Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us (S.Wade)

Subject: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 02 May 12 - 01:13 PM

This looks good -- recommended by the Southern Folklife Collection (U of NC) and due out August 15, 2012: The Beautiful Music All Around Us, Field Recordings and the American Experience, by Stephen Wade (U of Illinois Press).

Uncovering the hidden histories of iconic American folksongs

The Beautiful Music All Around Us presents the extraordinarily rich backstories of thirteen performances captured on Library of Congress field recordings between 1934 and 1942 in locations reaching from Southern Appalachia to the Mississippi Delta and the Great Plains. Including the children's play song "Shortenin' Bread," the fiddle tune "Bonaparte's Retreat," the blues "Another Man Done Gone," and the spiritual "Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down," these performances were recorded in kitchens and churches, on porches and in prisons, in hotel rooms and school auditoriums. Documented during the golden age of the Library of Congress recordings, they capture not only the words and tunes of traditional songs but also the sounds of life in which the performances were embedded: children laugh, neighbors comment, trucks pass by.

Musician and researcher Stephen Wade sought out the performers on these recordings, their families, fellow musicians, and others who remembered them. He reconstructs the sights and sounds of the recording sessions themselves and how the music worked in all their lives. Some of these performers developed musical reputations beyond these field recordings, but for many, these tracks represent their only appearances on record: prisoners at the Arkansas State Penitentiary jumping on "the Library's recording machine" in a rendering of "Rock Island Line"; Ora Dell Graham being called away from the schoolyard to sing the jump-rope rhyme "Pullin' the Skiff"; Luther Strong shaking off a hungover night in jail and borrowing a fiddle to rip into "Glory in the Meetinghouse."

Alongside loving and expert profiles of these performers and their locales and communities, Wade also untangles the histories of these iconic songs and tunes, tracing them through slave songs and spirituals, British and homegrown ballads, fiddle contests, gospel quartets, and labor laments. By exploring how these singers and instrumentalists exerted their own creativity on inherited forms, "amplifying tradition's gifts," Wade shows how a single artist can make a difference within a democracy.

Reflecting decades of research and detective work, the profiles and abundant photos in The Beautiful Music All Around Us bring to life largely unheralded individuals--domestics, farm laborers, state prisoners, schoolchildren, cowboys, housewives and mothers, loggers and miners--whose music has become part of the wider American musical soundscape. The book also includes an accompanying CD that presents these thirteen performances, songs and sounds of America in the 1930s and '40s.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 02 May 12 - 04:05 PM

Right. I'm on it. It's to be released in Britain 15 August in p/b only as far as I can see. But the good news is that it will be available from Amazon in the UK for just £13.90.

That's not bad for 440 pages, plus free CD.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 03 May 12 - 03:35 AM

Sounds good to me.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 03 May 12 - 12:46 PM

The news just got even better. The Book Depository
will be selling the p/b version from 01.08.12 for £11.63, p&p inc.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 03 May 12 - 12:48 PM

Lest I confuse anyone in the States, that is August 1st, not January 8th.

Subject: New Book The Beautiful Music All Around
From: Mark Ross
Date: 05 Aug 12 - 03:43 PM

My old friend Stephen Wade has a new book and CD coming out;

The Beautiful Music All Around Us; Field Recordings and the American Experience
University of Illinois Press


http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/55qpr7zm9780252036880.html

He also has new CD Banjo Diary


http://www.folkways.si.edu/radio/banjo_diary_preview/index.html

I recommend both whole heartedly.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: New Book The Beautiful Music All Around
From: Mark Ross
Date: 05 Aug 12 - 09:57 PM

Here's a list of Stephen Wade's upcoming appearances;




http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/wade_events.html

One of the best banjo players around, and a an old friend.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: New Book The Beautiful Music All Around
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 05 Aug 12 - 10:44 PM

Both (all) look good. Thanks for the tip.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: New Book The Beautiful Music All Around
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 05 Aug 12 - 10:48 PM

I thought I had heard something of this before... previous thread.

