AllenLowe

Intro by James Smethurst, Professor of African American Studies, U Massachusetts. to "Really the Blues?" "This book represents Allen Lowe at his idiosyncratic, eclectic, freewheeling, analytically sharp, and historically astute best. He invites you to take exception with him while causing you to rethink many of your deeply held shibboleths about the blues and African American music. He wears his opinions on his sleeve and then works mightily to back them up. Strangely enough, this is a book about the blues that insists that the blues was one of many forms of African American music rather than the absolute bedrock of African American music. In many respects, the core of the book is the demonstration of the entrance of many popular genres of African American and European American “high” and popular music into both the blues and the repertoire of many early artists we associate with the blues, from the music’s very inception - as well as the entrance of the blues into many genres of popular music. He gives due, if still somewhat controversial, credit to African American minstrelsy, medicine show music, ragtime and the related genre of the “coon” song and performance, with all these genres’ ambivalencies and contradictions in the development and circulation of the blues as a popular form (if one can speak of the blues as a single form) as well as in the development of the popular blues artist. At the same time, as he discusses in a personal account in the form of a Q & A that begins the book, he is much concerned with the question of how authenticity might work in such an aesthetically and commercially mixed form that is African American at its base, but significantly practiced and influenced by so-called white music and artists from very early on. What I find particularly engaging about Lowe’s discussion of authenticity is that he does not simply reject the notion of authenticity in post-modern fashion, but finds ways of reinvigorating that notion for the discussion of a patently hybrid music that had roots in the black folk sometime in the nineteenth century, but which subsequently travelled much geographically, aesthetically, sonically, and commercially. To put it another way, he takes the blues seriously as a historically bound musical genre with serious aesthetic concerns and expectations, even if those concerns and expectations were constantly being negotiated and renegotiated in the relationships between the blues artists and their audiences within the peculiar context of the popular music industry of the United States. Following the opening setting of the terms and concerns of discussion, the book is not a seamless narrative. Rather, it is a sort of chronological travelogue that focuses on a series of artists and recordings without a lot of transition. This has the virtue of looking carefully at individual recordings and artists that we might not know (e.g., the Afro American Folk Song Singers and Al Bernard) as well as others that we thought we knew (W.C. Handy and Mamie Smith), but whom Lowe shows from angles that we might not have considered. One pleasure of this approach is that Lowe’s palpable love for the music he discusses is made clear while at the same time he avoids the well-worn clichés and received narratives about the blues and jazz that have attended criticism of the those musical genres for decades. While there is much worthwhile to found throughout the book, I found the first part, focusing on the early recordings of black and white artists engaging the blues, basically African American forms contemporary with the early blues, and what might be thought of as pre-blues, to be most revelatory. It seems to me to be the best and most concise catalogue of the early-recorded blues. Again, if one is looking for the “story” of the blues (and jazz) told in either some rise and fall declension narrative or an ahistorical “the blues always was and will be” manner, this is not one of those books. However, if you want to read an episodic, chronological survey animated by the lively critical intelligence of a jazz musician, fan, and historian, a survey that will call many earlier narratives of the blues and the blues in jazz into question without rejecting the possibility of narrative, then this is that book."

As I've mentioned I have various books which have remained in ms over the years but not been published, and a new project on the blues that has been in limbo. The original plan was to bring a bunch of these out as Ebooks, but due to various problems that idea has been shelved (though it will probably eventually happen). I am working now with a small press to get my rock and roll history and my blues chronicle into hard copy print; both will be linked with a web site with substantial musical samples (over 800 for the blues book alone). In order to make this project financially floatable I need to have a modest pre-order of 25 of each of these books. We will be selling each them at $20 plus shipping ($8 in the USA, $20 to Europe; US postal rates have unfortunately gone beserk). Order both for $30 plus shipping. the two titles are: Really the Blues? A Horizontal Chronicle of the Vertical Blues 1893-1959 and: God Didn’t Like It: Electric Hillbillies, Singing Preachers, and the Beginnings of Rock and Roll, 1950-1970 I expect to have them available by late October or early November; unless the pre-order is insufficient in which case I will give a full refund or the option to wait (they will eventually be out, I am certain). I can take check, cash, paypal, m.o., whatever. Email me at allenlowe5@gmail.com to reserve and pay; I am very proud of these two books, and will include, in my next post, the intro to the blues book by James Smethurst of the University of Massachusetts (the blues book, btw, will have a previously unpublished photo of Son House).

