Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans - Paperback

by John Broven (Author)

A chronicle of the rise and development of a unique musical form.

Inducted into the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame under its original title Walking to New Orleans, this fascinating history focuses on the music of major R&B artists and the crucial contributions of the New Orleans music industry. Newly revised for this edition, much of the material comes firsthand from those who helped create the genre, including Fats Domino, Ray Charles, and Wardell Quezergue.

Back Jacket

At last--a major update of Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans by author and music researcher John Broven has arrived! Originally published in Great Britain in 1974 under the title Walking to New Orleans and later inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, the now-expanded book features new information, research, and interviews, capturing the magic that created the New Orleans sound heard around the world.

Broven shares the careers and music of the major and lesser-known R&B artists and history of the New Orleans music industry. Focusing on the independent record business featuring iconic labels such as Imperial, Specialty, Atlantic, and Chess, he chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the local R&B scene, highly influential in rock 'n' roll and soul, from the early recordings of the 1940s to the studio missteps in the late 1960s.

Many artistic leaders are highlighted, such as Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Dave Bartholomew, Huey "Piano" Smith, Allen Toussaint, Harold Battiste, Wardell Quezergue, Dr. John, and legendary soundman Cosimo Matassa.

Updates to the overview include new input from Jeff Hannusch, Rick Coleman, Ben Sandmel, and Ira "Dr. Ike" Padnos, including information on the support from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, community radio station WWOZ, and Offbeat magazine. More than one hundred photographs, a comprehensive appendix featuring a list of hit R&B records produced in New Orleans, and new biographical data make this an indispensable book for music lovers and researchers everywhere.

Author Biography

John Broven fell in love with the music of the Louisiana bayou from across the ocean. He has been an ardent fan and collector of rock 'n' roll since his boyhood days in East Sussex, England, where he jammed along to the hits of Huey Smith and Fats Domino. Broven is a respected expert on the rock 'n' roll era, lending his knowledge to BBC Radio and NPR to discuss genres from swamp pop to blues. He served as a consultant at Ace Records in England and was the co-editor of the British magazine Blues Unlimited. He then co-founded Juke Blues Magazine, where he published articles on blues, R&B, gospel, soul, zydeco, and jazz, demonstrating his own range of musical prowess and the diversity of Louisiana's culture. Broven has contributed many music-history articles to periodicals and has written essays for numerous record releases, popularizing Louisiana swamp music throughout the world. Broven has been inducted as an honorary member in the Louisiana Music Commission and is a member of the Louisiana Hall of Fame. He is still rocking from his home in Long Island, New York.