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The southern journey of Alan Lomax : words, photographs, and music
Book + CD
2013
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Library Journal Review
Between August 1959 and May 1960, the great folk music archivist Alan Lomax traveled through Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia on what has become known as his "Southern Journey." During that trip, Lomax was not only seeking the folk music of the region in prisons, on farms, and in churches, he was also taking photographs of the musicians themselves. Largely unpublished, these essential photographic documents provide a stunning portrait of the lives of the musicians. As Piazza (True Adventures with the King of Bluegrass: Jimmy Martin) points out in his introduction, Lomax "sometimes got so close in that he seemed to be trying to enter the musicians' skin." Some of the most moving photos are those taken at the Mississippi State Prison at Parchman, which capture men in prison garb interacting warmly with their wives, children, or girlfriends. Every photo in this collection brings to life Lomax's recordings.ÅVERDICT An essential book for all fans of folk and Americana music, and a must-have for music collections.-Henry L. Carrigan Jr., Evanston, IL (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publishers Weekly Review
This multimedia release contains some of folk documentarian Lomax's iconic work alongside a wealth of previously unreleased material. Lomax traveled the world, most notably the American South, meeting unknown singers and musicians and recording their performances. He began this work as a teenager, traveling with his father to Southern penitentiaries in the 1930's and recording the prisoners' work songs. In 1959, Lomax began a long tour of the South called the "Southern Journey" where he recorded Almeda Riddle, Fred McDowell, and members of the Memphis Jug Band, among others. Following the tour, he was hired as music supervisor for the film Music of Williamsburg, about life in Colonial Williamsburg, and hired many of his discoveries to perform in it. He is credited with discovering Muddy Waters and, with his father, John A. Lomax, Huddie Ledbetter. Lomax's photography is collected here, mostly in black and white, and Piazza (City of Refuge) aptly notes that the photographs capture "a world rife with poverty and racism.that had developed precious and vulnerable cultural strategies for transmuting pain and travail into beauty." The book also comes with a cd featuring 12 tracks Lomax recorded during the Southern Journey to complete a volume indispensable for fans of Lomax's work. (Dec) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
CHOICE Review
Many books about folklorist Alan Lomax (1915-2002) have appeared in the past half dozen years, notably a biography and selections of his essays and letters. The present affecting volume features Lomax's previously unpublished photographs, the earliest dating to 1933. Most show musicians he recorded on his collecting journey through the southern US in 1959-60. Despite the limitations of the still photographic medium at the time and of Lomax's equipment, it is clear that he had a great eye as well as a great ear. These photographs are an invaluable--indeed a necessary--counterpoint to Lomax's priceless recordings, a small sample of which are included on a CD attached to the rear cover. The photographs also illustrate the lasting importance of the Lomaxes (Alan and his father, John) in helping to enlarge the idea of American folk music from one that was narrowly focused on British ballads to a more diverse and inclusive music tied to a multiplicity of regions, classes, occupations, and ethnic origins. Fine essays and commentary by Piazza and by William Ferris (history, Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill), who contributes the introduction, along with excerpts from Lomax's field notes, help contextualize the photos. This is an important book. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. J. T. Titon Brown University
Booklist Review
In the summer of 1959, folklorist Lomax traveled to the South to collect the music distinctive of the region that contributed greatly to broader American culture. This was ground he'd covered in the 1930s with his father, also a folklore collector, as they lugged around a 300-pound recorder. This time, Lomax was hoping to capture American folklore as embodied in music before it was commercialized beyond recognition. His earlier efforts had made famous such artists as Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) and the Georgia Sea Island Singers. Lomax took his camera along to record the lives as well as the music of those in work camps, prisons, and communities throughout the South. Award-winning Piazza now presents photographs taken during the journey, depicting farm auctions, prison work gangs, church revivals, humble homes, ordinary people, and musicians. Piazza's accompanying essay chronicles Lomax's deep roots in the South and his collaborations with Zora Neale Hurston, Jon Work, and others in collecting folk music. An accompanying CD features many of the musicians Lomax recorded, making for a rich celebration of Southern folk music.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2010 Booklist
Summary
A Best Photo Book of 2012 by American Photo .

A new look at the legendary folklorist and his work.

More than fifty years ago, on a trip dubbed "the Southern Journey," Alan Lomax visited Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee, uncovering the little-known southern backcountry and blues music that we now consider uniquely American. Lomax's camera was a constant companion, and his images of both legendary and anonymous folk musicians complement his famous field recordings.

These photographs--largely unpublished--show musicians making music with family and friends at home, with fellow worshippers at church, and alongside workers and prisoners in the fields. Discussions of Lomax's life and career by his disciple and lauded folklorist William Ferris, and a lyrical look at Lomax's photographs by novelist and Grammy Award-winning music writer Tom Piazza, enrich this valuable collection.
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