Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey [Paperback]

Peter Guralnick (Author), Robert Santelli (Author), Christopher John Farley (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 2, 2004

A companion to the groundbreaking PBS documentary series, this volume is a unique and timeless celebration of the blues, from writers and artists as esteemed and revered as the music that moved them.

Included in this stunning collection are

• Essays by David Halberstam, Hilton Als, Suzan-Lori Parks, Elmore Leonard, Luc Sante, John Edgar Wideman, and many others
• Timeless archival pieces by writers such as Stanley Booth, Paul Oliver, and Mack McCormick
• Evocative color illustrations and rare vintage photography
• Illuminating and in-depth conversations and portraits of musicians, ranging from Robert Johnson and Bessie Smith to John Lee Hooker and Eric Clapton
• Lyrics of legendary blues compositions
• Personal essays by the series directors Martin Scorsese, Charles Burnett, Richard Pearce, Wim Wenders, Marc Levin, Mike Figgis, and Clint Eastwood
• Excerpts from literary masters James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Eudora Welty, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and William FaulknerTracing the art form's path from juke joints, house parties, and recording studios to musicians such as Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles, Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues proves, in the words of Willie Dixon, "The blues are the roots; every-thing else is the fruits."

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey is an idiosyncratic, well-produced, and relatively cheap introduction to a quintessentially American musical invention. With much of the material consisting of excerpts from other sources, and the lack of an index, the tome seems more like a fluffed-up set of liner notes for the accompanying DVD set and CD series than a book--and that's probably the best way to approach it. The book is loosely constructed around the seven films, and there are great writers involved, including Stanley Booth, Hilton Als, Robert Palmer, Richard Hell, Luc Sante, and Robert Gordon. These selections are for the most part inspired, though one wonders why there's not even one page from Alan Greenberg’s brilliant Love in Vain screenplay, or anything from LeRoi Jones' classic Blues People. Unlike similar collections, the book gives real props to gospel-blues pioneer Bind Willie Johnson and rightfully places fife and drum patriarch Othar Turner at the top of the blues pantheon. But very little print is given to political, racial, gender and social issues surrounding the music. Not that one wishes it were some heavy academic tome. But, like the celebrated PBS series itself, an aura of missed opportunity hangs over the entire endeavor. Overall, this book makes a fine gift for casual fans of the music and is recommended for those who really enjoyed the series. --Mike McGonigal --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“A must for any real blues fan.” (Chicago Sun-Times)

“A literary sampler as vibrant and original as the films and music that inspired it.” (The Times (Shreveport, LA))

“Read the book … essential … for anyone who cares about American history, black culture and current music.” (Miami Herald)

“Brilliant.” (Toronto Star)

“Breaking new ground.” (Crain's New York Business)

“[One of the] ‘Twelve Books of Christmas’ ... the perfect gift for the music lover.” (Calgary Sun)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Amistad; Reprint edition (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060525452
• ISBN-13: 978-0060525453
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #632,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Blues.... June 22, 2004

By The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Format:Hardcover

"The blues - it's kind of like religion, really." - Peter Green

In this companion book to MARTIN SCORSESE PRESENTS THE BLUES: A MUSICAL JOURNEY, a PBS/DVD series, numerous music historians and period writers take on the task of capturing the very essence of the genre that gave birth to rock and roll. Peter Guralnick says in his introduction that the purpose of the companion book was to "reflect and refract the spirit of the blues" and to compile "something deeper and more spiritual than a mere recitation of the facts."

Mainstay blues historians such as Christopher John Farley, Peter Guralnick, Alan Lomax, Paul Trynka, and Robert Gordon have their place in the companion book by contributing their biographical and historical research as well as adding some new information to the blues arsenal. Excerpts from Gordon's CAN'T BE SATISFIED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MUDDY WATERS and Trynka's PORTRAIT OF THE BLUES are included alongside new entries such as Christopher John Farley's "Bessie Smith: Who Killed the Empress?" Present day fiction writers like Suzan Lori-Parks and Toure also offer their contributions on the blues and the legacy it left behind.

While the usual historians are included in the book, there also are many mainstream writers who have come across the blues at times in their lives. Among others, there are excerpts from Ralph Ellison's acclaimed INVISIBLE MAN, James Baldwin's FIRE NEXT TIME, and Faulkner's SOLDIER'S PAY. All of these pieces relate to the blues within their own context, and the result is a first hand account of how the blues have affected many.

The blues is an element of American culture that has spawned the genesis of many things from R&B to rock and roll and everything in between. Although the televised version of Martin Scorsese's chronicle of this genre is excellent and informative in its own right, this book affords an experience that can only be garnered by turning pages, scrutinizing photos, and reading and re-reading the bottom line, which turns out to be the blues.

Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book November 25, 2012

By trees

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The book arrived quickly. Bought it for my boyfriend who barely reads anything... he can't put this book down! he loves it

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Martin Scorsese - Blues A musical Journey June 26, 2012

By Red Eddie

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A must read for any fans of the Blues or anyone who wants to learn about the history of the Blues. I bought this to I could piece together all my bits of knowledge and stories I had picked up from various sources and it doesn't dissapoint.