Lord Love a Kazoo Player
I'm currently reading "Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues" by Elijah Wald. I am really enjoying it, although it is a bit stuffy. It almost reads like the book was an assignment, rather than a labor of love, which is what the author claims. Case in point: I came upon a sentence last night that made me laugh, but it is used with complete sincerity in the book. I just don't understand how anyone could write this sentence and actually include it without any irony at all. Here it is:
Tampa Red, meanwhile, was a slide guitar virtuoso with a thin, distinctive voice and a fondness for the kazoo.
Who knows, maybe the kazoo was a common instrument in early blues recordings. I don't know.
posted by James @ 9:28 PM
3 comments
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3 Comments:
How do you feel about the term "Kazooist"?
I like it.
The kazoo was indeed fairly common on early "race" recordings. Tampa Red used it on dozens, as did various jug and washboard bands.
All the best,
Elijah Wald
Mr. Wald,
First of all if I'm really responding to THE Elijah Wald that wrote "Delta", then I am thrilled. I just finished your book about a week ago (I got sidetracked and read some other things for a while, but it was of no fault of your own.) I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am not a blues expert and I would only consider myself a passive fan of the genre at best. That's not to say I don't like the music; it's just that my knowledge of it comes from where most the same place that most others learned of the blues: 1960s British rock bands. I am a big music buff, but mostly of the pop variety. I came across a review of your book in Harp magazine and am very glad that I did.
As I said above, I really enjoyed it. I read a lot of books about music, but I don't recall the last time I read one as fascinating and truly insightful as yours. I feel a bit sorry for the fact that you read that I found your book "a bit stuffy". I did post a follow post about your book, but it was still about the kazoo and it was still early on in my reading of your book. I wrote to a friend (after completing "Delta") that as the book went on, I enjoyed it more and thought the last few chapters did a great job summing up and found your comments on where blues music has evolved (and music in general) especially thoughtful and astute. Congratulations on writing such a wonderful book and thanks for leaving a comment on my blog.
Respectfully,
James Floyd
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