;-)

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 05 Aug 12 - 10:49 PM

bump

Don't miss the video at the UI Press site.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 06 Aug 12 - 05:18 AM

The latest news is that The Book Depository will be retailing the book for £12.74 inc p/p from 25 August.

Sounds cool to me.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 06 Aug 12 - 05:29 AM

Thanks for the tip-off, ordered from UK Amazon (although I'm only seeing the hardback edition?)

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 06 Aug 12 - 06:15 AM

It's the hardback edition that TBD will be selling.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 08 Aug 12 - 03:12 AM

Ordered my copy earlier this week - many thanks to D.D. for the heads-up and to Owen Woodson for indicating The Book Depository - free postage really does make a difference over here.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 14 Sep 12 - 01:09 PM

Nice review from the Wall Street Journal (!): In the Footsteps of Alan Lomax: The Artists Behind the Music, by Terry Teachout.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Mark Ross
Date: 14 Sep 12 - 02:01 PM

Got my copy the other week. Wonderful book, and highly recommended!

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Sep 12 - 03:26 PM

Thanks again to DD - 'Beautiful Music' is a wonderful read and the accompanying CD alone is worth the asking price
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Elmore
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 10:41 AM

Attn: Desert Dancer. Thanks for reminding us about this book. Previously I made a mental note to check it out, but my mental notes are useless.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST,David Charles
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 12:10 PM

Does anyone have a tracklisting for the CD? Finances being what they are, I'm undecided whether to order a new copy now, or wait until I can pick up one that's remaindered/second hand.

The problem there is that if I order a remaindered/second hand copy, it might not still have the CD. That wouldn't be too bad if - as I suspect - it's made up of recordings which have already been released. But I'd be kicking myself if it turned out to be full of goodies which I haven't already got.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 01:03 PM

Just finished reading this. It is excellent and should be on everyone's reading list. Highly recommended.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 12 - 01:13 PM

David
Probably paste down as a mess but here it is

A Note on the Recording
In October 1997, a compact disc that I produced and annotated called A Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings (Rounder CD 1500) went into national release. A full list of its tracks and downloads are available under its title at http://www.rounder.com. For this book I have focused on thirteen of those thirty recordings that appear on the enclosed compact disc:

1   "Bonaparte's Retreat" (1:52). Played on the fiddle by W. H. Stepp, Salyersville, Ky., Oct. 26,1937.
2   "Rock Island Line" (1:49). Sung by Kelly Pace and group, Gould, Ark., Oct. 2, 1934-
3   "Puffin' the Skiff" (1:06). Sung by Ora Dell Graham, Drew, Miss., Oct. 24,1940.
4   "Shortenm Bread" (0:54). Sung by Ora Dell Graham, Drew, Miss., Oct. 24, 1940.
5   "Sea Lion Woman" (1:11). Sung by Christine and Katherine Shipp, Byhalia, Miss., May 13,1939.
6   "Soldier's Joy" (2:10). Played on washboard, banjo-mandolin, guitar, and tin-can bull fiddle by the Nashville Washboard Band, Nashville, Tenn., July 15, 1942.
7   "Another Man Done Gone" (1:26). Sung by Vera Hall, Livingston, Ala., Oct. 31,1940.
8   "Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down" (4:10). Sung by Bozie Sturdivant, Clarksdale, Miss., July 25,1942.
9   "Coal Creek March" (1:30). Played on the five-string banjo by Pete Steele, Hamilton, Ohio, Mar. 29,1938.
10.        "One Morning in May" (3:18). Sung by Texas Gladden, Salem, Va., Sept. 8 or 9.1941.
11   "Glory in the Meetinghouse" (1:45). Played on the fiddle by Luther Strong, Hazard, Ky., Oct. 18,1937.
12   "Diamond Joe" (2:14). Sung by Charlie Butler, Parchman, Miss., Mar. 8,1937.
13   "Goodbye, Old Paint" (4:31). Sung with fiddle by Jess Morris, Dallas, Tex., May 3, 1942

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST,David Charles
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 06:19 AM

Thanks Guest. I have the Treasury already, so the free CD isn't much of an inducement. Plus, the money I've spent on books lately, I'm wondering what my bank manager would say about yet another investment.

