The Bottom Line
Pros
- Includes entries for hundreds of obscure blues and R&B artists
Cons
- Includes too many entries for rock-oriented artists of questionable value
Description
- Features biographical profiles of over 1,000 blues artists.
- Provides short reviews of almost 9,000 blues albums.
- Historical essays provide scholarly backdrop for the entries.
Guide Review - All Music Guide to the Blues book review
Part of the All Music Guide book series, the third edition of the All Music Guide to the Blues is the biggest and baddest volume yet! This hefty, heavy 700+ page tome features biographical profiles of over 1,000 blues artists, A to Z, along with brief reviews of almost 9,000 blues albums, with release dates and ratings.
The book includes numerous essays on blues history and the evolution of styles, several "top" lists offering the best artists and albums of various blues styles, and writing by some of the biggest names in music journalism, including musicians like Cub Koda and Rev. Billy C. Wirtz as well as blues historians like Bill Dahl, Ron Wynn and Robert Gordon. A beginner's guide to the blues offers valuable tips for listening to the music while essays on Gospel and jazz provide important information on related genres.
The All Music Guide to the Blues is an essential reference book for the entirety of the blues genre, deserving of a place on the bookshelf (or beside the stereo) of every fan of the music.
