Customer Reviews

The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The constant berating of people who's voices aren't 50's style radio "pukers" as "being totally devoid of emotion" or "unable to express emotional content" belays an inherent lack of understanding of the blues and how the music expresses emotion. This book smacks of a pampered academic trying to compare workin' folks' music to slick city jazz enjoyed by the priveleged upper class. I bought this book used for $8.00 and refuse to sell it or give it away. I have hidden it at the back of my closet in the hopes that it will NEVER see the light of day. I give it 2 stars for the accuracy of the listing of the players on the discs and the slightly more accurate reviews of the instrumental playing.

Hadley is a true critic. If he doesn't have something nice to say, he says it anyway. Read his reviews every month in Downbeat for proof of that. He has very eclectic tastes and does not suffer singers who cannot sing or express the song or writers who cannot write. He points out the good and bad of performance and production. I am tired of critics being afraid to say something is no good or at least point out faults in a recording. Sometimes the emperor has no clothes and the critic needs to tell us that. I do not see any bias in favor or against any type of blues or any era of blues in his book or in his Downbeat columns, only criticism of failings that need to be pointed out. If you do prefer a certain era or style (we all have our own preferences and biases) this book will point you in the right direction for blues you will appreciate.

a great help in deciding which blues cds to buy. does not cover jazz or rock or any other kind of music. to its credit it's pure blues!