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Delta Blues: The Life And Times Of The Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Music (2008)

by Ted Gioia(Favorite Author)

4.09 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0393062589 (ISBN13: 9780393062588)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

review 1: An excellent and thorough overview of the great Delta Blues players, covering their music, influence and personal histories (to the extent possible). The sections on Skip James and Muddy Waters are particularly interesting; the section on Robert Johnson tends to get bogged down in scholarly dispute. The most vivid sections of the book deal with life in The Delta, which consisted of hardships the average American would find difficult to imagine. Ted Gioia is an accomplished scholar of both jazz and blues; his research and analysis of the work of other researchers is impeccable.
review 2: I found this a fascinating read. Ted Gioia examines the birth of the blues at the start of the twentieth century, and follows some of the major (but often little known) players ... morethrough their lives. The journey shows us the evolution of the music, as well as the changes in society. Sadly, many of these bluesmen and women did not live long enough to see the tremendous impact they had on what is now our modern music. Nor did most of them ever get the credit they deserved. Gioia's writing is engaging and his love for the music bleeds onto the pages. However, this is not a light read I'd recommend for a casual fan. This is a detailed examination of a musical style and culture that reshaped music as we know it. If the name Robert Johnson doesn't mean anything to you, then I doubt this book would hold your interest. But if you love the blues, this is a must have for your collection. less

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