Paul Oliver Tribute (original) (raw)

Author, producer & researcher Paul Hereford Oliver was born on Wednesday, May 25/1927, Nottingham, UK. I've asked few people to share with us the importance of his work to the blues.

I'd would like to thank all contributors, and specially Alan Balfour (who reminded me of this important date), Tony Burke (who has published a summary of these tributes in Blues & Rhythm #120 ; see ) and Gorgen Antonsson (who supplied a bibliography).

The sanitised version of American history I was taught at school completely failed to prepare me for the jolt my sensibilities were to have one fall afternoon in 1962 when I heard "Blues In The Mississippi Night" being played at a friend's house by his father. We had gone there to have an afternoon of listening to the latest UK hits. I ended up playing "Blues In The Mississippi Night" time and time again - much to my friend's disgust. To keep the peace his father, who I later understood was a jazz fan, gave me the record suggesting I kept it to play at home. An impressionable teenager perhaps but, as Chris Smith has noted, it's a record to "make you both ashamed and enthralled to be listening", whatever your age.

From there began a voyage of discovery which continued via a second-hand copy of the album "Blues Fell This Morning - Rare Recordings of Southern Blues Singers", the reverse of which began, "One of the richest folk music forms to develop in the Western World during the present century, the blues of the Negroes of the Southern United States, has been a major influence on both jazz and popular song" quoting names like Barbecue Bob, Peg Leg Howell, Barefoot Bill and Bukka White. There was also an advertisement for a book of the same title which was said to contain "three hundred and fifty quotations from recorded blues...". That I just had to have.

The book took me beyond the strange music on the record and pointed me in the direction of an American people and culture of which I knew precious little and consequently shamed me into discovering more. My leisure reading of whodunnits gave way to such material as "Lay My Burden Down", "Black Boy, Myth of the Negro Past" and anything else listed in the bibliography that I could locate in libraries. However, "Blues Fell This Morning" was responsible for my learning about American history in general, and black history in particular, more than ever I got from school - and it was fun too.

It might sound cliched but Paul Oliver DID change the direction of my life, as I'm sure he did for others of a later generation with 'Story of the Blues' and will continue to do so for this generation with the book's revision and imminent publication. Thirty eight years ago Richard Wright in his introduction to "Blues Fell This Morning" probably paid the most apt tribute of all to Paul's endeavours: "Paul Oliver is drenched in his subject; his frame of reference is as accurate and as concrete as though he himself had been born in the environment of the blues".

Although I had been corresponding with Paul for quite some time, it wasn't until he and his lovely wife made their first visit to the U.S. that we actually met. If I recall correctly, I helped him with some contact before he started out on his monumental first field trip. All of us still reap the benefits of that endeavor!

It is extremely difficult to give tribute to an individual such as Paul who has done so much, has contributed so much and has been such a meaningful part of my life. This, despite the fact that we are on opposite sides of the ocean. His books, liner notes articles and record productions have had more meaning to me over the past (more than) 35 years and it is virtually impossible to guage just how widespread his influence has been.

Let me end with the wish that you, Paul, continue for untold years to come. You are as good as they come!!

I've never met Paul Oliver, but I feel like I know him a little. His work as a blues historian and scholar has been one of the reference points that I've regularly returned to for as long as I've been a serious fan of the blues, and it's his views that helped me to form my own on the subject. He is one of the true pioneers of blues research, and one of the earliest chroniclers to recognize the value of post-war blues; when Oliver's first works appeared (the first I'm aware of is his book "Conversation With The Blues", which was published in 1965, but I'm certain there must have been other works previous to this), there was very little serious study of what was then considered contemporary black music. Most researchers then were focussed on the pre-war, 'historical' blues artists and recordings--and Mr. Oliver himself is a recognized authority in this area as well--but little documentation was being done of the then-current blues music scene. Paul Oliver saw that this was a valuable, important time in the evolution of blues music, and almost alone among his contemporaries, he took the initiative to get out there and document it. For this every blues fan of today owes him thanks.

Paul Oliver's presence on the first real 'blues revival' is ubiquitous; his importance undeniable. This is all the more remarkable for the fact that his home base is in England, several thousand miles away from the subject of his passion. If I can quote from the jacket of his book "The Story Of the Blues" from 1969: "[Oliver's] books have been enthusiastically hailed wherever they have appeared. '....he writes with authority and affection of a folk art that has profound significance for all Americans...he possesses broad sympathies and deep insights lacking in most American writings on the blues...' (The New York Times)". Happy birthday, Mr. Oliver, and thanks.

,
Chicago, IL.

Paul Oliver has been one of the major inspirations to me, since we first met in January 1960, I remember buying Blues Fell This Morning on the day it was published and the sheer delight of it.

The one major effect Paul had on me was a burden of thousands and thousands of hours work. John Godrich and I had been collaborating on blues and gospel discography since about 1958. In mid 1961 the first edition of Brian Rust's Jazz Records was published. It had some blues materials in (those items with jazzy accompanists) but only a few. In September 1961 I was visiting London for a few weeks and Paul suggested that John and I should undertake a blues and gospel discography. I was doubtful at first but Paul was insistent. He took me around to meet Brian, who agreed to publish it, and - most important - to help us fill in gaps from his own files and his contacts at Hayes (EMI's headquarters in UK). John at once agreed to the idea. And so began a task which gave both of us lots of work but also a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction.

The third edition was dedicated to Paul. When Oxford University Press were considering whether to take over and publish the fourth edition (out this June) they asked Paul to be a referee. It may be that Paul is the first person to have given advice to a publisher on whether to publish a book that was dedicated to him.

Robert M. W. Dixonco-author, Blues & Gospel Records

It would hardly be an exaggeration to state that most of our present understanding of the blues is based on the work of Paul Oliver. The range of his interests in this music, as well as related genres of African American folk and popular music, is truly astounding. Not only has he established the framework of the history of the blues, but he has also filled in much of the detail through his fieldwork, interviews, and research in recordings and printed sources. Besides blues history, he has made major contributions to the biographies of important figures and to the study of origins, meaning, and social background of the blues. What is especially impressive is that each of his major works has been an advancement over his earlier works, rather than simply a rehash of old ideas, and each has proven to be in the forefront of blues research in its time.

