Bluegrass Odyssey: A Documentary in Pictures and Words, 1966-86 (Music in American Life) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Neil V. Rosenberg (Author) "Carl and I grew up in the 1940s when the dominant home entertainment media were aural-radio and records-so that it was our ears rather than..." (more)
Key Phrases: bluegrass scene, bluegrass concert, bluegrass fans, Bill Monroe, Bean Blossom, Blue Grass Boys (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is about not just the musicians but also the devoted fans, the streets and stores and offices, the buses and pickups and festival sites and musical instruments and traditions that reveal the cultural landscape of bluegrass. Rosenberg 's narratives set the stage for Fleischhauer 's compelling, black-and- white photographs, photographs that invoke a remarkable intimacy in the revealing faces, the intensity and stillness, at the hillside and nightclub, in the parking lot jams or at a peaceful mountain gravesite." Choice

Product Description

The fruit of four decades of collaboration between bluegrass music's premier photographer and premier historian, "Bluegrass Odyssey" is a satisfying and visually alluring journey into the heart of a truly American music. Combining Neil V. Rosenberg's commentary with more than two hundred of Carl Fleischhauer's photographs, this elegant visual documentary captures the music making together with the culture and community that foster it.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (December 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252074009
• ISBN-13: 978-0252074004
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #684,633 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Photo Album/Essays, May 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Bluegrass Odyssey: A Documentary in Pictures and Words, 1966-86 (Music in American Life) (Hardcover)

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of bluegrass music. Carl Fleischhauer's photographs are worth the cost of the book alone. He has stunning black and white photos of early concerts featuring some of the greatest bluegrass musicians to grace the stage. He also has terrific backstage shots, photos of parking lot pickings, and nostalgic images, such as Uncle Pen's fiddle. These photos portray fascinating facets of bluegrass music's history. Neil Rosenberg's writing complements and enhances these images. His writing provides sufficient information to answer significant questions raised in looking at Fleischhauer's photographs. As a special treat, the book includes a fine photo memorial and essay to Bill Monroe. This book is an excellent record of the early history of bluegrass, and it vividly portrays images that ring true today.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bluegrass Photo Album, February 4, 2004

By	grasshopper4 (Arkansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bluegrass Odyssey: A Documentary in Pictures and Words, 1966-86 (Music in American Life) (Hardcover)

This book blends a photo essay with a well written history of early years of bluegrass music. Neil Rosenberg has performed bluegrass music for years, and his compelling writing thoroughly documents the genre's history. Carl Fleischauer photographs folk culture with a terrific eye for ways in which music is situated with communities. There are vivid portraits of stellar bluegrass musicians and beautiful pictures of classic bluegrass venues during this formative time period. It is especially interesting to see bluegrass music's "look" from 1967-1986 still remains a presence within the contemporary bluegrass music scene.