California Soul: Music of African Americans in the West (Music of the African Diaspora) [Paperback]

Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje (Editor), Eddie S. Meadows (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Music of the African Diaspora | Publication Date: May 12, 1998

This new series, co-sponsored with The Center for Black Music Research of Columbia College, seeks to increase our understanding of black music genres and their importance to the cultures of the Atlantic world, including their influence on African musical styles. Books in the series will examine the wide-ranging music of the African diaspora--including the folk-derived musical styles of the Americas as well as European-influenced concert hall music of the entire black Atlantic world--by analyzing issues critical to our interpretation of the music itself and exploring the relationships between music and the other black expressive arts.
Focusing on blues, jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, and soul music, California Soul is one of the first books to explore the rich musical heritage of African Americans in California. The contributors describe in detail the individual artists, locales, groups, musical styles, and regional qualities, and the result is an important book that lays the groundwork for a whole new field of study. The essays draw from oral histories, music recordings, newspaper articles and advertisements, as well as population statistics to provide insightful discussions of topics like the California urban milieu's influence on gospel music, the development of the West Coast blues style, and the significance of Los Angeles's Central Avenue in the early days of jazz. Other essays offer perspectives on how individual musicians have been shaped by their African American heritage, and on the role of the record industry and radio in the making of music. In addition to the diverse range of essays, the book includes the most comprehensive bibliography now available on African American music and culture in California.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

California Soul is an original attempt to discuss the influence, growth, and style of blues, jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, and soul music--the music of African Americans--in California. While the birth and subsequent growth of these styles in areas such as New Orleans, Chicago, and New York have previously been well documented, California's role in shaping the blues has not. In fact, the state is usually mentioned only as a footnote, if at all, in blues history. California Soul proves that the area's African Americans have, for over three-quarters of a century, shaped their own distinctive blues sound--one distinguished by a smooth sound, experimentation, and diversity. In essence, a sound that is influenced by California's own indigenous qualities.

The book's first section, "Music in an Urban Environment," documents the influence of California's urban centers on the state's blues sound. "Music and the Media" examines the trends and sounds that radio and musical recordings have brought to bear upon the state's blues music. "The Musician as Innovator," the third--and most personal--section focuses on individual artists, like early Motown's Brenda Holloway.

The book is less an overview of these influences than a number of deeply researched, specialized topics thread together by the common theme of African American blues in California. The result is a collection of scholarly articles rather than light reading or a comprehensive view of the subject. The academic bent of the articles results in a formal, often stiff writing style. Though some chapters offer intrinsically appealing topics (jazz trumpeter Clora Bryant's experience is especially interesting), the book is written mainly for scholars and fans deeply interested in the subject. --Kris Law

Review

...an informed and insightful glimpse into a scene that is also an art form, an industry and a subculture. -- The Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review, Jonathan Kirsch

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Product Details

• Paperback: 462 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (May 12, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520206282
• ISBN-13: 978-0520206281
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #784,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)