Stomping the Blues

2017
•
Author:

Albert Murray

The 40th anniversary edition of a landmark study of blues and jazz by one of America’s premier essayists and novelists

In this sensual tribute to the blues, renowned critic Albert Murray explores its history, influences, development, and meaning as only he can. In Stomping the Blues, more than two hundred vintage photographs capture the ambiance Murray evokes in lyrical prose—only the sounds are missing.

Murray is possessed of the poet’s language, the novelist’s sensibility, the essayist’s clarity, the jazzman’s imagination, the gospel singer’s depth of feeling.

—

The New Yorker

In this classic work of American music writing, renowned critic Albert Murray argues beautifully and authoritatively that “the blues as such are synonymous with low spirits. Not only is its express purpose to make people feel good, which is to say in high spirits, but in the process of doing so it is actually expected to generate a disposition that is both elegantly playful and heroic in its nonchalance.”

In Stomping the Blues Murray explores its history, influences, development, and meaning as only he can. More than two hundred vintage photographs capture the ambiance Murray evokes in lyrical prose. Only the sounds are missing from this lyrical, sensual tribute to the blues.

Albert Murray (1916–2013), author of thirteen books, including Murray Talks Music: Albert Murray on Jazz and Blues, Rifftide: The Life and Opinions of Papa Jo Jones, and Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie, all from the University of Minnesota Press. He was a renowned jazz historian, novelist, and social and cultural theorist. He cofounded Jazz at Lincoln Center in 1987.

Paul Devlin is editor of Murray Talks Music and Rifftide, a finalist for the Jazz Journalists Association’s book award. He is coeditor (with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.) of the Library of America’s edition of Albert Murray’s work. He teaches at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Murray is possessed of the poet’s language, the novelist’s sensibility, the essayist’s clarity, the jazzman’s imagination, the gospel singer’s depth of feeling.

—

The New Yorker

A flamboyant, insightful examination and evocation of the sources, styles, and mythologies of blues music.

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Newsweek

One fine lyrical history of the music. Murray demonstrates the central role of blues/jazz in American culture, telling us about the nature of our past, present and future: which of course is exactly what the blues is.

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San Francisco Review of Books

Beautifully illustrated with vivid period photos, LP covers, and broadsides of black jazz icons, Stomping the Blues represents the zenith of Murray’s writing on the subject.

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Rolling Stone

Contents

Introduction
Paul Devlin
1. The Blues as Such
2. The Blues Face to Face
3. The Blue Devils and the Holy Ghost
4. The Blues as Music
5. Blues Music as Such
6. Singing the Blues
7. Playing the Blues
8. Swinging the Blues
9. Kansas City Four/Four and the Velocity of Celebration
10. The Blues as Dance Music
11. Folk Art and Fine Art
12. The Blues as Statement
Epilogue
Index