Blues Tarihi

by Giles Oakley, Aydemir Özügül (Translator)

Bireyin ve dolayısıyla toplumun kendini ifade etme biçimlerinden biri olarak müzik, belki de en doğrudan etkiye sahip olan sanat dalıdır.Giles Oakley’nin Blues Tarihi-Şeytanın Müziği adlı çalışması da kendini ifade etme biçimi olarak müziğin en ilginç öykülerinden birini anlatıyor. Amerika’da en büyük “öteki” grubu olarak algılanan siyah kölelerin arasında doğan blues zamanla, ötekinin “ötekiliği”ni daha da vurgulayarak yansıtan etkili bir müzik türü haline gelmiştir. Oakley’nin anlattığı öykünün ilginç yanı ise, “ötekiliği” şeytanla özdeşleştirilen bir halkın bu “şeytansı” müziğinin, neredeyse doğar doğmaz büyük bir popülarite kazanması ve birçok beyazın da bu müzik türünü hayranlık derecesinde benimsemesidir. Oakley’nin anlattığı bu paradoks, Blues Tarihi’ni bir müzik kitabının ötesine taşıyarak toplumsal, kültürel ve tarihsel bir öyküye dönüştürüyor.Kitapta, blues’un ve sanatçılarının öyküleri, Amerikan tarihinin ayrıntılarıyla birlikte ele alınıyor. Afro-Amerikalı blues sanatçılarının geçmişini özenli ve dikkatli bir tarihçi gibi inceleyen Oakley, daha önce belgelenmemiş bir tarihi de gün ışığına çıkartıyor.Blues’un tarihini yazarken, şarkı sözleri kadar, farklı müzik biçimlerinin analizine, müzik tekniklerine ve aletlerine de eğiliyor.Aynı zamanda, blues müziğinin tüm farklı tür ve dönemlerini, anlaşılır bir neden-sonuç ve etki ilişkisiyle birbirine bağlamayı da ihmal etmiyor.Oakley’nin çizdiği blues panoraması, hem genel olarak müzik tarihi hem de toplumsal ve kültürel tarih açısından, blues’un gelişiminde etkin olan toplumsal gelişmelere de değinerek, sağlam bir bakış açısı sunmaktadır. Kitap, blues konusunda uzman olanların yanı sıra, bu müzik türü hakkında temel bir bilgi edinmek isteyen meraklılara da yönelik temel bir kaynak olarak hazırlanmıştır.Şeytan’ın Müziği, blues’un tarihsel gelişimi konusunda önemli bir kaynak. Yerinde örnekler ve özgün şarkı sözlerini bolca alıntılamasıyla, blues müziğinin ruhunu yansıtıyor.” The New York Times“ … bu alandaki literatüre önemli bir katkı. Oakley’nin özenli araştırması, ortaya derinlikli ve sağlam bir blues tarihi çıkartmış.” American Historical Review

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, History

364 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Nikolai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Хубава и увлекателна книга. Голям плюс е, че обръща внимание на социалните условия, при които се заражда блусът и за които рядко съм се замислял преди. Нещата придобиват доста по-реалистичен вид, когато са съчетани с малко статистика, новини и спомени от времето на робството и Голямата депресия. Голям минус обаче е това, че окаяното положение на негрите заема прекалено голяма част от историята. Стига се дори до изброяване на държавни агенции и обширни коментари и оценки за политиката на Хувър и Рузвелт. Нямаше нужда.

Иначе, изброяват се много имена, което е както затормозяващо, така и доста обогатяващо, когато си запознат с поне част от тях; историите на по-големите музиканти са разгледани малко по-подробно, включени са откъси от текстове, изброени са записи и има и не малко снимки (качеството им е друг въпрос, но предполагам, че през 87-ма година не са им се влагали много средства за тази повече или по-малко упадъчна музика).

Интересно ми беше да видя как авторът гледа на музикалната сцена към момента на написване на книгата. Фреди Кинг е още жив, влиянието на Мъди Уотърс и Хаулин Улф не е преоткрито в пълнота (в тази връзка с изключение на няколко реда за Битълс и Ролинг Стоунс не се споменава изобщо за бели музиканти).
За голямо мое съжаление Чикагският блус не е разгледан много подробно, но и няма как предвид, че се разглежда доста дълъг период от време, а и към средата на 70-те влиянието му не може да бъде напълно оценено.

И да отбележа за край, че в книгата има и подбрана дискография, азбучен показалец и подбрана библиография, което някак ме зарадва.

[Brad McKenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book traces the economic and societal hardships black people went through during the early 20th century up until the 1960s. Presented in this light, it's no wonder The Blues has the reputation it does, this was some fiercely hard times. It almost makes me feel guilty for liking the blues so much. I mean these people went through so much, and while some of it was of their own doing (cheating on their women and whatnot) most of it wasn't. Being black in the south still isn't easy, but back when Sharecropping was basically just legal slavery after the Emancipation Proclamation it was a nightmare.

This book touches upon a number of different artists but really focuses more on the society that gave birth to the blues. I've read a couple of these types of blues origins and so far neither of them have really said much about Urban Blues (Muddy Waters, BB King). They focus more on Country Blues (Charley Patton, Son House). So methinks that's what I'll look for next.

[Vladimir Kiperman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The basis of this examination of the Blues was illustrated against the broader history of the United States itself. In particular, the oppression of blacks in America through history: Slavery, Jim Crow, Segregation, ghetto life, and modern racism and tacit and explicit inequality. This gave the story a powerful context, creating a meaningful backdrop for the subject of the book. This was the book's best feature. The research seemed solid enough, but, appeared to focus on only the most prominent performers of any given era.

