The Blues: A Very Short Introduction
SKU: 77520513

The Blues: A Very Short Introduction

Sale price$9.94 Regular price$11.04
Save 10%

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 8 - Jul 13

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

The Blues: A Very Short IntroductionPraised as "suave, soulful, ebullient" (Tom Waits) and "a meticulous researcher, a graceful writer, and a committed contrarian" (New York Times Book Review), Elijah Wald is one of the leading popular music critics of his generation. In The Blues, Wald surveys a genre at the heart of American culture. It is not an easy thing to pin down. As Howlin' Wolf once described it, "When you ain't got no money and can't pay your house rent and can't buy you no

Praised as "suave, soulful, ebullient" (Tom Waits) and "a meticulous researcher, a graceful writer, and a committed contrarian" (New York Times Book Review), Elijah Wald is one of the leading popular music critics of his generation. In The Blues, Wald surveys a genre at the heart of American culture.
It is not an easy thing to pin down. As Howlin' Wolf once described it, "When you ain't got no money and can't pay your house rent and can't buy you no food, you've damn sure got the blues." It has been defined by lyrical structure, or as a progression of chords, or as a set of practices reflecting West African "tonal and rhythmic approaches," using a five-note "blues scale." Wald sees blues less as a style than as a broad musical tradition within a constantly evolving pop culture. He traces its roots in work and praise songs, and shows how it was transformed by such professional performers as W. C. Handy, who first popularized the blues a century ago. He follows its evolution from Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith through Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix; identifies the impact of rural field recordings of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton and others; explores the role of blues in the development of both country music and jazz; and looks at the popular rhythm and blues trends of the 1940s and 1950s, from the uptown West Coast style of T-Bone Walker to the "down home" Chicago sound of Muddy Waters. Wald brings the story up to the present, touching on the effects of blues on American poetry, and its connection to modern styles such as rap.
As with all of Oxford's Very Short Introductions, The Blues tells you--with insight, clarity, and wit--everything you need to know to understand this quintessentially American musical genre.


Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 08/05/2010
ISBN: 9780195398939
Pages: 140
Weight: 0.28lbs
Size: 6.75h x 4.40w x 0.40d
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 77520513

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.1 ★★★★★
Based on 784 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
B
Verified Purchase
Bill
Bozeman, US
★★★★★ 4
Good value for solar watch
Color: Black/Orange
Nice watch! It is plastic like but it is solar. No indiglo button only a little luminous on the hands so you don't want to wear it in tje dark and expect to check the time. 45mm case is good size for my wrist and the band works good also, Not too long not too short. Overall a good watch with no problems
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2026
B
Verified Purchase
Barry Vercueil
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Amazing Solar for the price
Color: Black/Orange, Color: Black/Orange
Great watch. Very good visibility. Ligh and feels quality. Easy to swap straps. Same size as my Casio Duro. Highly recommend.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2026
J
Verified Purchase
Jason G
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 1
Do not buy
Color: Green/Black
Do not buy. When I received the watch it did not work and the battery was dead. I bought a new battery and it killed that one as well after about a month.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2026
M
Verified Purchase
Miles Connell
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Inexpensive doesn’t mean cheap.
Color: Black/Orange
After 10 months, zero complaints. Well, I got rid of the horrible NATO strap 🙄. That’s a personal preference. Easy to swap out to whatever you like. Keeps accurate time meaning it’s the same time. I’m not micro analyzing it and the seconds gained/lost. It has a confident look and feel and makes you feel good when wearing it. Sure it’s not high priced but it’s not cheap. Very comfortable, light and not unincumbered. If this is what you’re looking at, you’d be satisfied. Great looking, durable and simple watch. Full confidence.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2025
B
Verified Purchase
Buyer
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 3
Budget Seiko Prospex this is not
Color: Black/Orange
Bought this as a cheap work watch, but I guess all the budget went into the solar technology. No date adjust feature, gotta crank the crown over and over to adjust the date. (Also no screw-down crown, but that's expected at this price) Fake diver bezel. Lol why? Cringe as heck. Should of just put a compass bezel on there instead tbh. Cheap plastic crystal, scratches and mars just by looking at it. Okay NATO strap. Falls apart quickly, but it's easily replaceable with a better quality one. Decent lume on the hands, but none on the hour markers even though it looks like there is. Looks cool.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2025

recommand products