The Art of the Blues

This is a real visual masterpiece, recommended if you have a suitable coffee table to place it on to impress your mates when they drop round of an evening. --Blues & Rhythm [The Art of the Blues] is a stunner. The text is deeply researched and fluently written by Bill Dahl a freelance music journalist, a prolific liner note writer and author of Motown: The Golden Years. Invaluable knowledge and advice was provided by Chris James, an award-winning recording artist and music historian. . . .The visual presentations of the music similarly passed through different phases which makes this landmark book a valuable historical reference work and educational tool as well as being a stimulating and joyful book to browse. --The Generalist The great detail and high quality of hundreds of reproductions are a delight for blues fans and record collectors alike. --Jive Talk The Art of the Blues celebrates the visual swagger of the blues simply for the sheer joy of those visuals. This exhaustive book, resplendent in a handsome crimson cover that's littered with a collage of artwork from the world of blues, is a rich tapestry of how art was used to push the blues as an undisputed king of music in its 20th century heyday. The Art of the Blues is a seemingly endless in its handsomeness and would be most welcome as not only a perfect accompaniment to your favourite blues LPs, but also as a sublime pictorial history of the blues itself. --PopMatters The Art of the Blues will be a jewel in any blues fans library. It not only enhances the ability to understand and enjoy the music, it acts as a lavish historical document that will enrich anyone's understanding of American history and the blues place in our ever changing society.One may be tempted to buy multiple copies so the lavish images can be mounted individually for display; they're that high quality, and there are so many of them! The depth and quality of the images is almost overwhelming, providing the opportunity for discovery whether it's the initial or hundredth time the book is enjoyed. --Mark Baier Chicago Blues Guide Art of the Blues provides a fascinating visual documentation of the music industry as well as insight into American culture. It's difficult to quickly flip through this beautiful book because there are so many compelling images that deserve a closer look, whether it's a publicity portrait of a young Etta James (taken by Hollywood photographer John E. Reed) or the 78 label of 'Adam Bit the Apple, ' recorded by Big Joe Turner for Houston's Freedom Recording Co., which used the Statue of Liberty as part of its graphics. --Bobby Reed DownBeat