Chicago Blues: The City and the Music

by Ronald Radano and Mike Rowe

Book Overview

Chicago has always had a reputation as a "wide open town" with a high tolerance for gangsters, illegal liquor, and crooked politicians. It has also been the home for countless black musicians and the birthplace of a distinctly urban blues-more sophisticated, cynical, and street-smart than the anguished songs of the Mississippi delta--a music called the Chicago blues. This is the history of that music and the dozens of black artists who congregated on the South and Near West Sides. Muddy Waters, Big Bill Broonzy, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, Tampa Red, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, Otis Rush, Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells, Eddie Taylor--all of these giants played throughout the city and created a musical style that had imitators and influence all over the world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306801450
• ISBN13: 9780306801457
• Release Date: August 1981
• Publisher: Da Capo
• Length: 226 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

One of the greatest Chicago blues books ever!

This is absolutely one of the all time very best books ever written about our Chicago blues! A real must for all readers who want to learn about this music and it's great musicians. Great rare photos and stories. I have over 200 blues books and this is one of my favorites. Enjoy it! Buy it Read it! www.barrelhousechuck.com Chicago blues piano player

chicago blues, the people who made music, their story

one of the best on the subject, a classic standing on its own, many cds sleeve notes and other publications have as their source the stories and information in its pages,Highly Recommended Some books have a built in obsolessence in them as time goes by, this book as all the best works on a given subject will never be less than essential.

Very imformative reading

This book is one of those 'text' books that reads well. It isn't really a text book but it contains more information about Chicago Blues than I have found in a single book anywhere else. It covers the standard demographic changes and other things that lead to the development of the music, but then it walks you through the artists, big and small, the different labels, big and small. From Muddy Waters to Mighty Joe Young, Chess to Jax. Also included are billboard rating charts, and a very comprehensive discography by artist. The only limitaion I found was that it does not cover the more modern artists, leaving off around the mid seventies. For someone who loves blues and wants to know more, this is a great guidebook for a journey though a great musical tradition.