Blowing the Blues: Fifty Years Playing the British Blues [Paperback]

Dick Heckstall-Smith (Author), Pete Grant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2004

This is the autobiography of a master musician, the King of British blues saxophone. In the 60s and 70s Dick was the cornerstone of such seminal R&B bands as Alexis Korner s Blues Incorporated, the Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Colosseum, paving the way for R&B-influenced rock groups like Fleetwood Mac, the Yardbirds, the Animals and the Rolling Stones. With his pithy humour, Dick describes the revolutionary founding years of British R&B - his anecdotes about Ginger Baker, Alexis Korner, Charlie Watts and the unforgettable Graham Bond alone are worth the price. An extraordinarily entertaining book, Dick's unrelentingly honest account of his musical career also reflects on what it takes to be a full time musician, and grapples with the racism and drug abuse endemic in the music industry. In the back of the book is a CD featuring 25 minutes of previously unreleased tracks by Dick Heckstall-Smith, illustrating the sheer musical diversity of his work.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dick Heckstall-Smith was one of the first musicians to commute successfully between jazz and blues-rock. Known for his trademark playing with two saxes, he has always been a trailblazer with groundbreaking stints with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, the Graham Bond Organization and more recently the likes of Julian Bahula in Electric Dream. He was for many years the most sought-after saxophonist on the London scene. With a background as a professional theatre and blues musician, Pete Grant has been Dick Heckstall-Smith's friend and manager for the past three years. Pete's essay about Dick follows the maestro's original text: his achievements in the last 20 years; the musical highlights; why commercial potential remains unfulfilled.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Clear Books (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1904555047
• ISBN-13: 978-1904555049
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,781,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers fifty years of playing British blues, September 8, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blowing the Blues: Fifty Years Playing the British Blues (Paperback)

Most blues guides focus on American blues music: Dick Heckstall-Smith and Pete Grant's Blowing The Blues covers fifty years of playing British blues, includes cd with previously unreleased tracks, and provides insights into blues saxophone to accompany a blend of autobiography and British blues history. Add cartoons by Biff making comments on the life of a blues musician and you have a honest survey of the music scene of the British blues world.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anecdotal and/but more, December 9, 2009

By 

Noel A. Hodda (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blowing the Blues: Fifty Years Playing the British Blues (Paperback)

This is a unique first-hand account of the birth of a genre of music and the birth (and subsequent demise) of two of the genre's flaming stars: The Graham Bond ORGANisation and Colosseum. Along the way we hear tales of many other musicians of the time, such as John Mayall, various early 'jazzers', Jimi Hendrix and more. As if that wasn't enough we also get the pre- and post-story of the author's development as a musician and a deep-thinking person. It's all told with an entertaining anecdotal-based ease that belies the often deep insights at work throughout the book (see the section devoted to Graham Bond and the causes of addiction for example). A great read and highly recommended. AND it comes with a cd with seven previously unreleased tracks, many from DHS's own in-situ live recordings. Thanks and kudos to Clear Books in the UK for re-issuing this valuable piece of writing (the original book was what is now the first part of this release, a book titled 'The Safest Place In The World') in such a great package.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly cool dude!!, February 22, 2005

By 

Samuel B. King "Sam King" (Concord, NH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blowing the Blues: Fifty Years Playing the British Blues (Paperback)

Anyone remotely familiar with the British blues scene of the 60s and 70s will have heard Dick Heckstall-Smith, whether you are aware of his name or not. I'm halfway through this book and...what a treat! In his own words, Dick recounts his personal history as a musician growing up in the British Jazz scene of the 50s and the blues rock period of the 60s and beyond. In the process, he writes a veritable history of the British blues. Why? Because he was present during many of the key episodes of that history. In addition to his musical insight, DHS shares some stories of the road which sound so impossible that they just have to be true. Standouts are the tale of the "homemade stew", Jack Bruce's introduction to him and Ginger Baker's attempt to drive in a blinding snowstorm. The tales of his tenure in the Graham Bond ORGANization are worth the price of admission alone. DHS was a wonderful musician, inquisitive human being and a true ambassador of the British jazz/blues scene. This is a must read book. Rest in peace Dick.