Joking apart, for anyone who isn't familiar with the Library of Congress work, pre world war 2, that is one heck of a list! Rounder released a lot of LoC material under the collective name of The Alan Lomax Collection, before the company was sold and the collection shamefully withdrawn.

I dare say that a lot of it is still available on Amazon and similar sites. So to anyone who is new to American tradition, I'd say buy the book, marvel at the CD and use both as the basis for a positive acres of diamonds exploration.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST,David Charles
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 06:24 AM

I forgot to add, That should be Jess Morris, not less Morris. I've heard it said that he was one of the last old time cowboys, who made his living as a rodeo rider and bronco buster when cowboying dried up. In the course of his latter occupation, he received so many falls that he ended up breaking practically every bone in his body.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 09:56 AM

I noticed in the OP link, they say it includes the "children's play song, 'Shortnin bread.'" I wonder if it is the same song my parents had sheet music for...if so, was it "trad" before that? I'm off to search the database.

Thanks for bringing this up, again.

kat

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Sep 12 - 12:16 PM

THe CD, Treasury of LOC Field Recordings contains 30 tracks and is IMO the best single CD ever issued on Amerian folksong. Sadly, Rounder farmed it out to Amazon---sadly, because CAMSCO can't get a trade discount, and therefore can't carry it. You can order it from Amazon, though, for a few bucks more than I used to charge for it.
HIghly recommended.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 06:05 AM

Doesd anybody know whether this book has yet become available in Britain?

The Book Depository say it's currently unavailable and Amazon have been saying they'll need an extra two days to deliver it. Whatever that means.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 06:09 AM

Owen
Abe Books UK has several copies at reasonable prices
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST,Hotenanny
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 06:17 AM

I ordered and received my copy from the Book Depositry a great book beautifully produced and at a bargain price. Just don't give up. If you love this music and what goes into it this book is essential reading. The first chapter alone is fascinating. Stephen Wade has done an amazing job.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 01 Oct 12 - 06:00 AM

Thanks. The Book Depository are still saying it's unobtainable, and the only copies on ABE are American with expensive shipping prices and long delays in delivery.

Against my better judgement, I've ordered through Amazon UK, which is notorious for the way it mistreats its workers. Still, they're opening an Amazon warehouse near to me in the near future and I belong to Unite's retired members branch. Which means I'm going to be very well placed to help out if the Amazon workers decide to get unionised.

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 01 Oct 12 - 07:33 AM

The copy which I ordered and received from The Book Depositry was the American edition.
I suspect that somebody somewhere made a balls up on the price.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 05 Oct 12 - 06:16 AM

Out of curiosity I've just had a look at the Book Depository site. It's back on and listed at £15.29 inc p/p.

That's the same price Amazon are charging. For the sake of a clear conscience, I'm wishing I'd hung on for a while and gone with the BD

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 06 Oct 12 - 05:50 AM

It got here just this morning. What a beautiful looking book, and a whole chapter on Vera Hall!

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Art Thieme
Date: 29 Dec 12 - 09:33 PM

Simply a magnificent book by my old Chicago friend Stephen Wade!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 29 Dec 12 - 09:49 PM

One of my Christmas presents that I'm looking forward to reading (and listening to) in the coming weeks.

Mick

Subject: RE: Book: The Beautiful Music All Around Us
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 30 Dec 12 - 11:37 AM

I'm about half way through, and it is quite simply the best music books I've read in years ...