The Art of the Blues: A Visual Treasury of Black Music's Golden Age

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.". "The Art of the Blues celebrates the visual swagger of the blues simply for the sheer joy of those visuals

There is no better guide to this fascinating graphical world than Bill Dahl—a longtime music journalist and historian who has written liner notes for countless reissues of classic blues, soul, R&B, and rock albums. This stunning book charts the rich history of the blues, through the dazzling array of posters, album covers, and advertisements that have shaped its identity over the past hundred years. The blues have been one of the most ubiquitous but diverse elements of American popular music at large, and the visual art associated with this unique sound has been just as varied and dynamic.             What these images collectively portray is the evolution of a distinctively American art form. The result is a sumptuous book, a visual treasury as alive in spirit as the music it so vibrantly captures.. With his deep knowledge and incisive commentary—complementing more than three hundred and fifty lavishly reproduced images—the history of the blues comes musically and visually to life. And they do so in the richest way imaginable. We see striking and hard-to-find label designs from labels big (Columbia) and small (Rhumboogie).             What will astonish readers who thumb through these pag

"IT'S APPEAL IS AS TIMELESS AS IT IS CAPTIVATING." Stuart Jefferson Bill Dahl, long respected authority on blues music and musicians (along with art consultant Chris James) has put together a visual feast for blues fans. Just remember, this book focuses on (as part of the title states) the "Golden Age" of the blues. There's virtually nothing on country blues or big city electric blues beyond noting some album covers/artists from those eras. The 9 1/2" X 11" book is a nice size to better appreciate the hundreds of color plates and b&w photos. Plus, every plate has a fairly lengthy caption so you can better understand what you're looking at. Art of the Blues What a great assembly of photos and descriptions. It is as advertised, "A Visual Treasury." Makes a terrific gift for a blues fan, too.. Peter J. Riley said Fabulous Visual History of The Blues. A new book from music researcher and writer Bill Dahl who's "Motown - The Golden Years" remains the best book on that subject yet written. Many music fans will also know Bill thru his amazing liner notes and curation of so many classic Bear Family releases. His new book is a wonderful visual treasury of the Blues. Kind of a scrapbook/coffee table book covering; sheet music, race record ads, record catalogs, labels, posters, album covers and photographs. The large format book is beautifully designed and printed, looks fabulous and benefits greatly with Dahl's authoritative