Much of my work has been inspired by that of Paul Oliver. I especially admire the fact that he is led to his conclusions by facts and evidence and not by preconceived notions, sweeping theories, or passing intellectual fads. He has learned that the history of blues is complex and cannot be neatly packaged or reviewed as a unilinear development and that the blues has many meanings for many different people, starting, of course, with the blues singers themselves. The present decade has seen an extraordinary increase in interest in the blues worldwide, certainly thanks in part to the efforts of Paul Oliver. Yet many of the new fans, scholars, and interpreters of this music lack Paul Oliver's objectivity about it as well as his comprehensive overview. Paul has not felt the need to rely on images of crossroads and mojos or slogans of "blues power" and "keep the blues alive." I think he has always felt that the plain facts of the music and its history are fascinating enough and sufficient to grant it an important place in history as well as maintain it as a living music. Those who have recently come to the blues could do no better than to read all of his writings that they can get their hands on.

Recently a writer criticized some of Paul Oliver's interpretations of the blues as well as some of mine, and lumped us and a few other writers into a group that he called "the Oliverians.". At first I was offended to have my own work reduced to a slogan in this manner. Now that I think of it, however, in view of the many enduring accomplishments of Paul Oliver, I proudly accept the term.

David Evans, Professor Of Music,
The University Of Memphis.

Paul Oliver has pioneered the study of blues with an eye toward appreciation of blues musicians as performers and as chroniclers of their culture. His early field work in areas like the Mississippi Delta in the '60s was coupled with an extensive knowledge of early 78 rpm blues recordings. Long before American scholars and music lovers recognized the importance of blues, Paul Oliver declared their importance and published seminal interviews with artists like Wade Walton of Clarksdale. Walton remembered Oliver and those early recording sessions warmly when he welcomed him back to Clarksdale's Delta Blues Museum for a historic presentation a decade ago.

Paul Oliver's magnificent contributions to blues history and scholarship is even more impressive when we consider that the field in which he was trained and taught for many years is architecture rather than music. Approaching blues as an avocation rather than a vocation, Oliver has published prolifically, and his fine work stands like a beacon to the blues field.

We who labor in the blues vinyards study salute Paul Oliver, and together we celebrate his first 70 years with gratitude for all he has done to enrich our lives. His books are companions that we cherish like old friends, for so many of us first encountered the blues world through their pages. Paul Oliver sheltered and nurtured the blues bards on the pages of his books. He gave these artists a voice on the printed page that changed history and, as Sonny Boy Williamson would say, brought "eyesight to the blind."

Bill Ferris, Professor,
Center for the study of Southern Culture,
University Of Mississippi,
http://www.cssc.olemiss.edu

Paul Oliver played a major role in supporting my decision to devote so much of my life to blues and blues research. When I was just a budding blues fan, c. 1960, he encouraged me (by letter) to locate Sylvester Weaver. 16 years later, I finally unearthed Weaver's scrapbook, but Weaver was long dead by then. In 1965, when I was a lost wanderer in the UK, he and his wife Val offered considerable support.

BLUES FELL THIS MORNING was the single most important work for my blues education, for it was this book that made clear the wealth of meaning the blues carried, and how it rooted, materially, in Black culture. This was the book that showed that the *meaning* of the blues was not simply "boogie down" or "have a good time."

At the first (1970) Ann Arbor Blues Festival, where Paul was MC, he showed me a copy of SAVANNAH SYNCOPATORS. "I've been nagging you to do a Peetie Wheatstraw book," he said, "because I think he's an important figure and you're the one to do it. The finished product would look like this," he finished, holding up his most recent work. It never really occurred to me that I could write a book, but having the opportunity to see what it would look like, and having the support of someone like Paul Oliver who thought I could do it, was what it took. I was off! THE DEVIL'S SON-IN-LAW: THE STORY OF PEETIE WHEATSTRAW AND HIS SONGS (1971), BLUES AND THE POETIC SPIRIT (1975, 1996), and WOMAN WITH GUITAR: MEMPHIS MINNIE'S BLUES (1992) would not have taken shape as they did without Paul Oliver; indeed, they might not even have come into existence without the help of one who is surely the most important commentator on the blues in the world today.

Paul Garon, author, researcher,
Beasley Books, Chicago, IL.,
http://www.abaa-booknet.com/alldlrs/mw/60657bea.html

PS: I still have my copy of SAVANNAH SYNCOPATORS from Ann Arbor, inscribed "To Paul from Paul."

"I first became aware of Paul Oliver from the late bio-discographer, Walter C. Allen. I was living in Montreal, and in those days before Blues Unlimited and Blues World, Walter C. Allen was a main North American source for jazz & blues literature. He suggested I buy BLUES FELL THIS MORNING which, along with "Blues & Gospel Records", changed my life! I now had no excuse. For the first time I knew what they were all singing about, and with B&GR;, on which records! Happy Birthday, Mr. Oliver.

Eric S. LeBlanc,
Victoria, Canada

Paying tribute to Paul Oliver? This is certainly not easy because you have to use words like GREAT, LEGEND, UNSURPASSED. . . descriptions that overused and hackened.

Let me put it this way. When I was 15 and I started listening to the blues, it was Paul Oliver's books that I first turned to for information. When I was 32 and in my last year as editor of Living Blues and people called me up because I was meant to be an expert, it was Paul Oliver's books that I turned to. With all the stuff that's been written about the blues in the last 10 years, The Story of the Blues is still one of the top five books on the music. And I'll bet it will still be on my top five list 20 years from now.

Cheers,
Peter Lee,
Shade Tree Music,
Oxford, MS.,

Happy Birthday Paul. I've only had the pleasure of speaking to you a couple of times on the phone, but I'd like to let you know how much your inspiration has meant to me.

Your first books opened my eyes to what the music I already loved meant. I crossed off items I'd already heard from the back of your discographies, and hunted for the rest. Over time I appreciated more and more the high standard of accuracy, the perception of the music and its context, and the degree of committment necessary to follow your footsteps.

