Samuel Charters

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Samuel Barclay Charters (born August 1, 1929 in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , † March 18, 2015 in Stockholm , Sweden ) was an American blues musician and musicologist.

Life

Charters grew up in Pittsburgh. His interest in blues music was sparked after hearing Bessie Smith's version of Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out . Charters graduated from Sacramento City College in 1949 . In 1951 he moved to New Orleans , where he studied jazz after his military service and became interested in the rural blues. He worked as a field researcher and made recordings for Folkways and later for the Bahamas on site.

In 1959 Charters published his first book, The Country Blues . The book and the parallel album of the same name helped to arouse the general interest of the white population in the blues and contributed to the folk and blues revival in the early 1960s.

One of Charter's merits is the rediscovery of Lightnin 'Hopkins . In 1964 he joined Dave Van Ronk's ragtime Jug Stompers. A little later he founded the band The New Strangers with Danny Kalb .

From 1966 to 1970 he produced the albums for the anti-Vietnam War group Country Joe and the Fish (excluding their last album CJ Fish from 1970). Even after the group broke up, he produced sampler albums and occasional reunions of the group (such as the album Reunion 1977)

Samuel Charters published other books on the blues, such as Blues Faces in 2000. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as an author . In addition to the books, he also wrote liner notes for numerous albums. He also worked as a record producer.

Charters died in March 2015 at the age of 85 at his home in the Stockholm district of Enskede-Årsta-Vantör of complications from myelodysplastic syndrome .

Books

  • 1959 - The Country Blues . New York: Rinehart. New edition of Da Capo Press, with a new introduction by the author, 1975. (German 1999, Hannibal Verlag) (2000 and 1991 Blues Hall of Fame - Classic of Blues Literature)
  • 1963 - The Poetry of the Blues . With photos by Ann Charters. New York: Oak Publications.
  • 1963 - Jazz New Orleans (1885-1963): An Index to the Negro Musicians of New Orleans . New York: Oak Publications
  • 1967 - The Bluesmen . New York: Oak Publications (2010 Blues Hall of Fame - Classic of Blues Literature)
  • 1975 - The Legacy of the Blues: A Glimpse Into the Art and the Lives of Twelve Great Bluesmen: An Informal Study. London: Calder & Boyars.
  • 1977 - Sweet As the Showers of Rain . New York: Oak Publications
  • 1981 - The Roots of the Blues: An African Search . Boston: M. Boyars.
  • 1984 Jelly Roll Morton's Last Night at the Jungle Inn: An Imaginary Memoir . New York: M. Boyars.
  • 1986 - Louisiana Black: A Novel . New York: M. Boyars.
  • 1991 - The Blues Makers . (Incorporates The Bluesmen and Sweet As the Showers of Rain ) Da Capo.
  • 1999 - The Day is So Long and the Wages So Small: Music on a Summer Island . New York: Marion Boyars.
  • 2004 - Walking a Blues Road: A Selection of Blues Writing, 1956-2004 . New York: Marion Boyars.
  • 2006 - New Orleans: Playing a Jazz Chorus . Marion Boyars.
  • 2009 - A Trumpet Around the Corner: The Story of New Orleans Jazz . Jackson: The University Press of Mississippi.
  • 2009 - A Language of Song: Journeys in the Musical World of the African Diaspora. Durham: Duke University Press.

As a producer (selection)

  • 1963 - More Blues on the South Side - Billy Boy Arnold
  • 1964 - Blues on the South Side - Homesick James
  • 1966/1967 - Chicago / The Blues / Today! Vol. 1–3 (also liner notes)
  • 1967 - Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's Southside Band —Charlie Musselwhite's Southside Band
  • 1967 - Electric Music for the Mind and Body - Country Joe and the Fish
  • 1967 - I Feel like I'm Fixin 'to Die — Country Joe and the Fish
  • 1968 - Coming at You - Junior Wells
  • 1968 - Man and the Blues - Buddy Guy
  • 1970 - Bright Sun Is Shining - Barry Melton
  • 1970 - Cryin 'Time - Otis Spann
  • 1977 - Reunion - Country Joe and the Fish
  • 1978 - Essential John Fahey - John Fahey
  • 1981 - Life and Times of Country Joe & the Fish - Country Joe & the Fish
  • 1987 - Collected Country Joe & the Fish - Country Joe & the Fish
  • 1988 - Speak Easy - Khan Jamal
  • 1989 - Daybreak - Dave Burrell and David Murray
  • 1990 - Hummin 'to Myself - Dave Van Ronk
  • 1997 - Chicago South Side Blues 1963–1964 - Homesick James & Billy Boy Arnold
  • 1997 - Vanguard Collector's Edition —Various Artists (also Liner Notes)
  • 1998 - Best of the Vanguard Years - Junior Wells
  • 1998 - Blues Masters, Vol. 16: More Harmonica Classics —Various Artists
  • 2006 - Sonet Blues Story series with, among others, Champion Jack Dupree, Memphis Slim, Lightnin 'Hopkins

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ All Music, Discography of Country Joe and the Fish , accessed October 4, 2012.
  2. ↑ Larry Rohter: Samuel Charters, Foundational Scholar of the Blues, Dies at 85. In: The New York Times, March 18, 2015 (accessed March 19, 2015).
personal data
SURNAME Charters, Samuel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Charters, Samuel Barclay (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American blues musician and musicologist
DATE OF BIRTH August 1, 1929
PLACE OF BIRTH Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH March 18, 2015
Place of death Stockholm , Sweden