb fingerpicking reference book features 101 authentic, traditional blues fingerstyle licks for guitar. The goldmine of licks is divided into the following categories: Four-beat licks; Eight-beat licks; Introductions and turnarounds. The licks are written in both standard notation and guitar tablature, and recorded at a moderate speed on the companion CD. This is not a method book for beginners, but a nice collection of licks for guitarists who have some fingerstyle ability and want to do some exploring. Another GREAT guitar book from Red Dog Music Books.

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Art of Ragtime
William J. Schafer , and Johannes Riedel
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Fingerstyle Blues Songbook: Learn to Play Country Blues, Ragtime Blues, Boogie Blues and More

Average customer rating:

Simply the best intro to fingerstyle blues
More songs, more information
Expand your repertoire

Fingerstyle Blues Songbook: Learn to Play Country Blues, Ragtime Blues, Boogie Blues and More
Steve James
Manufacturer: String Letter Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Mel Bay Duck Baker's Fingerstyle Blues Guitar 101

ASIN: 0634067184

Book Description

Add to your repertoire and reinforce your technique with this collection of blues songs. Bring these songs to life by listening to the recordings on the companion CD, which features short versions of each piece, played slowly and up to tempo. Includes full guitar parts in standard notation with chords, accompanying parts, and tablature, as well as detailed notes on song origins and arrangements.

Customer Reviews:

Simply the best intro to fingerstyle blues.......2007-03-10

Unlike many such books, these are fairly easy (but plenty challenging for the intermediate fingerstyle player) and sound great. Hours of fun. You have to get this book.

More songs, more information.......2006-05-31

As S.Newman said, this book contains tabs for a range of musical styles - mostly in the country blues vein - at a range of difficulties. I'm a (very) rank beginner, and there's a couple of pieces at even my level. There's no real scale of difficulty for the pieces, so you have to check 'em out yourself. There are suggestions of techniques, but this isn't really a "teaching book" per se. As stated, the CD is a useful adjunct.
One feature I truly appreciate is the biographical and musicological information Mr. James includes with each song, along with suggested recordings. I frequently find myself reading these snippets even when the song is beyond my current skills.

Expand your repertoire.......2006-02-01

I'm an intermediate finger picker and I bought this book to learn a few more songs. There are 15 arangemets ranging from country, piedmont, Texas, delta and slide in standard and open tunings.It contains some easy songs that I could play almost immediately and some more challenging ones that I'm still working on. The CD was very helpful as it has each song played twice: once full speed with sung lyrics and once slowed down so you can work out what's happening.
If your thumb can already do its own thing without you having to tell it, then this book is a bargain at only 10 bucks. If your thumb is still connected to your brain, then buy beginning fingerstyle blues by Arnie Bearle and Mark Galbo first.

A Life in Ragtime: A Biography of James Reese Europe

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Jim Europe, The Founder of the International Jazz Movement

A Life in Ragtime: A Biography of James Reese Europe
Reid Badger
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 019506044X

Book Description

In 1919, the world stood at the threshold of the Jazz Age. The man who had ushered it there, however, lay murdered--and would soon plunge from international fame to historical obscurity. It was a fate few would have predicted for James Reese Europe; he was then at the pinnacle of his career as a composer, conductor, and organizer in the black community, with the promise of even greater heights to come. "People don't realize yet today what we lost when we lost Jim Europe," said pianist Eubie Blake. "He was the savior of Negro musicians...in a class with Booker T. Washington and Martin Luther King." In A Life in Ragtime, Reid Badger brilliantly captures the fascinating life of James Reese Europe, tracing a critical chapter in the emergence of jazz through one man's remarkable odyssey. After an early start in Washington, Europe found his fame in New York, the entertainment capital of turn-of-the-century America. In the decade before the First World War, he emerged as an acknowledged leader in African-American musical theater, both as a conductor and an astonishingly prolific composer. Badger reveals a man of tremendous depths and ambitions, constantly aspiring to win recognition for black musicians and wider acceptance for their music. He toiled constantly, working on benefit concerts, joining hands with W.E.B. Du Bois, and helping to found a black music school--all the while winning commercial and critical success with his chosen art. In 1910, he helped create the Clef Club, making it the premiere African-American musical organization in the country during his presidency. Every year from 1912 to 1914, Europe led the Clef Club orchestra in triumphant concerts at Carnegie Hall, winning new respectability and popularity for ragtime. He went on to a tremendously successful collaboration with Vernon and Irene Castle, the international stars who made social dancing a world-wide rage. Along the way, Europe helped to revolutionize American music--and Badger provides fascinating details of his innovations and wide influence. In World War I, the musical pioneer won new fame as the first African-American officer to lead men into combat in that conflict--but he was best known as band leader for the all-black 15th Infantry Regiment. As the "Hellfighters" of the 15th racked up successes on the battlefield, Europe's band took France by storm with the new sounds of jazz. In 1919, the soldiers returned to New York in triumph, and Europe was the toast of the city. Then, just a few months later, he was dead--stabbed to death by a drummer in his own orchestra. From humble beginnings to tragic end, the story of Jim Europe comes alive in Reid Badger's account. Weaving in the wider story of our changing culture, music, and racial conflict, Badger deftly captures the turbulent, promising age of ragtime, and the drama of a triumphant life cut short.

Customer Reviews:

Jim Europe, The Founder of the International Jazz Movement.......2000-02-23

In a true sense of the word pioneer James Reese Europe, brought the only true American Art form to continental europe in the early part of the twentieth century. Reid Badger has captured the essence of a time in history that brought jazz and the cultural attitudes of black America to the international scene.

The very detailed text is a wonderful read, that gives you a sense of the push and pull of being an American Black living in the early 1900's. The book reads as if it were an adventure tale with all the action one could wish for.

The author has done a wonderful job of putting together facts and photos in a fast moving easy to understand academic work. His understanding of the contribution that Europe made to the growth of Jazz is clear and compeling. The details of the stature of the man that was Jim Europe reveals his human and sometimes non perfect personality.

Of particular interest to all should be his tenure as the Band Master of the famous 369th Infantry "Hell-Fighters" band during WWI in Europe.

This a must read for any student of jazz or military history and all who read about contributions to African-American society.

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