You led the way, and showed more about how to appreciate the music than anyone else.

Thanks,
Roger Misiewicz, Document Records.

I 'knew' Paul Oliver before I actually met him. Let me explain. I bought "The Story of the Blues" in the early 1970s in France, along with the double albums illustrating the book. I then bought all subsequent books by Oliver. I always thought that the day I could find something that he missed I would have acquired immense bragging rights (fat chance of this ever happening!).

I met Paul Oliver at Li�ge, during the Second Symposium on Religion in African American Music. He was easy to talk to and very kind to those present. His vast knowledge was put in evidence when he presented his paper about "dead cat on the line." (the proceedings have just been published under the editorship of Robert Sacre)

I have what I like to consider as a "solid blues library" at home. The entire Paul Oliver production is in sequence on the shelves and, from time to time, I use the books as reference or just as a way to get into the blues once again.

By the way, in 1989 I interviewed Jacques Demetre who, in 1957, was in Chicago with Marcel Chauvard. Demetre told me a few anecdotes about how Oliver and his French counterparts cooperated in the days when letters were the only way to exchange messages and where shopping for records meant, for Demetre at least, taking the ferry to England and packing suitcases with 78rpm records, hoping that, on the way back, the customs officers would not ask the suitcases to be opened!

May I be worthy of a footnote in a blues book when I reach Oliver's age!

Very respectfully submitted,
Andr� JM Pr�vos, Professor
Pennsylvania State University

I no longer remember when the name of Paul Oliver first came to my attention. My interest in African-American music was originally stimulated by Britain's trad boom of the 1960s and I soon began subscribing to the late and much lamented 'Jazz Monthly', which is probably where I first encountered his name. Then came 'Blues Fell This Morning' which probably first alerted me to the social and cultural context in which this music was created. From the start the breadth of his interest in the music impressed itself on me, a breadth reflected in his contributing the article on Freddy Keppard to the 1968 'Jazz On Record' and dealing more justly with him than some of his jazz-critic colleagues would have done.

Before that came The Story Of The Blues exhibition mounted for the United States Information Service at the U.S. Embassy in London. I was able to steal some time to see this from an academic interview and it made an indelible impression. I don't think it struck me at the time how extraordinary it was that a United States goverment agency should be asking an Englishman to mount such a display.

'Screening The Blues' and 'Songsters And Saints' set new standards of scholarship in the field. I finally got to work with Paul when he asked me to contribute to an anthology he was editing under the title 'Black Music In Britain', thought by its contributors to be the least publicized book in publishing history, and certainly the least known of the books appearing under Paul's name.

There is no doubt that Paul contributed a great deal to my understanding of the music which has provided me with so much enjoyment and satisfaction. 'Blues & Gospel Records 1890-1943' (as it now is), the revision of which has occupied a large slice of my time over the last five years, is dedicated to Paul, and I am very pleased indeed that it should be.

Howard Rye, co-author
'Blues & Gospel Records 1890-1943' (4th edition).

Paul Oliver is my stepfather in the Blues world; indeed, in 1962,I was happy enough to find a copy of "Blues Fell This Morning" in a bookshop, at a time when I had heard blues enough on the radio to know that IT was MY thing ; Paul's book hooked me for good on the blues and for the rest of my life, leading me to start an ever-increasing records,magazines and books collection; my interest in African-American culture grew deeper and deeper from then on, from record to record, from book to book, "Bessie Smith" (1959), "Conversation with the blues" (1965), "The Story of the Blues" (1969) "Savannah Syncopators" (1970), "Songsters and Saints" (1984) etc... each of them being a milestone of blues research and a source of delight. Without Paul, I probably would not be presently teaching "The Story of African American Music and Literature" at the University of Li�ge in my country, since the early 80s! I met Paul and his wife Val several times and they are among the most kind, interesting, careful people I have ever been in touch with and Paul is such a goldmine of anecdotes, blues events and scholar knowledge. It was a great honor to host him during the second International Conference that I organized at the University of Liege in 1991 on the theme "Saints and Sinners" even if he had a hard time with Jon Michael Spencer's criticism... but it stayed on a friendly level and it was a highlight of the meeting. The following year we were together at another Conference held at Sorbonne University in Paris with Prof. Michel and Genevi�ve Fabr� and a couple of weeks ago came out of press the book "Saints & Sinners" with the proceedings of the Li�ge 1991 Symposium (including Paul's essay).

Thanks for all, Paul, long life to you and to Val. We wait eagerly for new texts and books of yours.

Robert Sacr�, Professor
Center for American Studies,
University of Li�ge, Belgium,
http://www.bluesworld.com/Sacre.html

I would like to join the many friends and admirers throughout the world to wish Paul Oliver the happiest of 70th birthdays.

Like many people who discovered the blues in the early 60s I was enthralled by Paul's account in his classic "Blues Fell This Morning." Not a simple blues history (he was to do the definitive history some years later), it not only told of the music itself but of the social forces that shaped it and the meaning of the lyrics. This was brought home to me even more strongly when I attended a lecture by Paul around 1964 which was part of an exhibition of photographs Paul presented at the American Embassy.

He illustrated his talk with musical excerpts - the most striking, for me, being the then recent Delmark release by Sleepy John Estes where he sang "Rats In My Kitchen." I was stunned! I had grown up with pop music and tales of teen angst and here was someone singing with passion and brutal honesty about the situation he, and so many other African-Americans found themselves in. It was really an eye opener.

Throughout the years I have been impressed by his insight and understanding and his ability to tackle challenging projects such as the possible African origins of the blues ("Savannah Syncopaters") and the place of early non-blues African-American music ("Sinners & Saints"). His work is academic but never dry and throughout, his genuine love and understanding for the music comes through.

He may not be as prolific or visible as some authors since his chief line of work is an expert on vernacular architecture. This year he will be finishing an enormous encyclopedia in this field and will then work on revising some of his important blues works.

Paul's contributions to our understanding of this music we love are monumental and I feel privileged to know him and his wife, and invaluable associate, Valerie for a number of years.

Many happy returns, Paul! Nancy and I wish you many more.

