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the book is forthcoming. by Danyel Smith. a history of black women in pop. from It Books/HarperCollins (2014). now writing. tumbling this stuff keeps me inspired, and keeps my brain sane.
Posts tagged blues
Quincy Jones describes Dinah Washington’s style: she “could take the melody in her hand, hold it like an egg, crack it open, fry it, let it sizzle, reconstruct it, put the egg back in the box and back in the refrigerator and you would’ve still understood every single syllable.” more.

Quincy Jones describes Dinah Washington’s style: she “could take the melody in her hand, hold it like an egg, crack it open, fry it, let it sizzle, reconstruct it, put the egg back in the box and back in the refrigerator and you would’ve still understood every single syllable.”

more.

'...the debate stems all the way back to when “R&B” was a new name given to what was called “race music,” which were records intended for distribution in African-American communities only because it was defined as African-American pop music; a sound developed by African-Americans that combines blues and jazz, characterized by a strong backbeat and repeated variations of musical phrases...' 

As the blues migrated to big cities in the North and became popular with mainstream audiences, no one kept more closely to the themes of Ma Rainey’s country blues than Victoria Spivey. In 1929, Spivey had a hit with a chilling number called “Dirty T.B. Blues.” more.

As the blues migrated to big cities in the North and became popular with mainstream audiences, no one kept more closely to the themes of Ma Rainey’s country blues than Victoria Spivey. In 1929, Spivey had a hit with a chilling number called “Dirty T.B. Blues.”

more.

Sylvester Weaver…found his place in history on Oct 24, 1923, when he finger-picked simple, lonesome-sounding accompaniment to vaudeville singer Sara Martin’s “Longing for Daddy Blues”… more.

Sylvester Weaver…found his place in history on Oct 24, 1923, when he finger-picked simple, lonesome-sounding accompaniment to vaudeville singer Sara Martin’s “Longing for Daddy Blues”…

more.

…prettiest moment was when Franklin sat at the Baby Grand and accompanied herself to the Simon & Garfunkel classic “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Franklin’s piano work was bluesy and her vocals had a gospel-rave quality to them that would have made Art and Paul jealous.

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