Bessie Smith:
Empress of the Blues – Chris Albertson
Chris Albertson studies the life, times and blues of
Bessie Smith (1894 - 1937). In the 1920s, she was the most celebrated singer in
blues because of her powerful, emotive voice and the decision of Columbia
Records to market records on Okeh label to black people. Bessie Smith
influenced jazz, gospel, and rock singers such as Billie Holiday, Mahalia
Jackson, and Janis Joplin.
Albertson was on the production team that assembled the
influential set of Smith’s recordings in the early 1970s. For that reason, he
is uniquely qualified to discuss her art. He also examined the roles and
influence of gifted musicians such as Fletcher Henderson, James P. Johnson, Coleman Hawkins, Don
Redman and Louis Armstrong. Smith’s interpretation of St. Louis Blues with
Armstrong is considered by most critics to be one of finest recordings of the
1920s. One benefit of our digital age is that her recordings sound so clean,
though some critics complain that the nuances of her voice are made too mellow.
Decide for yourself – check out Put It Right Here for the
sonics, the cool pictures, and her fundamental philosophy of life.
The author interviewed Ruby Walker, Bessie's niece,
confidant, touring companion, and sometime punching bag. She tells a lot of
blunt stories about Bessie Smith’s vibrant ways. Bessie Smith was a true artist
in that she was a great entertainer, but she also had an artist’s rough “conventions
be damned” approach to life that her fans admired, respected, and feared. In our tolerant era, we can’t picture divas
like Beyonce throwing piano stools at back-up singers or taking pistol shots at
errant husbands like Bessie Smith did. It’s
a pity she died young at only 43, in a car accident. Smith’s grave near
Philadelphia was unmarked until 1970, when Janis Joplin paid for a headstone
(according to here).
No comments:
Post a Comment