this is a very high end tube pre-amp that can be used for phono stage, tape, cd, or a number of line-in functions. it sounds absolutely great; I'm just divesting a bit in anticipation of getting the hell out of here in a few years. I have had it for a number of years, though it got very little use the last few years; it was, however, checked out by my tube amp guy at that time who went through it and made adjustments as needed; I also put in a number of NOS tubes at the time. these go for lotsa cash elswhere, but I am seliing it for $500 plus insured shipping (only to the USA) - however there is just one piece of BAD NEWS: but it's not that bad. When I retubed it 2 years ago, I misplaced the screws. I will attempt this week to find replacements, though this does not effect, of course, the functioning of the unit; but I will ship it after tightening it up with whatever replacement screws I can find (trip to the hardware store tomorrow). I cannot promise they will be exact fits, but you may be able to do better than I in that respect, and at this price I don't think it's a big issue. As a matter of fact, you will not find any thing of this quality at this price elsewhere, I think. prefer paypal, email me at allenlowe5@gmail.com (my paypal is alowe5@maine.rr.com) here's a Stereophile review: http://www.stereophile.com/content/conrad-johnson-pv11-preamplifier

I'd love to hear those Barry things from 1950; earliest I've heard is some stuff he did, I think, with Rosolino, which was later.

#2 (that's how I feel)

well, the point I make in my book is that it the theory of blues to rock is overblown, and ideologically so. I compare it to misconceptions about Darwinism. Darwinism posits NOT that we descend from apes, but that we have related ancestry, So it is with the blues and rock and roll - they have related (musical) ancestry. I think that gives a much more accurate picture.

thanks, guys, I'm excited about it; just waiting.

"sigh" - frustrating situation; they've been putting it off, though I have been assured it will be out by next spring, if not before; if that doesn't happen, I will find an alternative means -

sorry, can't get the link to work - what's the title?

Yes, there are many clear differences; however, as a means of identifying country music I am referring to music which is originates in Southern urban and rural areas (turns out that a lot of the early country players were city dwellers) characterized by a certain simplicity of harmonic and instrumental format, built around the basic stringband instrumentation, with a repertoire whose origins are a mix (and not necessarily in this order) of 19th century professional songwriting and early and late minstrelsy, crossed with various Scotch-Irish aspects of repertoire and instrumentation, and combined with 19th and 20th century African American vernacular lyrics, rhythm, vocal inflection, and song/instrumental form and style. just for a start.

Freelance - yes, I am the first to recognize it in the way I recognize it, let us say. My chapter on country music in the rock and roll book was shown to Tony Russell, and passed the test. If Tony thought it was significant, I am satisfied. as for black country music - tons. Though my definition is broader than most. Good time to mention that I am just starting a new history of country music. Though it will take a while.

I'll Keep Loving You. The winner, once and for all.

Richie Powell's wife, IIRC, was driving when they got killed. Sadly, Curley Russell told me that everyone warned them that she was a terrible and dangerously incompetent driver.

thanks for that; can't figure out who wrote it, must be in there somewhere; there's also a good piece on Ramey in Doug Ramsey's collection.

yes; the mythology is so pervasive, as you know; even college texts I have read follow the same washed-out evolutionary theories (and not just with rock and roll). It's always the same 5 people who did this, which led to that.

well, hate to plug myself (actually I don't mind); but my own history of rock and roll, 1950-1970 should be out later this year as an e book; I think I do a better job than most at indicating the complex origins and early development of rock and roll; not to give it away, but I would point you to Sonny Boy Williamson and Utah Smith, in terms of origins; and then early (Sun records) Junior Parker and Lawson and Scott; though that's still an oversimplification, because we need to look, also, at New Orleans post-Dave Bartholomew, and connect the clave of N.O. to Good Morning Little Schoolgirl and then It's All Right Mama (and here I am putting the country 2 beat together with the basic Latin subdivision). But there's a lot of white country music that also must be looked at. Beyond that you'll have to read my book, sorry.

good points, all; I guess it's just one of those questions of interpretation; certain criticisms seem to cross the line (not talking about yours specifically); I don't know. I just know the member in question and he's one of the nicest people I've encountered here.

I agree you are within your rights to criticize and disagree with specific posts- but NOT to criticize the amount and variety. Just my opinion.

Now That You're Gone You Are too Beautiful I Fall in Love Too Easily It's Easy To Remember I Loves You Porgy

well, no matter how we look at it, Blue Train is right - there was a snideness to those posts that implied Aloc was wasting our time; and I don't really think it's anyone's place to say that. It speaks to a certain inappropriateness that happens here on occassion; as when someone criticizes some music and someone else chimes in "well you're just jealous because he's more famous than you." I don't believe it's right to question anyone's motives or sensibiities in a way that challenges their right to express themselves, as long as no one is personally under attack.

actually I like the remastering threads. But that's ok; we thrive on diversity here.

actually, Larry and I have spoken on the phone. Obviously, however, I did not make much of an impression.

thanks; I'm also a bit distressed at some of the mean spirit comments directed at Aloc's threads; I've gotten to know him a bit and he's a gentleman and great jazz fan.

if ALOC is reading this, please ignore some of the hurtful comments herein and keep doing what you are doing.

I'm a thread anarchist - and anyrhing Jerry posts is fine with me. He's a great guy.