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Delta Blues

The Life and Times of the Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Music
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( 793 ratings, 74 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Delta Blues by Ted Gioia offers an expertly researched and elegantly written history of this profoundly American musical genre. Tracing the roots from nineteenth-century plantation field hollers to iconic bluesmen like Muddy Waters and B.B. King, it explores the complex interplay of race and commerce as traditional music entered the mainstream. This engaging narrative combines archival research, interviews, and vivid musical descriptions to provide a deep understanding of both the artists and their music, firmly rooting the story in the Mississippi Delta's rich cultural soil.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers interested in American music history, cultural studies, and the evolution of blues and rock'n'roll. It will particularly appeal to musicians, musicologists, and fans of the blues seeking a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the genre's origins and legacy.

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โ€œThe essential history of this distinctly American genre.โ€โ€”Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

"The essential history of this distinctly American genre." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In this "expertly researched, elegantly written, dispassionate yet thoughtful history" (Gary Giddins), award-winning author Ted Gioia gives us "the rare combination of a tome that is both deeply informative and enjoyable to read" (Publishers Weekly, starred review). From the field hollers of nineteenth-century plantations to Muddy Waters and B.B. King, Delta Blues delves into the uneasy mix of race and money at the point where traditional music became commercial and bluesmen found new audiences of thousands.

Combining extensive fieldwork, archival research, interviews with living musicians, and first-person accounts with "his own calm, argument-closing incantations to draw a line through a century of Delta blues" (New York Times), this engrossing narrative is flavoured with insightful and vivid musical descriptions that ensure "an understanding of not only the musicians, but the music itself" (Boston Sunday Globe).

Rooted in the thick-as-tar Delta soil, Delta Blues is already "a contemporary classic in its field" (Jazz Review).

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as "the essential history" by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Delta Blues has been celebrated for its thorough research and passionate storytelling. The Economist highlighted Gioia's expert tracing of the genre's colourful history, while The Daily Telegraph commended it as a rich and illuminating study. Reviewers consistently note the author's passion and depth of knowledge, with descriptions that vividly evoke the sound of early blues recordings, making it a compelling read for music enthusiasts.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780393337501

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 November 2009

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Illustration: 38 illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 211.0mm

Weight: 398g

Pages: 464

About the Author

An authority on jazz and blues, Ted Gioia is the founder and editor of jazz.com. He has recorded several CDs as a pianist and composer and is the author of five highly regarded books on jazz and roots music. He lives in Plano, Texas.

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