Topic: Paul Oliver Book on the Way

[uncle bud]

Speaking of Paul Oliver, has anyone heard anything about a new book called Broadcasting the Blues: Black Blues In The Segretation Era due out from Routledge in October?

Description:
"Explores the roots of the blues and its key performers.  Guides you through key performances.  A world renowned scholar summarizes a lifetime of work Broadcasting the Blues: Black Blues in the Segregation Era traces the social history of the blues in America, from its birth in the rural South through the heyday of sound recordings. Noted blues scholar Paul Oliver draws on decades of research and personal interviews with performers--some of whom he "discovered" and recorded for the first time-to draw a picture of how the blues aesthetic developed, giving new insights into the role blues played in American society before racial integration."

Is this a new one or a reissue? I haven't heard of it before.

[Stuart]

UB:

I searched the OCLC database and nothing came up, so I assume that it is a new title. I found the following link via Google:

http://www.alldirect.com/book.asp?isbn=0415971772&cartID=159512329160040518

The paperback price puts it within reach.

Hope this helps,

Uncle Stuie

[Bunker Hill]

Speaking of Paul Oliver, has anyone heard anything about a new book called Broadcasting the Blues: Black Blues In The Segretation Era due out from Routledge in October?

Description:
"Explores the roots of the blues and its key performers.? Guides you through key performances.? A world renowned scholar summarizes a lifetime of work Broadcasting the Blues: Black Blues in the Segregation Era traces the social history of the blues in America, from its birth in the rural South through the heyday of sound recordings. Noted blues scholar Paul Oliver draws on decades of research and personal interviews with performers--some of whom he "discovered" and recorded for the first time-to draw a picture of how the blues aesthetic developed, giving new insights into the role blues played in American society before racial integration."

Is this a new one or a reissue? I haven't heard of it before.

Brand new and selected from the many BBC (and other) radio broadcast transcripts in his possession covering roughly 30 years circa mid-60s to 90s.

I don't know what has happened to his book The Blues The World Forgot (basically about black vaudeville) which he's been working on fo the past decade or more.

For anybody interested there's a nice, if ancient, Oliver 'tribute' page at:
http://www.bluesworld.com/PAULOLIVER.HTML
Though? the graphics seem to have lost their links

[Bunker Hill]

I've since learned that Paul has been asked to put together a 'revision' of his 1984 compendium 'Blues Off The Record: 30 Years Of Blues Commentary' to mark 50 years of blues commentary!

All this is in addition to his writings on vernacular architecture. Hope I still have such enthusiasm when (if?) I reach 78.?

[uncle bud]

Bunker, good to know there's new Oliver stuff on the way. The black vaudeville book sounds like it would a be fascinating addition. I have finally got around to ordering Songsters and Saints thanks to your reminder of its existence. Blues Fell This Morning and The Story of the Blues are books I return to again and again. Sentiments covered more eloquently in the tribute page you posted.

[cmr]

I hope that I am not changing this thread too much, but it would be great to see a list of good books that explores early country blues and performers.  It would be a welcome break from my day job.  Charlie R.

[uncle bud]

Charlie, good idea to get a list of recommended books going. In the meantime, you could do a helluva lot worse than to start with the two Paul Oliver books I mentioned above. The Story of the Blues is an excellent history of mostly prewar blues. Blues Fell This Morning looks at the music through lyrical analysis and social history. Both are highly recommended.

[Slack]

Charlie,

You are in luck.    Back when we first started the website and first became an Amazon Associate - we compiled a list of books.  I still had the old html file so here it is. 

Old HTML book list

(a bit out of date but useful)

I abandoned the 'book list' project as a lot of work for not much return as I built the page by hand -- but there is probably a Mambo component that does a similar thing with a lot less trouble.  If this is something folks might be interested in - I'd be happy to serach for a component that would maintain a book list.

Cheers,
Slack

[cmr]

John

Thanks for the book linK!  If you want to build a page for book reviews, recommendations, and links to amazon.com, I'd certainly use it.  Its helpful to have a book list that is easily acccessible.  Plus, as new books come out, we can add to the list.  If you were going to start with one book, which one?   I wll try to order one of Paul Oliver's The Story of the Blues. Can I get it from Amazon thru the weenie site?   Tomorrow, I am going to Seattle with my two daughters to see John Miller and Orville Johnson.  Cheers, Charlie

[Bunker Hill]

FWIW the following UK mail order bookstore has specialised in? blues literature for a couple of decades:

http://www.musicbooksrus.com/

and is also a useful resource for a list of currently available titles, just select the appropriate category from the 'drop down'.

[Slack]

Hi Charlie,

I wll try to order one of Paul Oliver's The Story of the Blues. Can I get it from Amazon thru the weenie site?

Yes, you can get it though Amazon (start a search with one of the search boxes on WC!) - that's a goody to start with.  I'd also recommend Bruce Bastin's "Red River Blues" - very well written book about the Piedmont and artists on the east coast.

Cheers,

[waxwing]

Just to clarify, those search boxes are on the Juke page, Charlie, and anyone else.. One box each for Amazon US, UK and CA.
All for now.
John C.

[cmr]

More on Amazon links from weeniecampbell. If I purchase more than one item from amazon.com will they tally the purchase and give back a percentage to weeniecampbell?
Charlie

[waxwing]

If you start from the link on the Juke page, everything you buy, music, home and garden, books, toys, electronics, you name it, Weenie Campbell gets a little piece. And thanks.for helpin' us keep it goin'.
All for now.
John C.

[Slack]

Right.  And you can buy multiple items too Charlie - you don't have to keep returning to the search box for every item.  Stuff stored in your shopping cart will retain the WC id for 24 hours I think.  WC averages about 5.25% per purchase - which helps alot!

Thanks!

[GerryC]

According to Blackwell's Online, Paul Oliver's new book will be published [in the UK?] on December 5th.

Cheerily,

Gerry C

[Bunker Hill]

Jeez it's hardback only and 50 GBP but I've got to have it, never failed to buy an Oliver book and don't intend to start now. I'm reliably informed that review copies are already floating around in the States so I guess it's already published there.?

[Stuart]

There's a companion CD available as of February 14:

http://www.document-records.com/fulldetails.asp?ProdID=DOCD-32-20-10

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E40PQQ/ref=nosim/104-4496005-8144761?n=5174