Before Motown: A History of Jazz in Detroit, 1920-60 | 
| Authors: Lars Bjorn, Jim Gallert
Publisher: University of Michigan Press/Regional
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $15.00
You Save: $9.95 (40%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 648858
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 8.4 x 0.7
ISBN: 0472067656
Dewey Decimal Number: 781.650977434
EAN: 9780472067657
ASIN: 0472067656
Publication Date: June 22, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Slight shelf wear.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
When most people think of Detroit and music, they think of the Motown sound. But what many people forget is that Detroit has a remarkable jazz history, which became a major influence in what came to be known as the Motown sound.
Before Motown is the first book about the history of jazz in Detroit. It shows the significant impact Detroit has had on the development of jazz in America, with its own sound, distinct from that of the other jazz centers of Chicago, New Orleans, St. Louis, or Kansas City. Starting with the big bands in the 1920s,with groups like the McKinney's Cotton Pickers and Jean Goldkette's Orchestra, and continuing into the 1950s, Detroit experienced a golden age of modern jazz centered around clubs like the Blue Bird Inn. That jazz scene comes alive in interviews with musicians and club owners, combined with unique period photographs and advertisements. In addition, Detroit's vital jazz scene is placed in its social context, particularly within the changing relations between blacks and whites at the time.
Long overdue, Before Motown tells the story of Detroit jazz as it really happened, told by the people who lived it. More importantly, it shows how life can mirror art in the most pragmatic of American cities, Detroit.
Lars Bjorn is Professor of Sociology, University of Michigan, Dearborn, and the author of numerous articles and publications about jazz. Jim Gallert is Vice President of the Jazz Alliance of Michigan and a veteran jazz broadcaster. He has been involved with the Detroit jazz scene for over twenty-five years.
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| Customer Reviews:
An invaluable piece of Music History November 15, 2005
My uncle, Joe Jaffee owned the Parrot Lounge along with Al Green and others. He told some cute stories of the club, including the time he got mad at Billy Eckstine for smoking marijuana. The parrot, as legend goes, became so foul-mouthed from listening to the drunken customers, that my Uncle finally had to get rid of it.
This book is extremely well-researched; maps are included of where the spots were located, and the pictures are very vivid. There was a recent book published about Detroit's history that completely ignored the nightclubs, and this book fills in the gap. In fact, in most books that have been written about Detroit's nightclub scene, you always see Al Green and the Flame, but never a word about the other clubs and or owners.
This book is definitely a must-have for music lovers and historians alike.
Just tell the taxi driver, "Paradise Valley" November 4, 2001
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Of course nowadays they would just look at you like you were crazy, but in Detroit from the 30's through the 50's they would have taken you to one of the places described in this book: Club Plantation, the El Sino, the Greystone Ballroom, the Forest Club, Frolic Show Bar, Flame Show Bar, Cozy Corner, Blue Bird Inn, Sportree's Music Bar, or any of about 90 others. This book has the maps, pictures, facts, anecdotes, and solid economic and social explanations to bring this era alive. This history has already been so erased from the face of Detroit that there are hardly even any decaying buildings left. All is empty lots with bricks sticking out of the soil; places as evocative as the service drive of an expressway. Who could know that Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Bix Beiderbecke, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, played or spent time here? How else could you know about Detroit musicians like drummer J. C. Heard who fanned out across the country, blending their talents into the bands of Lionel Hampton, Fletcher Henderson, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and many others? You might read this book to see how the Detroit influence added to the influences of New Orleans, New York and Chicago to the world of jazz. Or you might read it to find out why Detroit is where it's at in its own musical history. Or if you lived in Detroit, you might read it to understand the significance of the mute things around you, through which maybe you drive to work each day. But man, read it!
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