Frank Scott,
Owner, Roots & Rhythm Mail Order,
http://www.bluesworld.com/roots.html,
San Leandro, CA.

"It's an honor to get a chance to give praise to a real trailblazer and standard-setter. The contribution of Paul Oliver's blues research to our knowledge of the blues is incalculable; it's mostly just a question of which of his many excellent books (or recorded documentaries, or articles, or lectures...) provided the biggest influence. For a lot of people, The Story of The Blues is still the basic blues history text for its period of coverage. Others will prefer the analyses of blues lyrics. I've always been partial to Conversation With The Blues, which is the blues book I'd most like to see republished. Its special fascination to me is because it's in the words of so many great artists, the preponderance of whom are sadly long gone. No matter what one's personal favorite may be, it's indisputable that Paul Oliver did much to bring a high level of scholarship and academic discipline to blues research, and did so without making it any less interesting or inspiring. Long may he continue to exemplify excellence, and long may his works remain accessible to readers who can still glean much enjoyment, insight and knowledge!

Dick Shurman, producer,
Chicago, IL.

Paul Oliver is the man. The depth and bredth of his explorations of blues music are simply unparalled. Many others have done valuable work, lots of valuable work, but Paul Oliver's contribution to the knowledge and understanding of blues music is, to me, unmatched. An Englishman by birth, Oliver gained a great deal of his understanding from listening to the music itself, in it's recorded form, with patience and understanding. Eventually he was to make field trips to the United States, and also to Africa. His book "Savannah Syncopators" the title of which is a pun on the band, Oliver's Savannah Syncopators and the book's premise, that blues music had roots in the interior savannah area of Africa, put blues music into the broadest cultural perspective, necessary to a deep understanding of the music. And, most amazingly, Oliver did his research, listening and vast body of writing on a part time basis, while pursuing a dayjob as a teacher of architecture. He is also a notable artist, photographer and graphic designer and has contributed in these areas to numerous blues albums. My hat is off to Paul Oliver, a gargantuan figure in blues scholarship, research, writing and production.

Joel Slotnikoff,
BLUES WORLD Web Site,
http://www.bluesworld.com,
St. Louis, MO.

Like most people who didn't grow up in the culture that produced it, I became interested in blues through hearing it on record. (I was 14, and the artist was Lazy Lester.) My enthusiasm was of variable intensity for a few years after that, until one day I needed something to read on holiday, and borrowed 'Blues Fell This Morning' from the library. I read it at a single sitting (on the night ferry to Belgium, as it happens). Not long after that, 'Story of the Blues' was published, and I bought it, and the accompanying records. This time, not only was I hooked forever by the music itself, but I had found in Paul Oliver the guide I needed to answer my questions (including many I would never have thought of), and to direct me to the artists I should be paying attention to.

Above all, I had had the good luck to learn from Paul at the start of an exploration that continues to this day that an understanding of both text and context are essential in studying - and, I believe, in fully appreciating - the blues. At a time when the blues has, perhaps, never been more widely known or less widely understood, Paul Oliver's writing reminds us of the importance of the social and cultural roots of the music in Africa and the USA, and of the respect we owe to the musicians who developed it. Not to try to understand those roots is to fail to show that respect.

After some years of being a fan of the music, I began to be allowed by record companies and journals to try to convey my own thoughts and ideas about the blues in print. After some years of doing that, I eventually got to meet my hero, and I would like to say for the record that Paul is a person who considers a person's opinions and ideas about blues on the basis of what is said, not of who is saying it or what their track record may be; to reclaim an old phrase from its cliche status, he is a gentleman and a scholar. The most valuable book on my shelves is the revised 'Blues Fell This Morning', with an inscription from the author thanking me for helping with the transcriptions. Thank YOU for asking me, Paul, and thanks for keeping me awake on that ferry to Belgium all those years ago.

Chris Smith,
critic, discographer, contributor,
Blues & Rhythm magazine, Juke Blues,
Scotland UK.

Oliver's BLUES FELL THIS MORNING was the first serious and sustained look at blues lyrics as cultural documents, and it was a model for those of us in the 1960s--Bill Ferris, David Evans, and myself--who were making blues the subject of our academic research. His CONVERSATION WITH THE BLUES gave blues singers the chance to speak at length in their own voices. I drew liberally on both books for my EARLY DOWNHOME BLUES. His THE STORY OF THE BLUES was the best popular introduction to the music in its day. Paul is a serious fan and supporter of blues, a writer, researcher, record producer, and so forth, who never was interested in self-promotion, nor was he interested in exploiting the artists and making money from their careers.

Jeff Titon,
Professor Of Music,
Brown University.

Paul Oliver was the one real writer who got me going on the blues.. His lucid explanations and liner notes from 1960s books and records were informative; indeed, they were probably the only real writings in a semi-scholarly vein. Happy Birthday, Paul!! Thanks for all the years of making me happy with your literature!!

Dean Tudor, Professor,
School Of Journalism,
Ryerson Polytechnic University,
Canada.

While we may argue the direction that contemporary blues is taking, we all can agree on who the progenitors are of this music that is the foundation of all popular American music today. We can agree due to the expertly assembled and published data by dedicated researchers over the last four decades. While the Lomaxes worked diligently to preserve audio samples of the roots of blues music through the '30s, it wasn't until the late '50s that blues music received its first historical documentation in the printed word. Amongst the earliest published authors was, of course, Paul Oliver.

With his first literary work, BLUES FELL THIS MORNING (1960), Mr. Oliver established himself as a pioneer in the field of blues research. Over the next three decades, seven additional publishings were to come off the presses, culminating in the definitive BLACKWELL GUIDE TO BLUES RECORDS (1989). A debt of gratitude by all serious students of blues music is owed to Mr. Paul Oliver for his extensive and sensitive body of work in the documentation of the history and culture of this music that we all love so dearly -- the blues.