When the Blues (the music) itself and (some of) the people who made it were explored, against their historical frame of reference, a tension was created. This tension was pleasingly, though, not powerfully enough, sustained throughout the book. This opened the door to make cultural insights.

Sadly, the insights were very sparse and weak. And the level of the tension never rose beyond a very weak level either. This gave the narrative little momentum or intrigue.

Additionally, the author decidedly made an effort to avoid any technical information. That is to say that there was no descriptive information about the music itself; its structure or composition. This also added to the book's perceived lethargy. Instead, some (but not much) focus was placed on describing the various musical ensembles themselves.

Finally, the chronology of the Blues and its many personalities was blurry and unsatisfying. In one passage the author would talk about the 1930s, in the next the 20s, then the 30s again, then 1940-1950. It was hard to keep the history and chain of events clear.

All told, the book does a good job exploring the characters behind the music and places them well in history. But lack of technical depth, and lack of breadth within the blues world itself coupled with confusing chronology and lack of insight made the read somewhat tedious.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fabulous and well-written account of the emergence of blues music. Though written in 1976, this book has aged well; in fact, because all of the artists and songs can be listened to while reading via youtube, it makes the book even better. If you read this book, do yourself a favor and read it in front of a computer and look up all of the songs you read about (every song mentioned can be found on youtube). The enrichment gained from hearing the songs as you read cannot be missed.

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but overwhelmed by an excess of names and dates in rapid unending succession which causes the reader some confusion. For a straightforward linear history encyclopedia great. Narrative history it's not.

[David Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best work-up of the modern blues (pre-war, post-war and Chicago blues) I've ever read. Muddy Waters is god.

[Ренета Кирова · Rating 3 out of 5]

Авторът систематично и подробно разказва за създаването на блуса от чернокожите роби, работещи в плантациите на Южна Америка. Подробно се спира на тежкия им живот, като песента и ритъмът са били техният отдушник. След гражданската война между Севера и Юга те се разселват най-вече на север, а тяхната музика става търсена и желана. Голямата Депресия през 30-те години в Америка, отново ги запраща на дъното, сякаш те са орисани да живеят все в бедност и мизерия. Потискането им, унижението, безработицата, преследването им от ку клукс клан – всичко това са изпявали в песните си. Чак до 60-те години на 20-ти век в Америка те са били подлагани на расова дискриминация и сегрегация. Въпреки това са оставили на музикалната сцена много имена, неизвестни днес, които полагат основите на съвременната музика. Те са създателите на много нови музикални интерпретации и изпълнения.
Накрая на книгата има библиография, бележки и речник, илюстрирана е и със снимки, макар те да са толкова черни, че едва се вижда какво има на тях. Допадна ми с това, че научих много нови неща за музиката, изпълненията, инструментите и за живота на чернокожите в Америка.

[Gijs Grob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short but very insightful introduction to the history of the blues, with much attention for the sociological and political background. Thus we don't only learn about the blues, but also about e.g. slavery in the United States, the Jim Crow laws, the black migrations from the South to the North, and the Great Depression. Oakley identifies different scenes and key players, without falling into the trap of name dropping. Oakley doesn't treat the blues in isolation, but also touches the genre's ties to spirituals, ragtime, jazz, gospel and jump blues. The book is spiced with many quotes from blues songs and from interviews with various blues artists, like Gus Cannon, Muddy Waters and Victoria Spivey. Oakley's focus clearly lies on the prewar years, he is clearly less interested and less focused when writing about post-war blues.

The 1997 is enhanced with an interesting if not all too necessary chapter on developments in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Unfortunately, the printing is abominable. Especially the print quality of the photos is atrocious.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly rich, comprehensive blues history with lots of social and political context. My only complaint is that Oakley's prose is rather dense, making this far from an easy read... I started and abandoned this book three times before finally making my way through it!

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating.

[Ronn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the books on Blues history I have read [I've read many], this is one of the best. It does a better job of placing Blues development against contemporaneous history, not just back to the Civil War, but from before the America Revolution. Really excellent work, and easy to read too, not scholarly/stuffy. I would have given this 5 stars if not for a couple of omissions that I personally feel are important, at least in the 1997 [when the afterword to this 1976 book was written], namely Luther Allison and Jeanne Cheatham.

[Kendall Wallace · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my fault. I have should have done my research before picking up a book blindly based on the intrigue of the title... Not to say a white man cannot have a thorough and thought provoking commentary on how blues was created and the woes of black people in United States of America but it was blaringly obvious the lack melanin the author had. Also the book was just bad, sorry.

[Mark Howarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read although written a few years ago. That is good in some ways like he could talk to people still alive from The Blues hay day. I am left interested in what is happening now! Part two perhaps!

[Kemal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitap blues tarihi ile birlikte ABD nin yakın tarihini de güzel bir şekilde özetliyor. Çıkış noktası olan güney eyaletlerdeki sosyo-ekonomik durumun müziğe etkisi şartlar değiştikte müziğin de değişmesiyle görülüyor. Bu doğal değişim dönem dönem iyi bir analizle okuyucuya aktarılmış.

[Moz Copestake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a blues fan and have a reasonable knowledge of the music & history. I was disappointed, although it is a great reference book if you need to check something out - but, in the days of Wikipedia, this is probably going to be a rarity.
There are some great facts and nice anecdotes but too often it falls back on a list of artists, songs and piecemeal lyrics which fail to evoke the atmosphere and times they are reporting. While supported by some great interviews the narrative seems to jump away from a person or story just as it engages my interest.
Perhaps it is trying to cover too many contributors, so that none enjoy enough of the limelight. An ambitious project but I did find it tough going for much of the time.

[HONCHI]

R