Spinning Blues into Gold
The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records
"The great artists who sang the blues made their mark with Leonard and Phil Chess, whose Chess Records was synonymous with the sound that swept up from the South, embraced Chicago, and spread out into mid-century America. Spinning Blues Into Gold is the impeccably researched story of the men behind the music and the remarkable company they created." "Chess Records - and later Checker, Argo, and Cadet - was built by Polish immigrant Jews, brothers who saw the blues as a unique business opportunity.".
"The book portrays the rich and volatile mix of race, Jews, and music. Cohodas takes us deep into the world of independent record producers, men who were sometimes abrasive and always aggressive, striving to succeed. Leonard and Phil worked hand-in-glove with disenfranchised black artists, and the intermittent charges of exploitation were balanced by the reality of a common purpose that brought them fame.
From beginning to end, the lives of the Chesses were entwined with those of the artists - socially, financially, and creatively."--BOOK JACKET.
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I picked up this book after listening to an old Sound Opinions podcast about Chess Records. Both this book and the movie, “Cadillac Records,” were mentioned and accompanied by a selection of great songs from the studio's stars, which made it a must-read.
This book took some time to get through because it is so densely packed. I give the author credit for the amount of research behind the final product, but there are portions of the book that dragged. To bring Chess Records and its artists to life, I listened to each track as it came up in the book. On the plus side, it's a balanced peek into the rise and fall of a small Chicago studio run by Polish immigrants. Check it out if you are interested in blues, early rock, and soul out of Chicago.
