The musical and social history of Los Angeles's black community from the 1920s through the early 1950s comes to life in this exceptional oral history collection. Through the voices of musicians who performed on L.A.'s Central Avenue during those years; a vivid picture of the Avenue's place in American musical history emerges.By day; Central Avenue was the economic and social center for black Angelenos. By night; it was a magnet for Southern Californians; black and white; who wanted to hear the very latest in jazz. The oral histories in this book provide firsthand reminiscences by and about some of our great jazz legends: Art Farmer recalls the first time Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie played bebop on the West Coast; Britt Woodman tells of a teenaged Charles Mingus switching from cello to bass; Clora Bryant recalls hard times on the road with Billie Holiday. Here; too; are recollections of Hollywood's effects on local culture; the precedent-setting merger of the black and white musicians' unions; and the repercussions from the racism in the Los Angeles Police Department in the late 1940s and early 1950s.Central Avenue Sounds fills a major gap in California's cultural history; and it shows the influence of a community whose role became as significant in the jazz world as that of Harlem and New Orleans. The voices in this book also testify to the power and satisfaction that can come from making music.
#1100028 in Books 1993-09-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 6.25 x 1.00l; #File Name: 0520081854260 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful even-handed review of myopia in all races!By A CustomerDr. Patricia Turner's overview of rumor in the white communities and black communities of the past is excellent. She traces themes down through time; showing us how we all are grabbed and held prisoner by what we want to believe. Her delineation of what divides "them" from "us" is thought-provoking--and we all should be greatly intrigued by the people in her book who believe what they believe; in spite of logic and factual material available to them. We need more books like this and more authors like her. This should be required reading in a wide range of courses everywhere; because rumor is alive and well.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Interpreting Rumors and LegendsBy grasshopper4Many of the books on urban legends and rumors avoid discussion of stories told specifically within African-American communities. This book compensates for this lack of attention; and it provides interesting insights into the legends; rumors; and beliefs that Turner documents. She has arranged this book as a social history that stretches back to slavery times and extends into contemporary history. There are continuities and variations in the stories; but the overall themes remain the same. Mainly; the stories provide ways to understand how the history of racial tension in America is expressed through folklore and fantasy. In this respect; the book provides interesting ways to read the legends for psychological insight as Turner provides an interesting discussion of ways in which ideological constructs become expressed in fantasy.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Discussion of African American Urban LegendsBy A CustomerI read this book a few years ago as part of research I was doing on urban legends. While Jan Brunvand's books are the most cited references for urban legends; he focuses mostly on ULs vectored by white; usually middle class; people. Turner; on the other hand; focuses specifically on ULs vectored in the black community. I thought this book was quite well written; and the commentary and analysis of the ULs were spot on. I highly reccomend this book