Bob Vorel, Publisher
Blues Revue Magazine

When you are born on the day when Stovepipe No. 1 records his "Court Street Blues" and in the year when blues artists like Smokey Babe and Amos Milburn are born, you must be born with the blues. When your first major work on the blues is honoured by a foreword from a seminal African-American novelist like Richard Wright you must have lived with the blues. BLUES FELL THIS MORNING has always been my favourite blues book. It was written almost forty years ago and it explained the meaning of the blues to me at an early age. Paul Oliver told the story of the blues by enlightening sleeve notes, by the publication of essential photographic images, by conducting unique interviews with now legendary blues artists, by revealing rare sources, by analysing obscure lyrics and by stimulating young blues scholars who wanted to follow in his footsteps. In recognition of his work on vernacular architecture and music Paul Oliver was conferred a doctorate by Oxford Brookes University.

To me Paul Oliver is a father of the blues. Never have I called on him in vain. Rare photographs which could enlighten my research were made readily available, constructive criticism kept me from making errors and encouraging words were spoken when I had the blues myself.

Paul, when you wrote a foreword to my first book I felt as you must have felt in 1959. May this three score and ten tribute stimulate you once more to "write a few of your lines". SONGSTERS AND SAINTS was published in 1984 and that is thirteen years ago. In the meantime you edited a world encyclopedia of folk architecture. With 1.5 million words and 750 contributors it was a major achievement. You are now working on new editions of CONVERSATION WITH THE BLUES and STORY OF THE BLUES. So many ideas will crop up while you revise these classic works, that a new book will inevitably follow.

Dear Paul and Valerie, may Good Health accompany both of you for many more years to come.

Guido van Rijn,
Overveen, Netherlands

When I was in high school and trying to learn about "the blues," my mom had a bunch of old jazz books from the 30s and 40s ... I read them all looking for insight into this "bastard level of jazz" (acc. to critics of the times.) I remember reading Mezz Mezzrow, and a Paul Whiteman book about forming a big band to go out on the road for nightclubs & radio broadcasts. This is the long way around to saying I also read Jacques Demetre (I think) & he pointed the way to Little Walter & Muddy Waters. So that was the extent of my exposure to "blues" via jazz literature. THEN I assaulted my local public library, and the ONLY volume of blues was Paul Oliver's first book, w/country blues lyrics & anecdotes of blues musicians. The first "serious" paper I wrote in high school was about this music, and Paul Oliver really opened the door. SOMEBODY took this stuff seriously, and recognized that the LYRICS / VOCALS were the important part, not the instrumental stuff (tho that was recognized as well.) Paul Oliver led me to believe that the blues was worth serious investigation & study, and that it must be dissasociated from jazz & examined in its own right. But I also learned the importance of meeting the bluesisians face to face & letting them tell their own stories & history. (Because so much of European blues examination/analysis/criticism was then based solely on recorded performance.)

But Paul Oliver's masterpiece "The Story of the Blues" still, to me, represents the best synthesis/reportage of the "real thing" / 20's through 60's -- the core blues, the stuff that will endure. Still a classic and an accurate reference work.

I also remember meeting him in person a couple of times, and found out that he was a high-ranking university professor in a completely different field ... what an awesome intellect. I was very honored to have met him. Hero worship!

Eric, I doubt if this is quotable, but the man is absolutely TOPS in the field for accuracy of research & integration of knowledge of the ENTIRE SPECTRUM of the blues ... not just one little corner. A Renaissance blues critic! Well, you get it.

Amy Van Singel,
co-founding editor, Living Blues.

## PAUL OLIVER BIBLIOGRAPHY

## by Gorgen Antonsson

## MONOGRAPHS

Bessie Smith. - London : Cassell, 1959. - 83 p. - (Kings of jazz ; 3) New ed., New York: Barnes, 1961, 82 p. - Swedish translation, by Bo Holmqvist (Stockholm: Horsta, 1959), 93 p. - German translation (Stuttgart: Hatje, 1959), 59 p. New ed.: (Teufen: Niggli, 1961), 60 p.

Blues fell this morning : the meaning of the blues. - London : Cassell, 1960. - 355 p. New York: Horizon, 1960, 355 p.; Paris: Arthaud, 1962, 334 p.; London: Jazz Book Club, 1963, 336 p. - New ed., titled The meaning of the blues, New York: Collier, 1963, 383 p.; New York: Collier, 1972. - 2., rev. ed., titled Blues fell this morning: meaning in the blues, Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1990, xxiv, 348 p.: ill., ISBN 0-521-37437-5 (hb), ISBN 0-521-47738-7 (pbk). - German transl.: Blues fell this morning, transl. by Lore Boas, Andra-Wordern : Hannibal, 1991, xxi, 361 p.: ill., ISBN 3-85445-065-6

Blues off the record : thirty years of blues commentary. - Tunbridge Wells : Baton Press ; New York : Hippocrane Books, 1984. - 297 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. New ed.: New York : Da Capo, 1987, ISBN 0-306-80321-6

Conversation with the blues / Paul Oliver ; illustrated with photographs by the author. - London : Cassell, 1965. - xix, 217 p., [48] p. of plates New ed.: New York: Horizon, 1965; London: Jazz Book Club, 1967; New York: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1997

Savannah syncopators : African retentions in the blues. - London : Studio Vista, cop. 1970. - 112 p. : ill. - ISBN 0-289-79828-0 (hb) ; 0-289-79827-2 (pbk) US. ed.: New York: Stein and Day

Screening the blues : aspects of the blues tradition. - London : Cassell, 1968. - viii, 294 p. US ed., titled Aspects of the blues tradition, New York: Oak, 1968), ISBN 0-304-93137-3. - New ed., New York: Da Capo, 1989, ISBN 0-306-80344-5

Songsters and saints : vocal traditions on race records. - Cambridge : Cambridge Univ. Press, 1984. - ix, 339 p. : ill. - ISBN 0-521-24827-2 (hb) ; 0-521-26942-3 (pbk)

The story of the blues. - London : Barrie & Jenkins, 1969. - 176 p. : ill. US ed.: Philadelphia, Pa.: Chilton, 1969. - New ed.: Harmondsworth : Penguin, 1972, 176 p. - New, rev. ed.: London: Pimlico, 1997. - German transl.: Die Story des Blues : [Stimme der Leidenschaft und der Lebensfreude] / aus dem Amerikanische [sic!] 81bersetzt von Walter Hartmann (AndrWldern : Hannibal, 1994), 320 p.: ill., ISBN 3-85445-092-3. - Italian transl.: La grande storia del blues (Roma : Anthrophos, 1986), 407 p. : ill. - Spanish transl.: Historia del blues (Madrid: Alfaguara, 1976), 336 p.: ill.

