Review: YELLOW MUSIC is a
reading treat, full of insights, and historically accurate. It is about the
Chinese Jazz Age, and it will inform and enlighten many readers who love jazz
and are curious about the affect and effect of American Jazz on the Chinese
culture. Andrew F. Jones deserves recognition for his excellent writing and
accuracy of detail.
An important aspect of this book covers the
shifting gender roles and class inequality. There is an analysis of the effects
of American jazz musician Buck Clayton, Li Jinhui who created "yellow music,"
and the musical approaches of Nie Er. YELLOW MUSIC is the first book to focus
on these aspects of Chinese jazz.
The book contains photographs of the
leading figures, among them are found photos of Buck Clayton in Shanghai during
1934, Buck Clayton and his Harlem Gentlemen performing at the Canidrome
Ballroom, Li Jinhui in 1926, Li Minghui in 1926, The Lianhua Song and Dance
Team in 1931, the composer George Njal in 1935, Nie Er in 1935. These photos
give a glimpse of the people who were the moving forces during this era.
Hollywood's effect is defined on pages 6, 12-13, 18, 20, 121, 129-130,
and Duke Ellington is discussed on pages 1, 149n, and page 63. The chapters are
long and entertaining reading.
The Notes sections are invigorating
reading and give information not readily found elsewhere. Of special interest
to jazz readers will be the introduction titled "Listening to the Chinese Jazz
Age," and "The Yellow Music of Li Jinhui." YELLOW MUSIC will appeal to many
readers, and this is a nice, compact history of Chinese jazz all readers can
enjoy having in their home library collections.
YELLOW MUSIC is a fine
study of Chinese jazz, and it would be a good candidate for inclusion in the
public library system as the first accurate look at this important movement in
Chinese music. Excellent resource guide to the Chinese Jazz Age. Well worth the
time to read, and examine. Intriguing conclusions.
JazzReview.com
