Customer Reviews

Something About the Blues With Audio CD (Book & CD)

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Usually when I think about the blues I imagine a singer with a melancholy voice singing something like:
My man done beat me, treats me kind of mean.
I say, My man done beat me, treats me kind of mean.
But . . .
Well you get the idea.

But of course the Blues, which is the basis of jazz, bebop, R&R,etc is much more than that.

With this book, Al presents the Blues as it is; poetry about all aspects of life, mostly life affirming, set to music or imagined.

To quote part of one of Al's poems:

"Something about the blues swoops down on you so soft and easy
that the slippery salt-seam that sews sleep to wakefulness melts
down to let love pour out all over you like radiation"

With this book I believe Al Young has come of age. He beautifully distills his talents as a poet, musician, and wonderful story teller into the work of art which is this gift.

The book itself is "eye candy." It is visually appealing in its layout and makes the poems easy and compelling to read and very tempting to recite. As a bonus Al includes a wonderful CD in which his performance makes his poetry come alive, with and without musical accompanyment.

This is a book written by a master poet working at the top of his game. The fusion of music and image, poetry and rhythm is seamless; it rings with the clear bell of pure authenticity. Reading these words is as effortless and evocative as sinking into a vinyl booth at a blues bar, feeling the buzz of the music take you out of yourself into another place of soul, of light, of being grateful to be alive.

The book itself is crafted with care and attention to detail. The addition of a CD was a stroke of genius. This collection is a real treat... a must-have for anyone who loves music, or words, or (especially) both.

I bought this as a gift for my dad, who loves the Blues. He loved it and thought both the book and the CD were just great!

This is anothere of the essential parts of my library. Love Al's poetry, And his Blues Poetry. He whites with such love and abandon, warm but not trashy, Simply beautiful.
I have had the priveledge pf performing concerts with Al, with my [then ] Quintet.... There are parts of the concert that are spoken and other parts that are sung... really highty artistic, and soulful.... Youwill not be complete til you have his books near you so you can really dig what this major Artist and California PoetLaureate is all about1 And you wont be able to rest til you have all his books!

What can you say about a nation whose basic music is the blues", asks Al Young .. but it sure makes sense. These poems are spiced with blues and jazz legends, like Thelonious Monk, Gene Ammons, James Brown, and Blind Snooks Eaglin. I loved "Lester Leaps In' ... "Nobody but Lester Leap / into a spotlight that got too hot". And Straight No Chaser is a fitting accompaniment for Monk. I'd suggest listening to the CD first, to get Al's voice in your head, and particularly enjoyed the music and reading of "The James Cotton Band at the Keystone". There are subtle surprises throughout like "Squirrels may be crazy, but they aren't dullards". Also a nice bonus on the CD, is Langston Hughes reading "The Weary Blues".