****## AS EDITOR etc.**

Black music in Britain : essays on the Afro-Asian contribution to popular music / edited by Paul Oliver. - Milton Keynes : Open Univ. Press, 1990. - ix, 198 p. : Ill. - (Popular music in Britain). - ISBN 0-335-15298-8 (hb), 0-335-15297-X (pbk)

The Blackwell guide to blues records / edited by Paul Oliver. - Oxford : Blackwell, 1989. - viii, 347 p. : ill. - (Blackwell guides). - ISBN 0-631-16516-9 Rev. ed. with CD supplement, Oxford: Blackwell, 1991, 264 p.

The Blackwell guide to recorded blues / edited by Paul Oliver. - [1., rev. paperback ed.]. - Oxford : Blackwell, 1991. - viii, 372 p. - ISBN 0-631-18301-9 1. ed. in 1989 titled: The Blackwell guide to blues records

Broonzy, Big Bill: Big Bill blues : William Broonzy's story / as told to Yannick Bruynoghe ; illustrated by P. Oliver. - London : Cassell, 1955. - 139 p. : ill. New ed.: London: Jazz Book Club, 1957, 139 p. ; New York: Oak, 1964, 176 p.; New York: Da Capo, 1992, 176 p., ISBN 0-306-80490-5

Jazz on record : a critical guide to the first 50 years: 1917-1967 / Albert McCarthy, Alun Morgan, Paul Oliver, Max Harrison. - London : Hanover, 1968 With a large number of biographical and topical articles by Oliver

The new Blackwell guide to recorded blues / edited by John Cowley and Paul Oliver. - Cambridge, Mass. : Blackwell, 1997. - ISBN 0-631-20163-7, 0-631-19639-0

Oliver, Paul: The new Grove gospel, blues and jazz : with spiritual and ragtime / Paul Oliver, Max Harrison, William Bolcom. - London : Macmillan; New York : Norton, 1986. - 395 p, [16] p. of plates. - ISBN 0-333-40785-7 (hb), 0-333-40784-9 (pbk), 0-393-01696-X (Norton, hb), 0-393-30100-1 (Norton, pbk)

## SELECT ARTICLES

African influence and the blues. // In: Living blues. - No 8 (1972), p. 13-16 Comments on an article by Richard A. Waterman, in no 6

Apropos "Blues fell this morning" : the Louis Hayes story. // In: Jazz monthly. - Vol. 7 (1961): no 1, p. 12-14

Arhoolie and Mister Chris. // In: Arhoolie occasional. - No 2 (1973), p. 3 Also in The lightning express, no 3 (1976), p. 7. Reprinted from Jazz & Blues, vol 1 (1972): no 10, p. 4-6

Background to Muddy Waters. // In: Jazzbeat. - Vol. 3 (1966): no 8, p. 10-11

Been listening all night long. // In: Jazz & blues. - Vol. 3: no 5 (1973), p. 4-7 About Herwin (LP label)

Big Maceo. // In: The art of jazz : essays on the nature and development of jazz / edited by Martin T. Williams. - New York : Oxford Univ. Press, 1959. - P. 109-121. Repr. ed.: New York: Da Capo, 1979

Black, red and blues power. // In: Melody maker. - 1970: no ? (3 Oct), p. 24

Blue-eyed blues : the impact of blues on European popular culture. // In: Approaches to popular culture / edited by C.W.E. Bigsby. - Bownling Green, Ohio : Bowling Green Univ. Popular Press, 1976. - P. 227-239

Blues and the folk revival. // In: International musician. - Vol. 62 (1964): no 10, p. 12-13, 19-20

Blues as an art form. // In: Blues world. - No 21 (1968), p. 1-7

Blues falling down like hail. // In: Jazzbeat. - Vol. 3 (1966): no 10, p. 10-11 About Robert Johnson

Blues publications : recent periodicals of blues interest. // In: Jazz monthly. - No 186 (1970), p. 22-24

Blues research : problems and possibilities. // In: Journal of musicology. - Vol. 2 (1983), p. 377-390

Blues to drive the blues away. // In: Jazz : new perspectives on the history of jazz by twelve of the world's foremost jazz critics and scholars / edited by Nat Hentoff and Albert J. McCarthy. -New York, N.Y. : Rinehart, 1959. - P. 83-103, 357-359. New ed.: London: Cassell, 1959; New York: Grove, 1961; New York: Da Capo, 1975; London: Quartet, 1977

Bull City Red. // In: Back woods blues / compiled by Simon A. Napier. - Bexhill-on-Sea, cop. 1968. - P. 10-12. Repr. from Blues unlimited, no 1 (1964)

Can't even write : the blues and ethnic literature. // In: Melus. - Vol. 10 (1983): no 1, p. 7-14

Chicago blues session. // In: Nothing but the blues : an illustrated documentary / edited by Mike Leadbitter. - London : Hanover Books, 1971. - P. 52-53 About Sunnyland Slim. - Repr. from Blues unlimited, no 10 (1964), p. 3-4

"Clara Voce" - a study in neglect. // In: Jazz monthly. - Vol. 4 (1958): no 2, p. 8-11, 24. About Clara Smith

Devil's Son-in-Law. // In: Music mirror. - 1956: no ? (March) About Peetie Wheatstraw

Dobby Bragg - again! / speculations by Paul Oliver. // In: Blues unlimited. - No 23 (1965), p. 7-8

Eagles on the half. // In: American folk music occasional. - No 1 (1964), p. 91-94

Echoes of the jungle?. // In: Living blues. - No 13 (1973), p. 29-32

Howlin' Wolf. // In: Jazz news. - No 51 (1961), p. 9-10

[Introduction]. // In: The blues songbook / written and compiled by Paul Oliver. - London : Wise Publications, cop. 1982. - P. 4-50 Title on cover: Early blues songbook

John saw a number "in chronological order". // In: Blues & rhythm. - No 38 (1988), p. 12-14. On the reissue policy of the specialist prewar blues companies

Lining out. // In: Blues & rhythm. - No 5 (1984), p. 11-14

Literature on negro song. // In: Jazz monthly. - Vol. 11 (1966): no 12, p. 29-30

Mississippi John Hurt. // In: Jazz monthly. - Vol. 13 (1967): no 1, p. 11-12

Muddy Waters. // In booklet to: Muddy Waters: The complete Muddy Waters 1947-1967. - London : Charly, 1992. - P. [30-31]. - Chess: RED BOX 3 Facsmilie from unknown magazine, 195-?

