Book Review
Dec. 28th, 2017 12:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariStomp and Swerve: American Music Gets Hot, 1843-1924
by David Wondrich
This book examines the emergence of "hot" music in America from the mid 19th century through the first quarter of the twentieth. Wondrich defines hot music as having at least one and preferably both of two characteristics: drive, which is a stomping propulsive pulse, and swerve, which involves warping or deviating from the beat or the tonal scheme or both. Wondrich then traces the presence and development of these characteristics through minstrelsy, ragtime, early jazz, and the blues.
Wondrich writes in a chatty, slangy, yet very clear style that make Stomp and Swerve really enjoyable to read. However, the book does ramble at times and Wondrich does not always convey a clear through-line to his argument. However, he does a wonderful job of uncovering and discussing a lot of music and musicians who are less well-known but no less important to the development of jazz. He also does a great job of connecting all these threads to each other and to the eventual development of rock n roll.
by David Wondrich
This book examines the emergence of "hot" music in America from the mid 19th century through the first quarter of the twentieth. Wondrich defines hot music as having at least one and preferably both of two characteristics: drive, which is a stomping propulsive pulse, and swerve, which involves warping or deviating from the beat or the tonal scheme or both. Wondrich then traces the presence and development of these characteristics through minstrelsy, ragtime, early jazz, and the blues.
Wondrich writes in a chatty, slangy, yet very clear style that make Stomp and Swerve really enjoyable to read. However, the book does ramble at times and Wondrich does not always convey a clear through-line to his argument. However, he does a wonderful job of uncovering and discussing a lot of music and musicians who are less well-known but no less important to the development of jazz. He also does a great job of connecting all these threads to each other and to the eventual development of rock n roll.
