A BP Book Review

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Arthur Kempton’s book, “Boogaloo The Quintessence of American Polular Music,” is
prefaced at Harlem’s famed Apollo theatre for a 1965 concert featuring Billy (“I
Do Love You”, “Summertime” and “Sittin in the Park”) Stewart. Thanks to Kempton’s
precise details and his ability to transfer the mood, the reader is placed
somewhere along the front of the Apollo theatre stage. The juxtaposition of
feeling and aura combine to make this documentation of African-American music
from the last 75 years of the twentieth century a shared experience between
artist, writer and reader.

“Boogaloo” follows the route of Black music from its sacred beginnings to
contemporary secular formats. Kempton takes the road that makes stops in three
major music capitals that he considers prominent in the development/creation of
Urban blues, vocal group harmonies, rythmn and blues and funk. The cities;
Chicago, Detroit and Memphis.

“Boogaloo” focuses on the pioneers of African-American music. This focus begins
during and immediately after the northern migration of Blacks from southern
plantation life. Highlighted artists include: Thomas Dorsey, noting his
transformation from “Blues Boy Tom”(collaborater and traveling partner of Ma
Rainey) to sacred music icon and writer of the gospel standard “Precious Lord,”
others include Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Johnny Taylor, Dinah
Washington, Sarah Vaughn and more. Kempton also focuses on the moguls that made
various genres of Black music what they are: Berry Gordy of Motown, Al Bell of
Stax/Volt, Suge Knight and Russell Simmons of Death Row and Def Jam,
respectively and George Clinton of the P-Funk. Kempton’s kaleidoscope of music
starts out of Chicago which is blessed by the Urban Blues from the icons Muddy
Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Reed and others. Sacred
and gospel music add their Chicago pioneers with Sallie Martin, Clara Ward,
Mahalia Jackson and Sam Cooke.

Memphis along with New Orleans were amongst the first Black music meccas.
Memphis purified its raw soul music with the voices and rhythms of  Otis
Redding, Booker T. Jones, Sam and Dave, Rufus and Carla Thomas, all performing
under the Stax records baron, Al Bell.

Detroit, the motor city, can stake claim to the 1959 revolution in popular
dance music/vocal group harmonizing, that came to be recognized worldwide as the
Motown Sound. The year 2009 marks the 50 year anniversary of Berry Gordy’s dream,
the Tamla/Motown dynast. This label was initially created for cross-over appeal
to all of young America. Gordy via Motown has successfully borne great fruits
for their labors; Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, Michael and the Jackson Five,
The Supremes with Diana Ross, The Temptations, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, The
Marvellettes, Smokey Robinson and his Miracles and a plethora of additional
eclectic talent.

All of this plus the behind the scences stories are included in “Boogaloo.” I
found it to be a well documented and precisely edited work, augmented with
personal anecdotes. The juxtapositions Kempler employs ties the historical data
of the era(northern migration of Blacks, civil rights struggles of the 60’s and
70’s) to contemporary musical trends. This book is a great addition to all who
care about the role of Black music in America.        

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