Muddy Waters. // In: Nothing but the blues : an illustrated documentary / edited by Mike Leadbitter. - London : Hanover Books, 1971. - P. 8-12 Repr. from Blues unlimited, no 10 (1964)

Muddy Waters - 1960. // In: Back woods blues / compiled by Simon A. Napier. - Bexhill-on-Sea : Blues Unlimited, cop. 1968. - P. 13-19 First publ. as "Muddy Waters" in: Muddy Waters (Bexhill-on-Sea: Blues Unlimited, 1964) (Collectors classics ; 1), p. 3-7

The number runners. // In: Jazzbeat. - Vol. 3 (1966): no 4, p. 10-11 On magazine publication of discographies

Picking the blues. // In: Jazz & blues. - Vol. 3: no 3 (1973), p. 9 On blues bibliographies

Picking the blues. // In: Jazz & blues. - Vol. 3 (1973): no 10 [sic; i.e. vol. 2: no 11], p. 34. On bibliographies of blues interest

Policy blues. // In: Sing out!. - Vol. 16 (1966): no 3, p. 16-19

Railroad Bill : Paul Oliver gathers strands of an earlier tradition in black music. // In: Jazz & blues. - Vol. 1 (1971): no 2, p. 12-14

Remembering Sonny Boy. // In: The American folk music occasional / compiled and edited by Chris Strachwitz and Pete Welding. - New York : Oak, cop. 1970. - ISBN 0-8256-0101-0. - P. 39-44. About Alex "Sonny Boy Williamson" Miller

Searching the desert for the blues. // In: Pickin' the blues. - No 11 (1983), p. 7-8 ; no 14 (1983), p. 6-7,20. Suggesting useful projects in blues research

Too tight : Bill Williams in person. // In: Jazz & blues. - Vol. 1 (1971) : no 8, p. 37-38

Twixt midnight and day : binarism, blues, and black culture. // In: Popular music. - Vol. 2 (1982), p. 179-200

Whistling Alex will never quit. // In: Arhoolie occasional. - No 1 (1971), p. 10. Repr. from Melody Maker, 1969: no ? (25 Oct). Also in: The lightning express, no 3 (1976), p. 44

Willie Love. // In: Nothing but the blues : an illustrated documentary / edited by Mike Leadbitter. - London : Hanover Books, 1971. - P. 142 Repr. from Blues unlimited, no 6 (1963), p. 4-5, which also included a discography by Mike Leadbitter

## LINER NOTES/CD NOTES

(a number of liner notes are reprinted in "Blues Off The Record"; they are not repeated below) :

Alabama harmonica kings (1927-30). - [1988]. - Wolf: WSE 127

Alexander, Texas: Complete recordings vol. 1-4. - 1982-1990. - Matchbox: MSE 206, 214, 220, 224

Ammons, Albert: Boogie woogie trio / Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis. - [196-]. - Storyville: SLP 184

Bailey, DeFord: Harmonica showcase : DeFord Bailey and D.H. "Bert" Bilbro 1927-31. - 1985. - Matchbox: MSE 218

Barbecue Bob: 1927-30. - 1986. - Matchbox: MSE 1009

Beaman, Lottie: 1928-1929 / Lottie Kimbrough and Winston Holmes. - [1984]. - Wolf: WSE 114

Beaman, Lottie: Complete recordings in chronological order of Lottie Beaman (Kimbrough) 1924/26 and Luella Miller 1928. - [1988]. - Wolf: WSE 124

Blake, Blind: Blind Blake. - [1959]. - Jazz Collector: JFL 2001

Blake, Blind: The remaining titles. - 1984. - Matchbox: MSE 1003

Blake, Blind: The legendary Blind Blake. - [1958]. - Ristic: LP 18

Bonds, Son: The Delta Boys : Son Bonds with Sleepy John Estes & Hammie Nixon. - [1988]. - Wolf: WSE 129. Repr. in booklet to Bonds, Son: Complete recorded works in chronologica] order (1934-1941) / "Brownsville" Son Bonds and Charlie Pickett, (cop. 1991), Wolf: WBCD-003

Bracey, Ishman: Complete recorded works in chronological order (1928-1929) / Ishman Bracey & Charley Taylor. - Cop. 1991. - Document: DOCD-5049

Bradley, Tommie: Tommie Bradley-James Cole groups 1930-32. - 1983. - Matchbox: MSE 211

Broonzy, Big Bill: 1927-32. - 1985. - Matchbox: MSE 1004

Broonzy, Big Bill: Big Bill and Sonny Boy. - RCA, [1964]. - RCA: RD-7685

Callicott, Joe: Presenting the country blues. - [196-?].- Blue Horizon: 7-63227

Campbell, Gene: 1929-1931. - [1984]. - Wolf: WSE 112

Carr, Leroy: 1928 : complete recordings in chronological order. - 1983. - Matchbox: MSE 210

Daniels, Julius: Atlanta blues 1927-30 : the complete recordings in chronological order of Julius Daniels - Lil McClintock. - 1986. - Matchbox: MSE 219

