Customer Reviews

Boogaloo: The Quintessence of American Popular Music

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Boogaloo is very cool - and in many ways stunning. Arthur Kempton has written a book that is simultaneously a treatise on black music, black culture, and american capitalism over the last century. And he has done it with great style - he is an amazing writer. On nearly every page there is at least one line (often many) that is totally quotable. I often would find myself re-reading a line over and over as I admired the combination of totally hip insight and wordsmithing. And it is that combination that largely makes this book so worthwhile. His handling of this vast subject is in fact deeply idiosyncratic - but it is through his own individual prism that the subject comes all the more alive. The selection of the photos parallel the writing, portraying the same eye for the ironic and revelatory. It would indeed have been totally cool to have an accompanying cd as the soundtrack of the book.

Boogaloo outlines the consistent threads that run through black music from the early 20th century onwards, from its early roots in blues and the church, to the soul and funk years, up to the hip hop of today. Kempton uses the lives and music of Thomas Dorsey, Sam Cooke, Barry Gordy, George Clinton, Tupac Shakur and other hip hop artists as the examples of the evolution of these threads. But this work is far more that a stylish review of different styles of black music.There are a number of broader themes at work here. One constant is a demonstration of the evolution of how black music has been marketed to young whites. Perhaps most importantly, Kempton sees popular culture as one of america's greatest exports, and black culture (in particular its music) at the heart of this, and his book is in part a demonstration of how this came to be.

One of the beauties of Kempton's accomplishment is that he doesn't always make explicit the connections in order to outline these themes, he allows the reader to do this for himself. With his particular selection of players and incidents from such a vast subject matter, combined with his own obvious love of the subject, and his wry humor and insights, Arthur Kempton has supplied us with both a revelatory and stylish treatise on black music, that in the process reveals much about american culture. He makes it clear in his short preface that this has been a life long study - and there is no doubt that anyone seriously interested in these subjects should take advantage of that study by reading this book. Besides that, it is totally cool and fun.

Boogaloo is one of the finest books to come my way in a very long time. I would recommend it even for anyone who has no interest in the subject. The writing is that good. The reader comes to care because Mr. Kempton so clearly does. Yet, though passionate, Mr. Kempton's tone is very much that of a gentleman - the kind who has the grace not to hit people over the head. Mr. Kempton's prose is as considered and thought provoking as that of William Trevor. I know no higher praise. An amazing tour de force. Buy copies for your friends. I have.

Boogaloo: The Quintessence Of American Popular Music is the paperback edition of the informative and informational textbook offering an intriguing history of the art and influence for African-American music presented by American popular music expert Arthur Kempton. (formerly a radio disc jockey, deputy superintendent of Boston's public school system, an educational consultant, and a frequent contributor to the "New York Review of Books"), An eloquent approach to the politics and historical significance of pop-culture, Boogaloo is an explorative documentation of the what a difference the Afro-American culture had in influencing the movement of America's transitional decades and from which trend to the next. Very strongly recommended to all American history enthusiasts, students of Back History, and students of American music, American Culture, Boogaloo is to be given very high praise for its extensively researched and well documented presentation.

Arthur Kempton takes the reader on a musical journey in his book BOOGALOO. Beginning with gospel greats such as Thomas Dorsey, moving on to soul crooners such as Sam Cooke, and ending with present day hip hop and rap artists, such as Tupac and DMX, Kempton gives a behind the scene glimpse at the culture, society, and economics that make up "Aframerican" music.

When I first picked up BOOGALOO, I thought that the book would merely be a factual account of the music industry. While it does encompass that, it is much more. It gives a candid view of the music industry, primarily the African American side and its impact on American culture. Although a bit wordy at times, BOOGALOO presents an interesting, accurate, and unique portrayal of an important part of American culture-music.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Great book that roughly follows the line Thomas Dorsey - Sam Cooke - Berry Gordy - Stax - Def Jam to explain the rise of black music as a mix of blues and gospel and how some men tried and others succeeded in building black businesses.

However...

he totally misses the point on a few things. First his dissing of Sam Cooke's music and thereby completely ignoring the time he was living in. First he tries to explain his crossover appeal and then almost strikes him down as a mediocre songwriter. That of course is why his songs are not played on the radio anymore and why only 100 artists and more have recorded 'Bring it on home', 'shake', 'you send me' etc (this is irony my friends...)

He also gives a review of his Harlem Square record, named in mostly all of the best records ever lists but he thinks Sam fails. Again he completely ignores Sam's background and the comparison with James Brown's Apollo album is utterly rediculous.

Sometimes he tries to be interesting with a snide remark. Janis Joplin showed up at a STAX show and Kempton calls her 'a cartoon of black style, an unmusical screamer, and a brutalizer of songs originated by her betters.'

Do I still have to remind everyone he again misses the point completely... writing about music needs a big chunk of love for music, i didn't find a lot of it here, only his so-called interested remarks about why music is bad.

Too bad, it could have been so much better.