Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.

Subject: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Sep 13 - 01:54 PM

I'm just on the edge of buying this


Blind Lemon Jefferson: His Life, His Death, and His Legacy Paperback

by Robert L. Uzzel

However I have to wear reading specs if I read a book these days and I don't like it.

I have a kindle which I read lots of detective stories on - but its not really enough to keep the mind alive. With a kindle you can make the print bigger and brighten and dim the light behind the screen. Also you can read it in bed without the light on.

I've become aware that the Kobo reader has a lot more available downloads. So I may get one of them. But has anybody read the book and can recommend it?

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: Elmore
Date: 22 Sep 13 - 11:25 PM

Big Al: I have no personal knowledge of the book. As you may have noticed, Amazon readers gave it 2 very favorable reviews and 1 very unfavorable review. Eighteen dollars is a little pricey for me these days. I might buy a used copy for ten bucks. It would certainly be of interest to me. I've had good luck buying used books from Amazon in the past, although I mostly read from Kindle now.

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 23 Sep 13 - 09:45 AM

Thankyou Elmore for replying. I bought the book (£12 in England) so i agree a bit steep, considering one review was crap. However i am suddenly consumed with curiosity about the man.

I've p[layed his songs wrong most of my life - learned from Ramblicg Jack and a Scottish guy called Hamish Imlack - great players in their own way, but not really in his way - if you get my meaning.

I've only just obtained an album where he's audible. i had an an awful album (only cost two quid) but it was just white noise with BLJ yowling unhappily and the odd guitar phrase.

The new album is clear as a bell and his guitar sound sounds a bit like me. So I'm intrigued.

Thanks for getting back to me Elmore - if its still abit of a stretch financially - I'll post the book to to you when I've finished it. it should arrive tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to knowing just what stirred within his soul to write something like 'Lectric chair Blues.
The Texas historical society have a short but quite good essay online about BLJ.

Many years ago I read Sam Charters comment about hin being 'fat dirty and depraved'. Persoanlly I don't care if my grave is kept clean, they can vapourise me in a chemical waste dump (once I'm dead) as far as I'm concerned. But fat, dirty or depraved....that guy had the soul of a poet, and a great one at that.

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: Elmore
Date: 23 Sep 13 - 11:30 AM

Big Al: I suspect the bad review was dishonest, and look forward to your opinion of the book. "Fat dirty and depraved." Sounds like a role model. Regards, Elmore

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 24 Sep 13 - 05:55 AM

This is a not bad article about the man. My hope is that Uzzel (being a Dallas man) has some local insights into the work.

http://jasobrecht.com/blind-lemon-jefferson-star-blues-guitar/

Anyway PM me your address Elmore and i'll send the book. Its not arrived yet - the postman has been today - so much for Amazon prime delivery!

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: Elmore
Date: 24 Sep 13 - 11:06 AM

Big Al: That's very kind. Did the PM. Thanks, Elmore.

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Sep 13 - 12:14 PM

big Al. what is the clear recording of the man you have. i have only ever heard noisy tracks???

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 24 Sep 13 - 12:37 PM

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rough-Guide-Blind-Lemon-Jefferson/dp/B00D3ZJB68/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1380040186&sr=8-5&keywords=blind+


that's the one. I bought the download. Turns out if I had bought the cd, I would have got the download for free and a quid cheaper. So I screwed up. But having said that.....I love it!

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Oct 13 - 09:31 PM

Its an interesting book - although i can see why some people might feel impatience with it. The author is preacher living in the area that Lemon came from.

He has contacted a lot of people who knew Lemon, but their reminisces don't really add a great deal to our understanding of lemon's technique, or give much insight into the great man's thought processes. Of particular interest to me is Lemon's interest late in his career in crime and punishment.

Uzzel notes this - but if there was any incident happening locally that brought this into sharp focus in his mind, its not guessed at. I think what does emerge from the book is a picture of a man with a very solid awareness of the small community in which he grew up.

In short Lemon was a folksinger - one who grew up in a community where traditional music making had deep roots and a definite cultral significance.

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 10:16 AM

my version of 'Lectric Chair Blues

http://soundcloud.com/denise_whittle/electric-chair-blues-by-big-al

Subject: RE: Robert Uzzels book about Blind Lemon J.
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 13 - 08:34 AM

Like it!