Up from the Cradle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II [Paperback]

Jason Berry (Author), Tad Jones (Author), Jonathan Foose (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1992

"Up from the Cradle of Jazz" is an intimate history of New Orleans music during the last 45 years. It describes the piano playing of Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, James Booker, Huey "Piano" Smith and Dr John; the singing of Irma Thomas, Little Richard, Aaron Neville and Lee Dorsey; the compositions and performances of Allen Toussaint, Guitar Slim, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, The Meters and The Neville Brothers. From smoky bars and nightclubs to the open air revelry of Mardi Gras, this work aims to be the definitive story of the music of contemporary New Orleans. Jason Berry is the author of "Amazing Grace: with Charles Evers in Mississippi"; Jonathan Foose, a musician and producer, co-produced, with Berry, the television documentary of the same title as this book, and Tad Jones is a researcher at Tulane University.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

New Orleans has always been a city of music and divergent cultures, where aristocratic French and Spanish colonists, working-class Irish and the African slave culture combined to produce a charismatic musical tradition. The authors begin their survey after World War II and trace the impact of the musicians of New Orleans on rhythm and blues, jazz, soul and the other popular musical styles of the day. The book looks closely, too, at the tradition of musical families as exemplified by clans like the Bechets and Bigards of the early 1900s and continues with the talented Marsalis family of today. They discuss well-known artists such as Professor Longhair and Fats Domino and scores of lesser known but talented locals. Complete with bibliography and discography. This is a comprehensive, detailed history.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA The authors offer a rich history of jazz from a specific locale and time period, and they continue the analysis to contemplate how jazz since 1950 has influenced popular music today. The book is unique in that it provides a view of the many cultures, customs, beliefs, and social groups in New Orleans that contributed to the roots of jazz, leaving readers with a wonderful sense of the pride and soul inherent in the music. It includes excellent background for understanding the development of music from the traditional jazz of the '20s to the many more recent styles derived from jazz (rhythm and blues, rock and roll, new jazz). Classic photographs, a light readable text, comprehensive footnotes, index, bibliography, and discography along with the content make this a title not to be missed. Rebecca Holt, Episcopal High School, Bellaire
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 285 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (December 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030680493X
• ISBN-13: 978-0306804939
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,718,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jason Berry's first novel, Last of the Red Hot Poppas, takes the reader on a ride through the corrupt and vibrant culture of southern Louisiana, which Berry has been reporting on for decades. This "spiritual comedy," as Berry calls it, borrows on the nove

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gumborific, June 10, 2011

By 

David N. Zimmer "this person" (home) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Up from the Cradle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II (Paperback)

Up from the Cradle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II
Great price, arrived perfect, on time. Nephew wasted no time reading it. He's a great N'awlins fan. He's learning the piano to play the great N'awlins music.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific read for anyone interested in New Orleans R&B, October 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Up from the Cradle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II (Paperback)

If you are interested in the development of R&B in New Orleans, then this is the book to buy. All the essential contributors are there. What I really liked was the space given to the Mardi Gras Indians.