Famous Hokum Boys, The: 1930-1931. - 1989. - Matchbox: MSE 1014

**Fuller, Blind Boy: Blind Boy Fuller with Sonny Terry and Bull City Red.**-[1966]. - Blues Classics: BC 11

Graves, Roosevelt: 1929-36. - [1983]. - Wolf: WSE 110

Harmonica blues. - [1983]. - Wolf: WSE 109

Harris, William: Complete recorded works in chronological order (1927-1929) / William Harris and Buddy Boy Hawkins. - Cop. 1991. - Document: DOCD-5035

Hawkins, Buddy Boy: Walter "Buddy Boy" Hawkins 1927-1929. - [1983?]. - Matchbox: MSE 202

Howell, Peg Leg: Complete 1928-29 recordings. - [1982]. - Matchbox: MSE 205

Howell, Peg Leg: Volume 1 (1926-1927). - 1986. - Matchbox: MSE 221

Jackson, Papa Charlie: 1924-29. - 1986. - Matchbox: MSE 1007

James, Skip: Skip James (1931). - 1982. - Matchbox: MSE 207

Jefferson, Blind Lemon: 1926-29 : the remaining titles. - 1984. - Matchbox: MSE 1001

Johnson, Lonnie: Volume 1-2. - 1986-1987. - Matchbox: MSE 1006, 1013

Johnson, Tommy: Complete recorded works in chronological order. - Cop. 1991. - Document: DOCD-5001

Jones, Maggie: Volume one : 1924-5. - [1969]. - VJM: VLP 23

Leecan, Bobby: Leecan & Cooksey 1926-27. - 1986. - Matchbox: MSE 1010

Lewis, Furry: Presenting the country blues. - [196-?]. - Blue Horizon: 7-63228

Lincoln, Charley: 1927-30. - 1983. - Matchbox: MSE 212

Martin, Carl: (1930-36). - [1988]. - Wolf: WSE 123

Memphis Jug Band: 1927-34. - 1986. - Matchbox: MSE 1008

Memphis Slim: Chicago boogie. - 1976. - Vogue: VG 405

Miller, Luella: Complete 1926-27 recordings. - [1988]. - Wolf: WSE-125

Mississippi Sheiks: Volume 1-2. - 1985, 1987. - Matchbox: MSE 1005, 1012

Montgomery, Little Brother: Those I liked, I learned. - [1989?]. - Magpie : PY 4452

Moore, Alex: "Whistling" Alex Moore. - [196-?]. - Arhoolie: F-1008

Moore, Kid Prince: 1936-38. - [1988]. - Wolf: WSE 126

Nighthawk, Robert: Vol. 1-2 / Robert Lee McCoy (Robert Nighthawk). - [1986]. - Wolf: WSE 120, 121

Powell, Eugene: 1936 / Sonny Boy Nelson. - [1988]. - Wolf: WSE 128

Quillian, Rufus: 1929-31 / Rufus and Ben Quillian. - 1984. - Matchbox: MSE 217

Piano blues. - [1965?]. - Riverside: RM 8809

Rachel, Yank: Vol. 1-2. - [1983]. - Wolf: WSE 106, 107

Rachel, Yank: Complete recorded works in chronological order. - Vol. 1-2. - cop. 1991. - Wolf: WBCD-006 and 007

Ragtime blues guitar. - 1982. - Matchbox: MSE 204

Rainey, Gertrude "Ma": The complete 1928 sessions in chronological order. - cop. 1993. - Document: DOCD-5156

Rainey, Ma: Volume 1. - Cop. 1979. - VJM: VLP 81

Short, J.D.: (1930-33). - [1985]. - Wolf: WSE 118

Smith, St. Louis: St. Louis Bessie : (1927-30). - 1989. - Matchbox: MSE 223

Speckled Red: 1929-38. - [1984]. - Wolf: WSE 113

Stokes, Frank: 1927-29 : the remaining titles. - 1984. - Matchbox: MSE 1002

Sykes, Roosevelt: 1929-34. - 1987. - Matchbox: MSE 1011

Thomas, Ramblin': 1928-32. - 1983. - Matchbox: MSE 215

Townsend, Henry: (1929-37) : complete recordings in chronological order / Henry Townsend and Henry Spaulding. - [1985]. - Wolf: WSE 117

Wilkins, Robert: 1928-35. - [1983]. - Wolf: WSE 111

Williamson, John Lee "Sonny Boy": Vol. 2. - [1969?]. - Blues Classics: BC 20

Willis, Ralph: Carolina blues. - [197-?]. - Blues Classics: BC 22

## BIOGRAPHICAL ARTICLES

Gesprch mit Paul Oliver. // In: Blues life. - No 29 (1985), p. 16-18 In German

Mazzolini, Tom: A conversation with Paul Oliver. // In: Living blues. - No 54 (1982), p. 24-30

Oliver, Paul: An introduction ; Going on record ; Pickin' the box ; Moaners and shouters ; Let's go to town ; Stomp 'em down ; Talking blues ; Sittin' here thinkin'. // In: Oliver, Paul: Blues off the record. - Tunbridge Wells : Baton Press ; New York : Hippocrane Books, 1984. - P. 2-7, 9-13, 58-59, 123-126, 155-158, 175-177, 207-210, 271-275

[Paul Oliver]. // In: New Grove dictionary of jazz / edited by Barry Kernfeld. - London : Macmillan, 1988

## SELECTED WORKS IN ARCHITECTURE

Architecture : an invitation / Paul Oliver and Richard Hayward. - Oxford : Blackwell, 1990

Oliver, Paul: Dunroamin : the suburban semi and its enemies / Paul Oliver, Ian Davis, Ian Bentley. - London : Barrie & Jenkins, 1981 New ed.: London: Pimlico, 1994

Oliver, Paul: Dwellings : the house across the world. - Oxford : Phaidon, 1987 US ed.: Austin: Univ. of Texas Press, 1987

Shelter, sign & symbol / ed. by Paul Oliver. - London : Barrie & Jenkins, 1975

Shelter and society / edited by Paul Oliver. - London, 1969 New ed.: London: Barrie & Jenkins, 1976

Shelter in Africa / edited by Paul Oliver. - New York, 1971 New ed.: London: Barrie & Jenkins, 1976

Shelter in Greece / edited by Orestis B. Doumanis and Paul Oliver. - Athens, cop. 1974

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