Blues from the Delta

Ferris's book is a well-recognized classic study of blues music. The first section, entitled "Blues Roots," provides a highly readable and interesting overview of the history of blues music, and most of Ferris's conclusions have been supported by subsequent research within the past 30 years. The second section, "Blues Composition," is a careful analysis of the various techniques for creating and performing blues music. Ferris avoids arcane ethnomusicological analysis, but he still provides readers with a good feel for the musicianship and lyricism of blues players. The final section is a presentation of a night at a blues house party, featuring lyrics, stage patter, jokes, speech play, and even some toasts by Pine Top Johnson, Floyd Thomas, Jasper Love, and Maudie Shirley. This presentation is an interesting depiction of ways in which blues music is performed in context, and it is an especially important historical documentation of an informal event held at Floyd Thomas's home in the Brickyard section of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Ferris's skill at presenting a slice-of-life portrait of a living tradition is clearly evident in this section of the book, and it's clear how he honed this type of research approach in subsequent documentary films. I also enjoyed reading this section while thinking about the recorded performances of the various blues songs that the musicians perform. The dialogue really creates a good feel for sitting in the shotgun house right along with these musicians. Although the research and the interviews were conducted in the 1960s and 70s, the book doesn't feel that dated. In fact, it is especially interesting to read the vivid accounts of Ferris's interviews with musicians like B. B. King, James "Son" Thomas, and other blues musicians during this time period. The book is also illustrated with excellent black and white photographs that portray a vivid feel for Ferris's impressions about the people and community of the musicians about whom he is writing.