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How can he start to sing a song without knowing what he was going to do in advance? - Bill Monroe mystified by Roscoe Holcomb's modus operandi, notes to Mountain Music of Kentucky

Author Topic: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson  (Read 8647 times)

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Offline uncle bud

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Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« on: August 27, 2007, 11:07:55 AM »
While I was poking around looking for something I don't recall, I came across an Amazon listing for a book called The Memphis Blues by Bengt Olsson. Same title as his original publication from 1970. Amazon lists this as a 1st edition however, coming out in both hardcover and paperback from Routledge (Amazon says April '08, Routledge says June '08). Anyone know any details about this new book/edition?

Offline waxwing

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2007, 04:23:14 PM »
Don't know about ther new edition, but Bengt's original text was mentioned highly and they went to, uh Norway(?), to interview him in Chasin' Gus' Ghost. Sure made me want to get a copy. This would be great if they're talking about an upgraded edition.

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Offline Parlor Picker

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2007, 06:17:17 AM »
Calling Bunker Hill!  Surely he will have all the answers as usual.

I've got the original which I seem to remember was an interesting read all those years ago.
"I ain't good looking, teeth don't shine like pearls,
So glad good looks don't take you through this world."
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Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2007, 10:01:50 AM »
Calling Bunker Hill!  Surely he will have all the answers as usual.
'Fraid he don't. The last time I corresponded with Bengt was about 20 years ago (concerning something he wrote about Butch Roseberry a decade earlier!) and then he was in the process of producing the definitive updated manuscript. In 2001 he was still contributing to Jefferson magazine, I drop them a line for an email contact.

mississippijohnhurt1928

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2007, 01:48:43 PM »
I can't help you either, but can anyone tell me if the book in question is a good read?

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2008, 12:30:08 PM »
Thought I'd reactivate this in that I've just learnt Bengt had completed his life's work, a history of the jug bands of Memphis, and had sold all his original tapes, including unissued material, to Matthew Johnson of Fat Possum.

So I guess it's...watch this space.


Offline dj

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2008, 06:52:37 AM »
The latest info for the USA:

Memphis Blues
Bengt Olsson
ISBN: 0415973376
ISBN-13: 9780415973373
Format: Paperback, 256pp
Publisher: Taylor & Francis, Inc.
Pub. Date: September 30, 2008

Looks like it's actually going to happen.  There's also a hardcover edition planned.

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2008, 07:24:30 AM »
Oh good. Shame he didn't live to see it published. :(


Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2008, 11:55:28 AM »
FWIW, further to what Ian Anderson posted on the Gillett website exact details of his death are that he died on 19 January 2008 of a brain tumour in a hospice.

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2008, 08:21:05 AM »
Thanks for posting that SF Weekly article, jostber. Some conflicting info in the two links as the Gillett site says Olsson sold his recordings to Fat Possum, but the SF Weekly article says recordings were sold to Birdman. At least one of those recordings is out on CD on Birdman: Bishop Perry Tillis - Too Close.

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2008, 09:43:02 AM »
Thanks for posting that SF Weekly article, jostber. Some conflicting info in the two links as the Gillett site says Olsson sold his recordings to Fat Possum, but the SF Weekly article says recordings were sold to Birdman.
In 2002 there were various magazine reports of Bengt having sold his recordings to Matthew Johnson of Fat Possum.

Offline dj

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #12 on: October 29, 2008, 04:33:21 PM »
Anyone know a status on this?  It looks like publication has been delayed.

Offline DanceGypsy

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2010, 11:52:52 AM »
The latest info for the USA:

Memphis Blues
Bengt Olsson
ISBN: 0415973376
ISBN-13: 9780415973373
Format: Paperback, 256pp
Publisher: Taylor & Francis, Inc.
Pub. Date: September 30, 2008

Looks like it's actually going to happen.  There's also a hardcover edition planned.

I just got off the phone with a woman at Taylor & Francis, and she said that the book has been "cancelled."  I talked with her about how to go about finding who holds the rights to the manuscript and indeed the manuscript itself, and she pointed me to Copyright Clearance and to the Library of Congress.  I've never really done this kind of research before, but I'm willing to take a stab at trying to track this thing down; however, I don't want to reinvent the wheel.  Does anyone already know where this thing landed and if anybody plans to bring it out?

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2010, 11:16:13 PM »
I just got off the phone with a woman at Taylor & Francis, and she said that the book has been "cancelled."  I talked with her about how to go about finding who holds the rights to the manuscript and indeed the manuscript itself, and she pointed me to Copyright Clearance and to the Library of Congress.  I've never really done this kind of research before, but I'm willing to take a stab at trying to track this thing down; however, I don't want to reinvent the wheel.  Does anyone already know where this thing landed and if anybody plans to bring it out?
Well done. I'm guessing that on his death the rights reverted to next of kin. I've sent an email to Anders Lillsund in Sweden (editor of Jefferson magazine) to ask if he knows  of its status.

Offline DanceGypsy

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2010, 06:58:46 AM »
In the meantime, I now have the entire original 1970 publication in a PDF file.  If anybody out there doesn't have a copy and would like one, I will email it.

Offline jostber

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #16 on: August 25, 2010, 09:30:11 AM »
Thanks for posting that SF Weekly article, jostber. Some conflicting info in the two links as the Gillett site says Olsson sold his recordings to Fat Possum, but the SF Weekly article says recordings were sold to Birdman. At least one of those recordings is out on CD on Birdman: Bishop Perry Tillis - Too Close.

Sorry for quoting an old post, but I just found this on Birdmanaphone Records:

Birdman Records recently purchased Bengt Olsson's entire library of recordings. This compilation is the first in many releases that will showcase this library

This should provide us with some great records?

The original label: http://www.birdmanrecords.com/index.html




Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #17 on: June 20, 2012, 07:32:38 AM »
Thought I'd give this a bump in light of Stephan's new discography http://www.wirz.de/music/olssofrm.htm

Offline dj

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Re: Memphis Blues - Bengt Olsson
« Reply #18 on: June 20, 2012, 04:24:42 PM »
Thank you Stephan, that's very much appreciated.

And thanks for pointing it out, Bunker Hill.

 


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