PDF Chicago Soul Music in American Life Robert Pruter 9780252062599 Books
PDF Chicago Soul Music in American Life Robert Pruter 9780252062599 Books
Download As PDF : Chicago Soul Music in American Life Robert Pruter 9780252062599 Books
Chicago Soul chronicles the emergence of Chicago soul music out of the city's thriving rhythm-and-blues industry from the late 1950s through the late 1970s. The performers, A&R men, producers, distributors, deejays, studios, and labels that made it all happen take center stage in this first book to document the stunning rise and success of the Windy City as a soul music recording center.
PDF Chicago Soul Music in American Life Robert Pruter 9780252062599 Books
"This is a fine, accurate history of Chicago R&B. If you don't know much about Chicago R&B, it's a great place to start. It has fine coverage of all the major labels and some of the smaller ones. The author has a real appreciation for the performers. However, it does not deal at all with rarities, and the author seems to consider R&B almost exclusively as "soul," so funk is only dealt with tangentially."
Product details
|
Tags : Chicago Soul (Music in American Life) [Robert Pruter] on . Chicago Soul</i> chronicles the emergence of Chicago soul music out of the city's thriving rhythm-and-blues industry from the late 1950s through the late 1970s. The performers,Robert Pruter,Chicago Soul (Music in American Life),University of Illinois Press,0252062590,Soul music - Illinois - Chicago - History and criticism,Soul music;Illinois;Chicago;History and criticism.,Chicago,Folklore,Genres Styles - Soul RB,History Criticism - General,History and criticism,Illinois,Jazz,MUSIC / General,MUSIC / Genres Styles / Soul R 'n B,Music,Music/History Criticism - General,Music/Songbooks,Non-Fiction,Soul music,UNIVERSITY PRESS
Chicago Soul Music in American Life Robert Pruter 9780252062599 Books Reviews :
Chicago Soul Music in American Life Robert Pruter 9780252062599 Books Reviews
- Yes, Chicago had a sound, just like Philadelphia, Stax, Muscle Shoals, etc. Someone in the book mentions that if Sam Cooke had lived this might be better known, because Cooke was also an excellent businessman. The sound was not marketed as such, we had so many record labels.
Fantastic vocal harmonies are key to that sound, Chess being a case of its own. Examples are the Dells, the Impressions (Curtis Mayfield, Jerry Butler). So many record labels and characters. Even if you don't know these songs, you will love them when you hear them. Many can be found on Youtube, e.g. If You Decide (not mentioned in the book.) Chicagoans and folks from Detroit and Gary were part of this sound. Listen to the first Jackson 5 record, Big Boy. It was recorded in Chicago and I think is better than Motown.
If you are into soul music or popular music history, you will want to read this. Thank heavens someone has preserved all this knowledge. - This is a dangerous book if you're trying to curb your record buying. By the time I was only about 1/3 done I had already populated several new wishlists of CDs based on my reading so far. For being the center of the electric blues universe, Chicago gets comparatively little attention as a Soul center. Turns out, there was a lot of good music going on that just got overshadowed by Memphis, Detroit and Philly. Pruter is clearly a researcher and not some run of the mill journalist enamored by the sound of his own voice.
- I've trying to find out who played on the recordings
- This is a fine, accurate history of Chicago R&B. If you don't know much about Chicago R&B, it's a great place to start. It has fine coverage of all the major labels and some of the smaller ones. The author has a real appreciation for the performers. However, it does not deal at all with rarities, and the author seems to consider R&B almost exclusively as "soul," so funk is only dealt with tangentially.
- A very enjoyable read and informative history of the highly overlooked Soul music scene in Chicago from the 1950's to it's demise in the early 80's. A must read for all music lovers !
- All to often the sound Chicago gets overlooked. People get so wrapped up in Motown, Stax-Volt and the later "Sound Of Philadelphia" they either forget or simply don't know about the huge impact Chicago has had on R&B.
This book is loaded with facts but also a terrific read.
As one of the city's most famous sons wrote
"Why don't you check out your mind" - Excellent reference book
- I agree with all other reviewers. Of course, I love Motown, Stax-Volt, Philadelphia sound & others, but Chicago Soul often gets overlooked or lumped in with Motown.
How refreshing to read a book just about the music & not all of the tabloid trash of many Motown books. Sure, the Chicago artists had their problems, which the author mentions when they are relevant to the story, but he doesn't dwell on them.
In one book you get to read about Curtis Mayfield/Impressions; Major Lance; Dells; Gene Chandler; Dee Clark; Chi-lites & countless others.
Pruter is not afraid to criticise the music, especially stuff from the Disco era. He is meticulous in his details about recordings, etc.
He spends a couple of pages discussing Soul Radio in the 60s which is much too brief. I only hope someone will write a book about that subject sometime. Also, he devotes a chapter to Dance records which is very interesting.
My other favorite parts of the book are some of the stories about the artists, especially ones who aren't too well known like Jan Bradley who did "Mama Didn't Lie." Pruter tells a wonderful story about Bradley working with Robert Talty, an older white record producer who really believed in her talent. And sorry, there are no sleazy details about an affair or anything. Just two people working together on music that they loved! In fact, Talty worked mostly out of his home & involved his wife & daughters in his music endeavors.
It is also fun to read the stories behind the songs, like how Fontella Bass' classic "Rescue Me" was produced or how guitarist Phil Upchurch & Dee Clark hashed out the details of Clark's big hit "Raindrops" while driving in a rainstorm.
Probably the reason that Chicago Soul isn't better known is that there wasn't one label over all the music like Motown or Atlantic. Sure there were labels like Vee Jay & Chess, but there were a whole host of smaller labels too & well as distribution deals with larger labels.
It is kind of sad to read about the demise of Chess records. I would have loved to have been in the storeroom & grabbed some of those leftover Chess albums that were thrown out when the label went out of business & a new owner took over the building.
Anway, stories like that make this a wonderful read for any Soul Music fan.
Comments
Post a Comment