Goodnight Boogie

Hound Dog Taylor made guitars howl and hips shake. A founding father of lo-fi blues rock--that gritty, stripped-down sound played on cheap guitars with no bass--Taylor and his band The HouseRockers played loud, wild gut-bucket boogie that was raw and ferocious, earning them a reputation as "The Ramones of the blues." Though his influence continues to be heard in the music of contemporary musicians such as Jack White, The Black Keys, and others, Hound Dog Taylor's story has never been fully explored. Off stage, his life was as wild as his music. From his childhood in 1920s Mississippi to his final years in 1970s Chicago, he was surrounded by racism, crime, and violence. The threat of bloodshed was constant, whether from the Ku Klux Klan, South Side gangs, or even fellow musicians. From drunkenly slicing off his sixth finger with a straight razor, to becoming the artist whose music launched the now-legendary Alligator Records, Goodnight Boogie is the first in-depth biographical study of the Blues Hall of Famer whose life was as compelling as his music. This is the story of a brilliant and unforgettably original musician who struggled for success while fighting to survive. Foreword written by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.

This comprehensive A-to-Z reference is “an impressive contribution to jazz history and surprisingly good reading” (Michael Ullman, author of Jazz Lives). This informative bookdocuments the careers of South Carolina jazz and blues musicians from the nineteenth century to the present. The musicians range from the renowned (James Brown, Dizzy Gillespie), to the notable (Freddie Green, Josh White), the largely forgotten (Fud Livingston, Josie Miles), the obscure (Lottie Frost Hightower, Horace “Spoons” Williams), and the unknown (Vince Arnold, Johnny Wilson). Though the term “jazz” is commonly understood, if difficult to define, “blues” has evolved over time to include R&B, doo-wop, and soul. Performers in these genres are also represented, as are members of the Jenkins Orphanage bands of Charleston. Also covered are nineteenth-century musicians who performed what might be called proto-jazz or proto-blues in string bands, medicine shows, vaudeville, and the like. Organized alphabetically, from Johnny Acey to Webster Young, the entries include basic biographical information, South Carolina residences, career details, compositions, recordings as leaders and as band members, films, awards, websites, and lists of resources for additional reading. Former host of Jazz in Retrospect on NPR Benjamin Franklin V has ensured biographical accuracy to the greatest degree possible by consulting numerous public documents, and information in these records permitted him to dispel myths and correct misinformation that have surrounded South Carolina’s musical history for generations. “Elucidates South Carolina as a profoundly crucial puzzle piece alongside New Orleans, Chicago, Kansas City and New York.” —Harry Skoler, professor, Berklee College of Music Includes photos

On March 31, 1943, the musical Oklahoma! premiered and the modern era of the Broadway musical was born. Since that time, the theatres of Broadway have staged hundreds of musicals—some more noteworthy than others, but all in their own way a part of American theatre history. With more than 750 entries, this comprehensive reference work provides information on every musical produced on Broadway since Oklahoma’s 1943 debut. Each entry begins with a brief synopsis of the show, followed by a three-part history: first, the pre–Broadway story of the show, including out-of-town try-outs and Broadway previews; next, the Broadway run itself, with dates, theatres, and cast and crew, including replacements, chorus and understudies, songs, gossip, and notes on reviews and awards; and finally, post–Broadway information with a detailed list of later notable productions, along with important reviews and awards.

Goodnight and Good Riddance: How Thirty-Five Years of John Peel Helped to Shape Modern Britain is a social history, a diary of a nation's changing culture, and an in-depth appraisal of one of our greatest broadcasters, a man who can legitimately be called the most influential figure in post-war British popular music. Without the support of John Peel, it's unlikely that innumerable artists - from David Bowie to Dizzee Rascal, Jethro Tull to Joy Division - would have received national radio exposure. But Peel's influence goes much deeper than this. Whether he was championing punk, reggae, jungle or grime, he had a unique relationship with his audience that was part taste-maker, part trusted friend. The book focuses on some 300 shows between 1967 and 2004, giving a thorough overview of Peel's broadcasting career and placing it in its cultural and social contexts. Peel comes alive for the reader, as do the key developments that kept him at the cutting edge - the changes in his tastes; the changes in his thinking. Just like a Peel show, Goodnight and Good Riddance is warm, informative and insightful, and wears its enthusiasm proudly.

A cultural and social study of the origins and evolution of “rocknroll”.

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.