Heart & Soul: A Celebration of Black Music Style in America 1930-1975

by Bob Merlis, Davin Seay

This special Limited Edition (only 175 copies) comes in a cloth slip case numbered and signed by the authors, including the legendary Etta James. From the decline of the Big Band sound to the emergence of Black Pride, Sly, Superfly and the Funk, Heart & Soul celebrates the nearly half-century of vibrant, flamboyant and extrvagant flowering in African American culture that enriched the entire world. Though the roots of black style can be said to extend back to the spirituals and minstrel shows of the 1800s, or even further, to the signifying rituals of the African homeland, there was without question, a golden age of black style that exploded between 1930 and 1875. It was an age of pencil-thin mustaches and pompadours, of zoot suits and drapes, jumpsuits and jive; a time when piano pounders and duckwalkers battered down the color barrier and barrel-chested bluesmen made strong men weep and women go weak in the knees. Fropm Cab Calloway to Blind Lemon Jefferson to Ray Charles; from gospel to psychedelia; from the Platters, the Four Tops and Otis Redding to the Delfonics, Al Green and Bootsy, it was an era of audacious showmen (an women), outrageous charlatans and contagiously exciting artists. Here is a musical history told in legends, facts, and rumors every bit as colorful as the images that illustrate the book. The story is filled with characters such as O.V. Wright, a singer deemed "too ugly to tour"; Frnakie Lymon, who received a hot dog as full payment for some of the greatest R&B songs of all time; LaVern Baker, a.k.a. "Little Miss Sharecropper"; Bille Holiday shooting dice with the boys on the bus; Solomon Burke, R&B immortal and Doctor of Mortuary Sciences; soul ghoul Screamin' Jay Hawkins locked in his coffin by the Drifters; and many otehr talented and unique entertainers. Illustrated with more than 400 original photographs, publicity shots, posters, programs, advertisements, program covers, magazine covers, album covers and sleeves, sheet music, and record labels in full color, this is a story of hot music and high style, of people who made history by being themselves and mad ethe world a richer, wilder and definitely cooler place for the rest of us.

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Ian Laird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart and Soul is an informative appreciation of black music from the thirties to the seventies, lavishly and thoughtfully illustrated in a large format.

The illustrations, which are the book’s strength, are predominantly record sleeves and album covers, from the days when they were proper things, and big, but there are also some photos, posters, and a fascinating if somewhat bewildering selection of advertising material featuring black artists endorsing products: beer and whiskey, hair treatments, cosmetics and sadly, Noble Sissle (Chesterfield) and Louis Armstrong (Camel), advertising cigarettes.

Organised thematically, the authors cover early black music, jazz and swing, soul, pop and rock, with emphasis on particular types like ‘Red-Hot Mamas’ (eg Ruth Brown, Earth Kitt, Carla Thomas) and wild men like Cab Callaway. What struck me is the exuberance of these performers, and their style, particularly the jazz players, say Ellington, Gillespie or Oscar Moore. Most get generous attention.

I learned a great deal about black musicians especially the ones I’d never heard of like Cecil Gant for example, a ‘pounding piano’ player who always appeared in a standard GI uniform and got his break at a war bonds rally in Los Angeles. Similarly for Bobby Bland, later in the fifties, of whom I had heard but knew little, who emerges as a stylishly groomed personality with a rough blues vocal style.

This comprehensive approach does have a disadvantage. Many of the musicians are given the barest details of their life and music, when it would have been nice to learn more. This is, however a minor matter in the context of their broad scope of the project and the impact of the glorious record covers.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes a strong case for the many impacts of black culture on American society. The focus is on music 1930-75, but there are great sections on popular personalities and advertising. Amazing showcases of album covers and advertising copy. This isn't a scholarly work, and the authors rely too much on the graphics to carry the load. There is plenty of trivia; one thing that I followed up on, confirmed the case that can be made for Louis Jordan not only being a godfather of Rock and Roll, but also a pioneer in music video.
3 stars for the text
5 stars for the photos, graphics, etc.

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book worth owning, as much for the incredibly rich history of black performers and impresarios it details circa 1930-1975 as for the text itself, which is sandwiched between some amazing photographs of stars and wanna-be stars of yore along with posters, album covers, concert shots, all manner of memorabilia. It is a wonderful reference book as it includes not only the giants from each decade but also many lesser-known talents. You can find every one from Illinois Jacquet to the Ohio Players, from Ivory Joe Hunter to James Brown, Big Mama Thornton to Little Richard--this is a treasure trove of amazing talent and cultural contribution.

[Joe Downie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turned me on to lots of new (old) sounds, and great photography too.

[Kurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book! A fun look back at how African American music influenced the history of black American style and popular culture. It's chock full of entertaining photos of Zoot suits,Jazz, watch chains, conk & Bouffant hairstyles,Doo Wop, religion, clothing, make up, music and more. Great album covers and products are highlighted. If you're into real Rock &Roll,Jazz and R n'B, and grew up in the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, or 70's (or 80's and 90's) then you'll like this book. More a light romp than a heavy tome, but, like the culture portrayed, entertaining, infectious, inspiring and interesting. Bonus: the forward is written by Etta James (R.I.P.), and is a nice personal reminiscence. It also shows part of the secret history of our culture. This is stuff that was going on under, around and behind the white, mainstream.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Means well and looks good, so hard to complain...but the subject matter overwhelms the format, which would have benefited from the kind of treatment that Abbeville used to afford it's coffee table monsters. There is some good material here, but also some out of place and/or tired material.