Spreadin' Rhythm Around: Black Popular Songwriters, 1880-1930 [Hardcover]

David A Jasen (Author), Gene Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 22, 2000

Spreadin' Rhythm Around: Black Popular Songwriters, 1880-1930 is a classic work on a little-studied subject in American music history: the contribution of African-American songwriters to the world of popular song. Hailed by Publishers Weekly as "thoroughly researched and entertainingly written," this work documents the careers of songwriters like James A. Bland ("Carry Me Back to Ole Virginny"), Bert Williams ("Nobody"), W. C. Handy ("St. Louis Blues"), Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake ("I'm Just Wild About Harry"), and many more. Richly illustrated with rare photographs from sheet music, newspapers, and other unique sources, the book documents an entire era of performance when black singers, dancers, and actors were active on the New York stage.

In sheer depth of research, new information, and full coverage, Spreadin' Rhythm Around offers a comprehensive picture of the contributions of black musicians to American popular song. For anyone interested in the history of jazz, pop song, or Broadway, this book will be a revelation.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The great, unsung African American songwriters who struggled and thrived between Reconstruction and the Depression take a bow in this lively survey. The writers (Jasen is author of Recorded Ragtime, 1897-1958; Jones is an actor and sheet music collector) show that although early stars like James A. Bland, Gussie L. Davis and Irving Jones worked in existing 19th-century genres (minstrel songs, tearjerkers and so-called coon songs), innovators of the teens and 1920s?among them Chris Smith, Shelton Brooks, W.C. Handy, Eubie Blake and Fats Waller?transformed American popular music with their creative approaches to rag, blues and jazz. Jason and Jones also demonstrate that in a field dominated by whites, black songwriters of the time depended on their own versatility in order to survive; most were performers as well as songwriters, and many were skilled entrepreneurs, impresarios and promoters (for example, record executive J. Mayo Williams, music publishers Shep Edmonds and Cecil Mack, and band and orchestra organizer James Reese Europe). Thoroughly researched and entertainingly written, the book is an impressive tribute to dozens of remarkable careers. Photos. Editor, Richard Carlin.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

It doesn't take much effort to gauge the influence of African Americans on modern popular music. One look at this week's top ten will reveal that at least half of the tunes are by black artists, and the work of blues and jazz musicians of the 1930s and 1940s, which ultimately contributed to the birth of rock'n'roll, is well documented. But some readers will be surprised to learn of well-loved songs written by blacks from 1880 to 1930. From James A. Bland, a minstrel-era star known as the black Stephen Foster; to W.C. Handy, the first person to put the blues on paper; to Fats Waller, who conquered Broadway with songs like "Ain't Misbehavin'"?these individuals excelled in every genre of popular music. This book also explores performers, music publishers, and entrepreneurs. Jasen, head of the C.W. Post College Popular Music Archive, and Jones, who has written monographs on Tom Turpin and The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, provide substantial biographies of more than 40 figures, well known and obscure, that personalize and deepen this look at an important contribution to American culture. Recommended for popular music collections.?Dan Bogey, Clearfield Cty. P.L. Federation, Curwensville, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 435 pages
• Publisher: Schirmer Trade Books (December 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825672287
• ISBN-13: 978-0825672286
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,316,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous account of struggle and success, August 11, 2000

By 

F. Behrens "Frank Behrens" (Keene, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spreadin' Rhythm Around: Black Popular Songwriters, 1880-1930 (Hardcover)

Coauthors David A. Jasen and Gene Jones should be declared national treasures. Along with their excellent account "That American Rag," published by Schirmer Books, they have given us <Spreadin' the Rhythm Around: Black Popular Songwriters, 1880-1930> from the same publishing house.

Reading this fabulous account of so many talented Blacks hitting their heads against the stone wall of prejudice at almost every turn, I was fascinated, sad, and increasingly angry at story after story about composer after composer, lyricist after lyricist, who had so much to offer and and were for the most part obliged to perpetuate the stereotypical image imposed upon them and their people. Now and then, a bright light breaks through as with the story of James Resse Europe's Clef Club, a union of black musicians that managed (with the help of Irene and Vernon Castle) to make their orchestras and bands those of choice by white high society. You will be equally riveted to the other accounts of men like James A. Bland, Bert Williams, W.C. Handy, Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake, and others some more familiar and less familiar to most readers.

Many of the defeats described are not necessarily the result of racism. When one of the personalities involved was at fault through his own temper or poor judgment, the authors do not shirk in pointing out where the blame lies. They also do something I found lacking in their other book: when they say how good or innovative a song was, they give reasons in musical terms for that judgment.

On the other hand, whereas their other book has amazingly concise and full appendices of works, dates, publishers, and so on, this book has none. I would greatly have appreciated a list of the all the shows mentioned in the text in chronological order. Perhaps a later edition will include this.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glad That They Were "Spreadin' Rhythm Around", November 30, 1999

By 

Christopher F. Dodrill "cfxjd" (S Ozone Park, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spreadin' Rhythm Around: Black Popular Songwriters, 1880-1930 (Hardcover)

The complete source for information in this area. Proves to be an indispensable research guide. The impressive data, design, and layout are all first-rate. Photos and pix are priceless. A presentation of great beauty and charm. Highly recommended.