The Story of Boogie-Woogie: A Left Hand Like God

by Peter J. Silvester

Overview

The Story of Boogie-Woogie: A Left Hand Like God examines the socio-historical background of the boogie-woogie piano style, from its early appearances in the barrelhouses of lumber, turpentine, and railroad camps in the southern United States, to its emergence at rent parties in Chicago and St. Louis, to its rise as a popular form of music in the nightclubs of New York, to its status as an international craze during World War II. In this enhanced revision of A Left Hand Like God, Peter J. Silvester presents a comprehensive history of boogie-woogie, describing the style's appearance and development, its offshoots, and the pianists who made it famous, and studying its impact on rhythm and blues, urban blues, and big band swing, leading to the eventual revival of 'classical' boogie-woogie in concerts and festivals. Silvester discusses significant European and American pianists of boogie-woogie throughout history, providing biographical information about their life styles and musical influences and offering an analysis of their important recordings. The book also includes a new chapter on the contribution of national and independent record companies to the recording of boogie-woogie music. A thorough bibliography and a final appendix providing many of the bass patterns common in boogie-woogie make this a valuable reference.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810869332
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	07/29/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	438
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Peter J. Silvester, retired, was a record reviewer for Jazz Journal International and Storyville magazines, and wrote liner notes for several boogie-woogie records produced by Honky Tonk Productions.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Acknowledgments xi

Part 1 The Beginnings

1 Boogie-Woogie: Early Appearances and Names by Which It Was Known 3

2 Industries and Centers Supporting Boogie-Woogie in the South 23

3 Boogie-Woogie Eras, Musical Influences, and Significant Early Pianists 39

Part 2 The Urban Sound of Boogie-Woogie

4 Chicago 61

5 The Depression Years 98

6 St. Louis and Detroit 123

Part 3 The Carnegie Period

7 The Spirituals to Swing Concerts 151

8 Café Society Days 170

9 The Post-Café Society Period 188

10 On the Crest of the Wave 209

11 The Parting of the Ways: Rhythm and Blues and Big-Band Boogie 223

Part 4 The Final Curtain

12 The End of an Era 259

13 Many Shades of Blue 290

14 The Contemporary Picture 321

Part 5 Recording Boogie-Woogie and Appendixes

15 The National and Independent Record Companies 355

Bass Patterns 383

Bibliography 387

Index 391

About the Author 403

Editorial Reviews

Silvester assumes the task of telling the full story of boogie-woogie, from its undocumented beginnings to the present, and he starts off well. The book is organized roughly chronologically....Its coverage is broad and it contains an immense amount of information.

Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association

I read your book and enjoyed it tremendously. The Story of Boogie-Woogie helps to properly document the history of this very important music. I have been greatly inspired by Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons and the great circle of brilliant composers and players in their school. I too want to celebrate their music, which is wonderful and timeless. You have my best wishes for success with this worthwhile book.

Jools Holland

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of [the book] is the insight it provides into the style's beginnings in Southern turpentine and logging camps, an obscure world brought to life admirably by Peter J. Silvester... [F]uture scholars will find little to add to what will surely stand as the first and last word, lovingly spoken, on an American cultural phenomenon.

The New York Times

The author's love and enthusiasm for the music overcomes, as far as is possible, the difficulty of recreating in writing the joy that many of us experienced as we found and heard, one at a time, the musicians and recordings described.... Peter Silvester has created a truly admirable work that aids us as we attempt to hold and renew the spirit of boogie woogie.

The Mississippi Rag

.... this scholarly book is essential reading for serious fans of jazz and blues piano.

Blues Revue

[The Story of Boogie Woogie] is truly a definitive account of this basic style of piano blues that, not incidentally, formed the basis of r&b and rock. The author not only provides LP and CD sources for titles he discusses as the text proceeds but closes the volume with a 30-page chapter on record labels that lists important releases from the 1920s to the 2000s. There are photos, including some marvelous scenes from the early years of boogie woogie, an appendix of bass patterns, a bibliography, and index.

W. Royal Stokes

Silvester assumes the task of telling the full story of boogie-woogie, from its undocumented beginnings to the present, and he starts off well. The book is organized roughly chronologically....Its coverage is broad and it contains an immense amount of information.

Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association

Recommended.

Choice Reviews

.... this scholarly book is essential reading for serious fans of jazz and blues piano.

May 2010 Blues Revue

Recommended.

March 2010 Choice Reviews

Recommended.

Choice

Recommended.

March 2010 CHOICE

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of [the book] is the insight it provides into the style's beginnings in Southern turpentine and logging camps, an obscure world brought to life admirably by Peter J. Silvester... [F]uture scholars will find little to add to what will surely stand as the first and last word, lovingly spoken, on an American cultural phenomenon.

The New York Times