“Urban Blues” By Charles Keil Remains A Definitive Manifesto
By Ron Wynn
It’s the 60th anniversary of Urban Blues publication in January. Few books on any genre have held up as well through the years as Charles Kiel’s groundbreaking “Urban Blues,” (University of Chicago). Even as its 50th anniversary approaches (initially published January 1, 1966), despite the numerous changes in the music business, blues world and nation as a whole, the vast majority of Keil’s analysis and assessments remain accurate and relevant. The book combined academic research with sociological examination in brilliant fashion, resulting in a work that could be equally viewed as scholarship, history, and criticism. It was essentially a reworked version of his thesis to obtain a master’s in anthropology from the University of Chicago. He’d worked with the esteemed Indiana ethnomusicologist Alan Merriam for a year. The thesis’ foundation was interviews in blues clubs, with the subjects being B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland. At the time, though both were huge stars to Black listeners and virtual kings in Chicago, they weren’t nearly as big among the general white music populace.
“Urban Blues” was a revolutionary work in many ways. It was among the earliest books to update the music. Keil didn’t just revisit past classics and summarize the accomplishments of deceased greats, he also discussed and evaluated contemporary artists, styles and songs. As a practicing jazz musician, Keil provided a technical clarity and definition for this sound that became widely accepted, showing exactly how urban blues differed from earlier country styles in ways ranging from how stories were told to the approach of its vocalists and instrumentalists. He also explored the strong connection between artists and audiences, showing that the greater Black Chicago blues audience saw B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland as symbolic of African-Americans who possessed a striking style, flair and expressiveness. These fans also appreciated the status and self-esteem King and Bland espoused not only through their music, but in how they carried themselves. It was a strength that came from having succeeded in a society whose historic injustices were now being shown to the world through the Civil Rights Movement.
Keil framed urban blues, and by extension all blues, as the vigorous, positive expression of Black American culture. He didn’t present it as something closed to non-Blacks, just an outgrowth of the Black experience, though one that could be appreciated by any and all open-minded types. Keil wrote with such passion and extensive knowledge of Black culture, lexicon, and history it was often assumed he was African-American. His long track record of alliance and kinship with Black America dated back to his days as a contributor to the Nation of Islam’s newspaper then known as “Muhammad Speaks” (today “The Final Call).
He had a friendship with Malcolm X and once invited him to speak at Yale. The fallacy was so widely held Kiel addressed it in the 1991 republication of “Urban Blues.” He offered a lengthy explanation of his background and views, calling himself “a true Believer in African humanism.” Kiel would later write a 1979 doctoral thesis based on what he observed from spending two and a half years in Nigeria with his wife and daughter, exiting right before the 1967 Biafran War erupted. While he acknowledged disillusionment over the eventual massacres that occurred there, it didn’t diminish his advocacy of progressive politics, nor his feeling that the blues reflected the ideals and sentiments of an oppressed people battling for equality and justice (though he’d also argue viewing the music strictly through a political lens would be a gross oversimplification).
Aside from the sections devoted to B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland on stage, the book included chapters on blues history and lyrics, various styles, intriguing stories and incidents, plus such chapters as “Alternatives,” “The Identity Problem” and “Soul and Solidarity” that dealt with cultural and political aspects and elements, plus “Talking About Music” and “Blues Styles: An Annotated Outline” that went even more in depth on various technical questions and issues. The 1991 edition’s afterword, in addition to the lengthy exploration of Keil’s credentials, also included his views on a litany of political topics, most notably on capitalism, the music business and its impact on blues and the Black community.
“Urban Blues” has since been published in multiple languages, but unfortunately is NOT in the Blues Hall of Fame because it covers a genre as opposed to being about a person, recording, or literary work. I’ve long thought an exception to that rule should be made in special cases, and “Urban Blues” would certainly qualify, but currently it does not. After writing “Urban Blues” Charles Kiel took a long break from writing about music, though he continued an active academic career. But he returned to music chronicles in the mid-90s. His other books on the subject include “Tiv Song: The Sociology of Art in a Classless Society” (his doctoral thesis), Born To Groove” with Pat Campbell and Friends, “Bright Balkan Morning: Romani Lives and the Power of Greek Macedonia” with Dick Blau, Angeliki Vellou Kiel and Steven Feld, and “Polka Happiness” with Angeliki V. Keil and Dick Blau.
If you’ve never heard them, Kiel did a pair of fabulous radio interviews with the legendary broadcaster and journalist Studs Terkel in 1967, though only one was on the blues. The first was a wonderful discussion about “Urban Blues” that dovetailed into another discussion on the separation between Black and white societies in America, plus a side focus on B.B. King. The second interview was about Nigeria, and the then emerging and sad war raging there. These are both available online and intact at the WMFT website. Kiel’s own website (charleskiel.org) is a treasure chest of material, both vintage and current, and a great way to keep up with his activities. Kiel has taught and lectured at numerous colleges and universities, and is now a Professor at the Graduate School of Literature and Human Sciences, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.
“Urban Blues” is available at Amazon and also carried in some libraries.
‘Urban Blues’ HERE
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